Author: Amrita Pritam
Reading Time: 10 metro rides (only partly read in the metro)
About the Book:
The book is set around the time of the India-Pakistan partition and is about various issues. It talks of family rivalries, religion, relationships and family ties. The strongest issue discussed throughout the book is that of the role and state of women in society. Surprisingly, not much seems to have changed in the last half century. In concrete terms, yes, a lot has changed. But if you look beneath the surface, it seems pretty much the same.
Coming back to the book, the way the relationship between the protagonist and her husband is dealt with is extremely sensitive. It is endearing to see an abductor turned husband be so caring towards his wife. The journey of his winning her over has been portrayed beautifully. It is also refreshing to read about a man trying to conquer a woman’s self and not be overly obsessed with her body alone.
Overall it is a sad book.
Favourite Quote: None
Final Analysis: It is slow, but deliberately slow. You need a lot of patience not only for the pace of the book but also for the sadness in it.