Rating: 
Summary: An incredible collection of stories
Review: This book gives a deep view of the troubles of arranged marriagse. It also presents situations where the arranged marriages turn out well, an aspect most people overlook. It is heartfelt and warm, and the reader is privledged to have a glimpse at these womens lives. I recommend it to anyone who has an interest in Indian culture, and to anyone who has wondered about the custom of arranged marriages.It is a beautifully written book.
Rating: 
Summary: Arranged Marriage: Variation on a Theme
Review: Some of the reviewers are faulting this book for its repetition of themes and sameness of story; they may be missing the fact that this becomes its strength. The title indicates that these stories share a focus, and the repetitions are clues about the universal feelings of powerlessness experienced by Indian women. I particularly loved "The Maid Servant's Story," with its Scheherezade-like story-within-a-story motif. With some of her tales set in America, Divakaruni illustrates that the generational bondage shared by these women haunts their lives even when they manage to relocate and become highly educated. Still, there is this common thread of perseverance and hope, and Divakaruni's lilting language meanders like a river through these pages. I would compare this book to James Joyce's Dubliners because of its rich portrayal of a specific culture and the way the author raises questions for the audience instead of supplying answers. For the reader who wants to be spoonfed, this is not the book for you. Like life, the endings in these stories don't always tie everything up in a neat little package. If, however, you are a reader who wants to be provoked to the point of thinking on your own long after the story is completed, you will be mezmerized, troubled, and exhilarated by the magic of Divakaruni's writing.
Rating: 
Summary: Gets old quick...
Review: I was quite dissapointed in this book. The themes, and indeed the entire manner of writing in this collection of stories is repetative and stale. The details change from story to story, but nothing else. Many of the author's other works (namely the "unknow error of our lives") seem to follow suit. It would have been nice to have encountered some variety, whether it be in character perspective, the unraveling of the plot, or simply in style. If you are considering this book, I would suggest that there are other books with similar themes, but much more well written
Rating: 
Summary: Tales with one moral: all Indian men are heartless
Review: Ms. Divakaruni draws the inner life of her female protaganists with true skill and love, and her tales are worth reading for this alone. Alas, the author apparently has known only one type of Indian man--a heartless, emotionally distant male who, no matter his initial appearances, views women as property. I have no experience with Indian culture, but find it difficult to believe every Indian man is as the author portrays; it seems pretty apparent this young author is projecting her own broken heart into all these stories.
Rating:
Summary: Beautifully told..A must read for Indian Women with Barriers
Review: Ms. Divakaruni goes further in the depth into the Indian culture by extracting the fine threads that link women to their identities. These stories are beautiful and each one depicts a young woman caught between the American culture and the Indian culture wanting to belong to either one. She illustrates and expands her stories to tell what it is like being an Indian woman in the modern age, the traditions are still valued and some are still followed and others are thrown to the wayside. If you seek to be enlightened and want to dive deep within the topic of Marriage and the Indian Culture...this book is the perfect epitome and it's all you'll need to understand!!! Coming from the Indian culture and being brought up in the United States...I myself connected with some of these young women in the stories...Happy Reading!!"A home without books is like a body with a soul." Anonymous
Rating:
Summary: Splendid!
Review: I first found this book in an unknown bookstore in my hometown and I was amazed to find out that Indian writers actually wrote stuff in English. This is the first book I have read by an Indian writer and I couldn't put it down. I found myself thorougly engrossed by the vivid details and how true everything was that I went on to read everything else she had written and I am still reading her work. I would also be honored to take her Creative Writing classes, if I lived closer and maybe to meet her. Her book captivated my soul and gave me a new perspective on Indian life.
Rating:
Summary: Thought-provoking
Review: I found this book to be extremely diverse in terms of the characters and scenarios. Whether the story was of domestic violence or of mixed relationships in America, Divakaruni weaved a common thread through the challenges of womanhood from an Indian-American context. Of all of her books, this is the one I found most honest and captivating.
Rating:
Summary: A must have for any collection!
Review: I highly recommend this novel! VERY captivating!.. I couldn't put the book down.
Rating:
Summary: Short pieces of pleasure for your mind.
Review: She does it again! Great stories of people in different places. A good read because it allows me to get some reading with my toddler around.
Rating:
Summary: My favorite author
Review: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is a wonderful author. Her writing is very descriptive and her stories are captivating. This was her first novel and she became my favorite writer as soon as I read the first short story. While the stories do not always have happy endings, they provide insight into Indian culture, the Indian American cultural experience and issues that many Indian women deal with every day of their lives. I highly recommend this book!
|
