m quite hooked by this book, what a work,i just luv the way lahiri writes abt lives of NRI bengalis.The way she easily spans their lives,their ways ,their problems is xcellant.Indians hv alwayz been xcited abt migrating abroad,but the consequences faced r alwayz ignored....
cuming back to the book
it has 2 sections consisting of 5 n 3 short stories respectively,it starts wid story of Ruma,her father and her family,the story essayz her new understanding of the word family,the part describing the bonding btn grandfather an akash is beautifully written.gng thru the story forces one to think abt the family values,the way they r disappearing ,the way we r drifting apart,a relation is just not a bond by birth ,it is a homely feeling,itz nt always duty that brings us together,there is sumthing cald luv an affection.the awakening of sense of responsibility towards our parents ,our culture is wat is the need of the day,nt only abroad but also here ,in our country.
parents r nt burden,they r ur roots,the platform supporting us.y do we alwyz xpect perfect behaviour frm them wen we ourselves r nowhre near it???????
the second story talks abt the characterz mom ,her wishes ,her desires,her luv,her thinking.....
how in a total strange country,a total stranger helps her realise the meaning of luv,how unknowingly she falls fr him, she knowz her limits,she knowz shez married,has a kid but now she has sumthing to look forward for ..everday,y do we indians alwayz think that a non indian grl will only disturb our relationz,y do we think that grl wont make n effort to know our culture,try n follw it.......y is it that we think marriage wid non indian be it guy or grl will dissolve faster than blink of eye?r we so gr8 in following our culture? btw wat z our culture? plz help me answng that,meekly lovin sumone an marryin sumone else z our culture?infedilty z our culture?wat z our culture?complaining,verbal bashing?
the part describing characterz motherz jealousy towards Deborah is so natural!!!
the third story tellz abt amit an his confusion,here the case is viceversa,parents hv given total freedom but his is frustrated by their absence,his luv fr his daughters an Pam......
the next story is abt sudha an her efforts of keepng her bro an parents together, her frustation towards her bro fr nt knowing limits an towards her parents fr nt accepting their defeat n mending it,the end beautifully showz her emotional battle of being unhappy,trying to help her bro ,an on other hand punishing him.....
the next story ia abt trust,conceptions,assumptions,luv an heartbreak,how Paul helps Sang realise the concept of values....
the second section has a differnt style of writing
the first part showz hema talking to kaushik an narrating the reader or listener ie kaushik abt how in her childhood she was introduced to him,wat all was gng on in her mind wen she welcomed home him along wid his family,the best part was wen she narrates him telling her abt his motherz condition........
the second part is kaushik narrating his life after his motherz death, his insecurity, his frustration, hopelessnes
the last part the author describes their meeting , both of them realising themselves,their wantin an lastly the gap that they filled in each otherz lives........
worth reading but be prepared fr realising many things post reading.....it happened wid me,it may happen wid u
adieus
tc