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A review by awebofstories
Independence by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
Grade: C+
I may have come into this book with too much excitement. I can't say that my expectations were too high because I had no reason to have especially high expectations. But I was excited to read a novel about the Partition, which I only knew the bare minimum about before watching Ms. Marvel (and I don't think Marvel properties are the best historical sources).
There were things about it that I enjoyed. Divakaruni does an excellent job of creating the world of India on the verge of independence. There are so many sensory details here; the taste of the foods, the smell of the spices, and the thickness of the air. I felt as though I was in India with these sisters.
I also appreciated the realistic depiction of sister relationships. Yes, these sisters love each other. They also get angry with each and are jealous of each other. But, at the end of the day, they would do anything for each other.
Unfortunately, two issues negatively impacted my experience of this book. The writing style just seemed to lack nuance. I found this especially irritating in the book's first part when Divakaruni relied far too much on telling and not enough on showing. Once the action picked up, the style was less irritating, but I never felt I could let the language take me away.
The second and larger issue was that I just didn't feel that the parts of this book fit together especially well. Each of the three sisters has their own story. While I could see how Priya's and Jamina's stories could be told in tandem, Deepa's story seemed completely separate from it. I can't say I found much comfort in the Priya and Jamina storyline because love triangles set my teeth on edge.
I almost wish that this book had either been broken apart and only focused on one sister at a time (possibly as a trilogy) or that this had been a much longer book that went into a deeper dive and more closely tied Deepa in with her sisters. While the sisters' stories converge in the third act, that event didn't feel as if it even belonged in this sort of book.
I'm disappointed that this book wasn't a hit for me, but I do appreciate that the Partition was addressed and I would be open to reading other novels set in this historical period.
I may have come into this book with too much excitement. I can't say that my expectations were too high because I had no reason to have especially high expectations. But I was excited to read a novel about the Partition, which I only knew the bare minimum about before watching Ms. Marvel (and I don't think Marvel properties are the best historical sources).
There were things about it that I enjoyed. Divakaruni does an excellent job of creating the world of India on the verge of independence. There are so many sensory details here; the taste of the foods, the smell of the spices, and the thickness of the air. I felt as though I was in India with these sisters.
I also appreciated the realistic depiction of sister relationships. Yes, these sisters love each other. They also get angry with each and are jealous of each other. But, at the end of the day, they would do anything for each other.
Unfortunately, two issues negatively impacted my experience of this book. The writing style just seemed to lack nuance. I found this especially irritating in the book's first part when Divakaruni relied far too much on telling and not enough on showing. Once the action picked up, the style was less irritating, but I never felt I could let the language take me away.
The second and larger issue was that I just didn't feel that the parts of this book fit together especially well. Each of the three sisters has their own story. While I could see how Priya's and Jamina's stories could be told in tandem, Deepa's story seemed completely separate from it. I can't say I found much comfort in the Priya and Jamina storyline because love triangles set my teeth on edge.
I almost wish that this book had either been broken apart and only focused on one sister at a time (possibly as a trilogy) or that this had been a much longer book that went into a deeper dive and more closely tied Deepa in with her sisters. While the sisters' stories converge in the third act, that event didn't feel as if it even belonged in this sort of book.
I'm disappointed that this book wasn't a hit for me, but I do appreciate that the Partition was addressed and I would be open to reading other novels set in this historical period.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Hate crime, Rape, Violence, Blood, Medical content, Death of parent, Fire/Fire injury, Colonisation, and War