Title: Dancing to the Flute by Manisha Jolie Amin

Publisher: Atria

Pages: 320

Released: 2013

Source: Blog Tour/Publisher

Rating: 2.5/5

Synopsis:

Kalu was abandoned as a child and left to fend for himself in rural India. Kalu has no material possessions, and a sore foot that is severely infected, causing a foul odor. People began to shun him, and didn’t want him around, thinking he was too lazy to wash. When a traveling healer name Vaid comes to town and offers to help Kalu, his life is changed forever. Kalu was initially skeptical of Vaid but he felt like it was worth a chance. The healer wraps up the foot, and tells Kalu he’ll return at a later date. Kalu worries about paying Vaid, he has nothing that he can give him. When his foot is unwrapped and cured, the healer asks Kalu to play his flute in return. Vaid offers Kalu to become a student of Guruji, a famous flute-player who lives in isolation. Kalu knows this is a great opportunity, and accepts the offer.

Review:

 I didn’t really enjoy this one. I thought the story was okay, but it didn’t really keep me interested. Kalu’s storyline is interesting, he had nothing and Vaid gave him a great opportunity. Those who shunned him, suddenly became more interested in him. Usually, I am drawn to stories that take place and India, and in this case it didn’t live up to my expectations. I had a hard time connecting with the characters. The writing is beautiful, and the descriptions are fantastic. It was the overall storyline that I had a hard time staying interested in. I might have to revisit this one at a later date. 

Review: An Atlas of Impossible Longing by Anuradha Roy

Publisher: Simon and Schuster Canada
Pages: 336
Released: 2011 (paperback)
Rating: 5/5



Synopsis:

An Atlas of Impossible Longing opens in 1907 when Amulyan moves his wife, two sons and daughter –in-law to Songarh from Calcutta. Amulya is proud of the large, beautiful home he has built for his family. Amulyan’s wife, Kananbala is furious that he has taken them away from their family. Their new home is large, and empty. The only home in the vicinity belongs to an English couple across the street. Kananbala becomes very homesick and lonely; gradually she begins to lose her sanity and becomes unpredictable. Kananbala begins to blurts out every negative thing that crosses her mind, Amulyan doesn’t know what to do with her, and he eventually resorts to having her locked in their bedroom to avoid embarrassment.



Review:

An Atlas of Impossible longing is difficult to give a synopsis since it spans three generations. The above synopsis leads up to the family’s downward spiral, and I believe the most pivotal part of the story. I’m drawn to books set in India, and this one lived up to my expectations. Readers will eagerly enjoy each and every character’s journey. Roy has an amazing ability to transport her readers to India, her descriptive language is vivid and comes alive. This is a novel about love and loss and what it takes to make a house a home.

The novel is divided into three sections; the first begins with Kananbala’s loneness and eventual imprisonment in her bedroom. Their oldest son is married, and youngest son soon marries. The second section begins with life after Amulyan’s death and the family struggle to remain together. The third section covers Bakul, the only grandchild and an orphan boy, Makunda that has been taken into the home. Their friendship is challenged once they grow older and their actions are questioned. Makunda eventually leaves the home and sets out to make a life for himself. Each section is intriguing, and emotionally engaging.

If you’re interested in India, and Indian culture this is a great read. The family dynamic is challenging and this family will pull at your heart strings. They don’t always make the best decisions, but they try to do what they think is best. Their struggles feel real and honest. I can’t wait to read her newest novel The Folded Earth.

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Review: Lovetorn by Kavita Daswani

Publisher: Harperteen
Pages: 256
Released: 2012
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5/5



Synopsis:

When Shalini’s father announces to the family that they are moving to America, everyone is shocked. Shalini’s grandfather is livid, families are meant to stay together. Their life in India is comfortable; American will be lonely with just the four of them, in India they live with thirty-seven relatives. Shalini has been engaged since she was three years old and the thought of being away from Vikram for two years is heartbreaking. When Shalini, her parents and sister land in America, everything is new and her father is ecstatic. Shalini accepts his words of encouragement, and tries her best to accept the situation. Starting a new school proves to be very difficult for Shalini, but relatively easy for her younger sister. It’s a surprise to the family, when their mother is severely homesick and begins to suffer from depression. She withdraws from the family and locks herself in her room for days, further burdening Shalini with the household chores. After weeks of being tormented at school, Shalini learns that life is about choices, and she no longer wants to be the girl who doesn’t fit in and cowers in a corner.



Review:

Lovetorn is a great novel that tackles a very real subject. Shalini’s peers laugh at her, and mock her; she would love to pack up and go home but she wants to give her father the opportunity to enjoy his time in America, but hiding her unhappiness proves to be difficult. Her father wholeheartedly throws himself into their new life, and wants his wife to snap out of it. He doesn’t understand why she is having such a hard time adjusting. Eventually Shalini meets new people, and forms new friendships. While working for a charity event, she meets a new boy who gives her the butterflies, and she has no idea how that can happened. Vikram has always been the love of her life, and she has no idea what to do.

I really respected that Daswani never demonstrated that one culture was superior over the other. She portrayed a family experiencing the blending of cultures, and adapting. As Shalini begins to feel more comfortable in America, she never forgets who she is or where she came from. Shalini’s mother has the hardest time coming to American, and I felt that her situation was very real. Her whole life was uprooted, and she couldn’t cope. The only place she felt comfortable with was the Indian grocery store. She had nowhere to go every day, no friends, no extended family; she was very lonely and angry.

I want to mention the cover, and how I don’t think it gives this book justice. The cover portrays a romance/teen novel and this book is so much more. I think they chose this cover because it is geared towards young adult fans, but I don’t find it true to the story at all.

I really love stories that take place in India or portray Indian cultures, and this book did not disappoint. Daswani did a great job creating this family, their difficult story is sure to resemble real life immigrants trying to hold on to their culture while building a new life in a new country.

Review: The Weight of Heaven by Thrity Umrigar

Publisher: Harper Perennial
Released: (Paperback) 2010
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5/5



Synopsis:

Frank and Ellie Benton were living on cloud nine with the birth of their son, Benny. When Benny succumbs to an infection, his parents are lost and a profound sense of loss sets in. They never expected that they would outlive their son. The perfect life they built was shattered without Benny. Their marriage quickly begins to deteriorate when they lay blame on each other and withdraw. When Frank is offered a job in India, Ellie jumps at the chance to move and hopefully start over. It doesn’t take much convincing before he accepts the job offer. Settling into life in India was easier for Ellie, Frank was faced with political unrest and labor strikes. The silver lining for Frank was their cook’s son, Ramesh. Frank sees great potential in Ramesh, and he convinces his parents to transfer his school. Frank absorbs the cost of the school, and despite Ramesh’s parents desires, he continues to buy him material goods that his parents could never afford. Tensions begin to rise and Ellie is not comfortable with opening her heart to Ramesh.


Review:

This is the second novel I have read by Thrity Umrigar, and I loved it! She is my new favorite author, and I’ll have to get the rest of her other books. She has a great ability to create multi-dimensional characters. I loved Ellie, but I was frustrated with her standoffish approach with Ramesh. I understood where she was coming from, but I wanted her and Frank to be happy again. Ellie had no problems adjusting to life in India, away from those who pitied her, away from the people who shared memories of her son. She felt that Benny was no longer just theirs; he was a shared memory amongst everyone. Meeting Benny’s teacher in the grocery store would send her in a tailspin; the awkward meetings would never go away. She would never get over the death of her son but she needed to learn to live with it. As Frank begins to pay more and more attention to Ramesh, and he disregards everyone’s warnings, I began to wonder where the book would lead. It seemed like he was adopting Ramesh as his own, and could care less about everyone else involved, including Ellie. Ramesh’s father is jealous of the man who can give his son everything. Frank clearly wants Ramesh to have a bright future, but poverty doesn’t mean abuse. Ramesh had parents who loved him, and tried their best. I struggled with how I really felt about Frank, I wanted to understand him but I couldn’t accept his actions. I really began to feel like the relationship was unhealthy; Frank didn’t know when to step away.

Umrigar’s prose is astonishing, filled with imagery that paints a vibrant picture of India. The Weight of heaven is fast paced, and emotional. Ellie and Frank were written very personally and honestly. Their thoughts don’t hold back, Umrigar depicts grief-stricken parents who are trying to move on but not forget their son. They’re trying to find a comfortable middle-ground, and time doesn’t really seem to be healing. The change of atmosphere doesn’t take away their memories. As Frank begins to spiral out of control, readers will want to reel him in, and put him on a better path. I was not prepared for the ending, and it will remain with me for a long time.

Overall, I highly recommend this one. Umrigar has amazing talent. Benny’s death is raw and emotional, the emotions his parents are left with are complicating. Despite my issues with Frank, I never disliked him, I was sympathic towards him, I wanted him to start making less emotional decisions. I needed him to start thinking rationally, and better informed.

Once again, highly recommended! There is so much to discuss with this book, I feel like I have just scratched the surface.

Review: American Dervish by Ayad Aktar

Publisher: Little Brown
Pages: 368
Source: Personal Copy
Rating: 5/5


**2012 Debut Adult Fiction Author**

Hayat is a Pakistani-American coming from a wealthy, dysfunctional family living in the outskirts of Milwaukee. His mother and father have become very americanized, both have shunned the Qur’an and the community. His parent’s marriage is fragile; his mother warns Hayat against Muslim men and wants him to be nothing like his father. His mother is depressed and lonely; she holds little details from Hayat about his father’s indiscretions. When his mother’s best friend comes to live with them from India, Hayat is immediately infatuated with her. While Mina was giving birth to her son, her husband divorced her, causing her parents great shame. Mina is distraught to be told her son would have to be given to her husband upon his seventh birthday. She escapes to America, hoping for a better life and security for her son. When Mina comes into the household, Hayat is relieved to have a change in atmosphere. He is immediately fascinated with her faith, which she openly begins to teach him. Hayat immerses himself in these teachings, but has a lot to learn about life and literal interpretations.

American Dervish is a captivating read, an amazing debut novel. Hayat is an innocent boy who quickly gets caught up in the beauty of faith, and the ugliness of stereotypes. For the first time in his life, Hayat is showered with attention by someone other than his mother. He hangs on Mina’s every word, and hopes that nothing will come between them. He does everything in his power to stay golden in her eyes. When Hayat realizes that Mina’s attention is divided by a Jewish suitor, Hayat is distressed. What comes next is a surprise, even for Hayat.

Akhtar does not shy away from a difficult topic. There is great comfort that comes from faith, but when literal interpretations begin to cloud ones thoughts, it can be devastating. The book opens in 1990, when Hayat is in college, he begins to reflect on his past. Hayat may not be proud of his past, but he was young, naïve and misguided. Akhtar warns of the dangers that come from being narrow-minded. Tunnel vision can be devastating.

Hayat’s parents do not have likeable personalities, but their intention to give their son a better life is commendable. They want nothing but the best for Hayat however, instead of guiding him in the right direction they want nothing to do with his Qur’an curiosities. Both of his parents seem to be lost, struggling to find their place in this new world. Hayat is struggling to gain acceptance, and wants to be seen. American Dervish is an amazing coming-of-age novel that readers will love. Akhtar presents characters who are trying to make sense of the new world, trying to understand the old world, characters who are lost in the shuffle. The writing is compelling, beautiful and readable. The story is engaging and engrossing. Highly recommended!

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