Rating: 
Summary: A Must Read For Indian American Women
Review: I read the book in one evening. It was an easy read that held my interest.I enjoyed all of the short stories in Arranged Marriages. The stories are moving and paint an accurate picture of life as an Indian woman, especially those living in America. I imganine that most Indian American women can relate to the stories in the book. For me, it gave me a better understanding of what my mother went through - and still deals with - as a result of her decision to marry my father, who was Irish, Catholic, and absolutely not arranged or approved of by my maternal grandparents.
Rating: 
Summary: Predictable and stereotypical.
Review: This book is very predictable and feeds into the negative stereotypes of arranged marriages and Indian women. Very disappointing. I believe the only reason this book gained acclaim was because it is the first book of its kind to deal with the topic of arranged marriages. It gives some insight into Indian cultures. Some situations are familiar. I am wondering if the author knows someone who went through all these situations.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Book
Review: I had heard a lot about this book and finally went out and read it. As an Indian teenager in America, I did not think I would be able to relate to it but I was surprised at how wrong I was. The stories were very touching and emotional and increased my interest in this author. Many of my other friends also think it is a great book. It is not concentrated on any one age group and everyone from teenagers to older people are able to enjoy and relate to its words. Everyone, especially all Indian women, should go out and read this book.
Rating:
Summary: Immensely Enjoyable
Review: As an American woman living in the culturally diverse metropolitan D.C. area, I've had the good fortune to become acquainted with a woman immigrant from India who is in the second decade of her arranged marriage to another Indian immigrant. She has shared enough tidbits of her personal story with me to whet an appetite for stories of arranged marriage, an appetite that is satisifed by this book. I picked up the book last night and am halfway through; I'm certain to finish tonight. Well written, the book offers glimpes into another culture as well as the chance to look at my own country's marital arrangements from another perspective. I can hardly wait to get home and read more.
Rating:
Summary: Powerful, Poignant Story-telling
Review: After reading this book, I consider Divakaruni is the most engaging--and commercially promising-- Indian woman writer working today. My book club of ten women read this story collection for a recent meeting, and we liked it very much. Divakaruni's insights ring true with my experiences as an Indo-European woman living in the US; I laughed and cried at times. I found Divakaruni's smooth yet emotional prose very engaging. As a plus, any Indian cultural references that might confuse Americans are gracefully explained without the dreaded "lecturing" aspect you sometimes find in intl fiction.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: This is a very absorbing book. I could relate to some aspect of almost every story in the book. The author has very beautifully captured every aspect of "coming to the united states" and its effect, be it despair, hope or happiness in this book..
Rating:
Summary: The Dark Side of Immigration
Review: I listened to an interview between the autor and Terry Gross and became facinated. Having read the stories I was struck with the profound effects of coming to America for Indian people. The profund sadness of the transition is amazing. There seems to be a really dark side to shifting from one culture to another. There are glimmers of hope and happiness amidst the gloom but the picture is dark. As an American born person of european background I never knew that this world existed.
Rating:
Summary: The Good and the Bad of Various Arrangements
Review: I read Mistress of the Spices first. I liked Arranged Marriage even beter. In this book, Banerjee Divakaruni blends the hope of EveryImmigrant with the after-the-honeymoon realism of EveryWoman, and distills for us the essence of life's bittersweetness. Why do treasured husbands get killed? Why do weak men beat their wives? Why do social service bureaucracies become obstacles to the sorts of familial relationships they are supposed to foster? Why are good and bad inextricably linked? Centered around the experiences of Indian women who've recently immigrated to the US, Arranged Marriage's tales unfold with the imagery, sensitivity, and poetry that readers of such writers as Isabel Allende and Amy Tan, have come to expect. The larger questions of our existence are examined by exploring the daily details of immigrant life. The efficacy of the language and phrasing employed throughout the book make the sentiments conveyed by the narratives more keenly felt. All but a few of Arranged Marriage's stories read quickly. I was sad when I finished the the last one -- not because the story's realisitic conclusions were depressing -- but because Banerjee Divakaruni doesn't yet have a next book written for me to read.
Rating:
Summary: Many faces of love.
Review: Are there many faces of love? Reading Arranged Marriage reminded me that there are many ways for women to love men and for men to love women. The stories of marriages presented by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni are unsettling yet touching as they delve into the love between man and wife, the love of children for parents, and the love that women hold for each other. We are reminded that love is many faceted and very personal to those who choose to experience it. We are also reminded of the many sacrifices that a woman makes in her life for the sake of love. I look forward to reading the Mistress of Spices.
Rating:
Summary: A Glimpse of Indian American Life
Review: Mrs. Banerjee has shown us a picture of Indian
society as it is today. Most of the stories are
about Indian emigrants who live in the U.S. and
their struggles here. The writing is colorful
and crisp; the stories are highly engaging.
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