A review by turophile
Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal

challenging funny reflective medium-paced
  • Plot- or character-driven? A mix
  • Strong character development? Yes
  • Loveable characters? Yes
  • Diverse cast of characters? Yes
  • Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.25

Though not without flaws, I really enjoyed and highly recommend this book. Our heroine, Nikki, is the oldest daughter in a Sikh family living in London. She’s disappointed her family by dropping out of law school and working at a bar. She’s even convinced that disappointment caused her father’s heart attack.  Nikki’s disappointed with her sister Mindi who was an arranged marriage, or at least a marriage with someone closely tied to their culture and religion. With some reluctance, Nikki agrees to go pin Mindi’s personal add up in Southall, a part of London where a large population of Indian Sikh live and maintain their culture. 
 
There she meets a man and spots a want add that both catch her eye. The ad seeks a teacher for a literary course. She’s hired but soon discovers the Punjabi widows who have signed up for her course were really looking for a literacy course, not literary.  Most can not read, but boy do they have stories to tell. 
 
They all start creating erotic romantic tales based on their lived experiences, or what they wish they had experienced.  One of the class members, a younger widow, agrees to help transcribe the stories. 
 
This journey alone would have been enough for a book, but there’s much more in a tale that really explores a woman’s role in the Punjabi diaspora. There’s a few mysteries, som nastiness, cultural sexism, and so beautifully crafted stories within the stories. 
 
I really enjoyed the book, BUT I thought it was trying to do much, especially at the end. It’s hard to describe without spoiling, but a couple of the storylines just went crazy sauce.  I think the book would have been a little better if the author would have stayed a little more focused. 
 
Still loved it however and highly recommend. 4.25/5 
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