Rating – I give it a 4/5.
I am a bit biased because I LOVE INDIA!!! This book is set in post colonial India when people are trying to seek their individual identities while treading carefully on and around societal norms. The author Alka Joshi does a splendid job of describing all her characters well and painting beautiful vivid pictures of life in Jaipur. The book explores with confidence various themes such as ambition, art and culture, child marriage, teen age drama, calculated revenge, domestic violence etc. If you thought Beth Harmon (The Queen’s Gambit) knows her chess, you may want to read this book – it will change your mind 🙂
As I read the 400 page book, I could visualize each and every page in much detail. I applaud her for respecting traditions and cultures of India while gently exposing gaps thereof. She is very careful in her approach while describing age old practices of Ayurveda and not dismissing the same as floo flah (its a word, look it up:-)
I am adding a collage from my trip to Delhi, Agra and Jaipur – just could not resist it. Clockwise – Taj Mahal, Hawa Mahal, puppet show at a palace, Palace on water (Jal Mahal), another view of Hawa Mahal.
Enjoy!
