A review by sedgewren
The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

dark funny tense fast-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? No
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I loved this book — it was an absolute romp! It had a rambunctious cast of characters, a tight and brilliant plot, a light-hearted and genuinely funny tone that balanced a critique of patriarchy, sexism, the caste system, lookism, religion, aid in India, the idea of a sisterhood, and empowerment. It's the kind of book that I wish I could write.

(very mild spoilers ahead)

The characters were ingenious, compelling and vibrant; I loved reading it from Geeta's perspective despite (although this truly added to her believability) her frustrating moments and unreliable narrator-ness (but don't we all rewrite the past to turn ourselves into the main protagonist of our own narrative?)

tl;dr: READ THIS BOOK (read the content warnings first, to make sure it's right for you of course!)
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