A FORTHCOMING NOVEL
INDIAN WOMEN AND RELIGIOUS POLITICS
Honor by Thrity Umrigar
I received this novel as an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) through BookBrowse, an e-mail newsletter that I recently discovered. It will be published in January 2022. I devoured the book in a day and a half and loved it!
Indian American journalist Smita reports on gender issues and travels the world to do so. As a favor to a colleague, she returns to India after 20 years away. Initially she does not realize that she will be covering the verdict in a trial of two Hindu brothers who maimed their sister and murdered her Muslim husband. Through her main characters, author Umrigar presents several differing perspectives on India. The reader is kept wondering for most of the novel why Smita has such a scornful, negative view of her native land. Affluent Mohan, a professional man, lives in Mumbai and loves it despite its complexities. Meena, the severely injured wife and mother, lives in a poor village and chafes under her brothers’ dictates. She challenges what is deemed allowable behavior for a Hindu woman by working in a factory and then marrying Abdul.
The novel unfolds slowly as Smita travels with Mohan, filling in as driver, to interview Meena and several others. Smita questions why she feels so hateful toward her country while simultaneously both resenting and appreciating Mohan’s decency and kindness. The concept of “honor” and what it means whether one is Hindu or Muslim plays out against violence, corruption, love, and sympathy in a multi-faceted society.
Some years ago, I read The Space Between Us, another novel by this author about class differences between two women. I thought it was very good, but this new novel is more powerful. (~JWFarrington)
A RECENT FILM
LOVE IN THE 1960’S
Last Letter from Your Lover (Netflix)
Based on a novel of the same name by JoJo Moyes, this romantic drama is schmaltzy, but good entertainment. Jennifer Stirling is trapped in a loveless marriage, controlled by her husband and constrained by the times. Enigmatic throughout, but elegant in dresses, hats, and gloves, she attracts the attention of reporter Anthony, aka Boot, O’Hare, and they begin an affair. Decades later, one of his letters turns up in a newspaper archive. Young reporter Elly Haworth makes it her mission to identify the correspondents.
Of the principals, Jennifer is the least substantial character, and one wonders what other than her beauty has kept Boot’s interest. I watched this while on the treadmill and it kept me moving! (~JWFarrington)
Note: Header image of woman reading courtesy of readersdigest.co.uk
