Lisa S. (phunction) reviewed on 1/9/2010 + 9 more book reviews

i'm afraid that writing a review for this book won't do it any justice. it is much like pictures from some magical place that you have been - for me, alaska's glacier bay. both are things that should be experienced in all their magnitude and strength, not just seen or read. the experience of a fine balance was one with sorrow and joy, anger and compassion, that can be genuinely felt for the characters, the culture and the country. this is a book that drags you kicking and screaming through the trenches of cruelty and suffering, and soaring through the beauty of the culture.

in the social and political turmoil of inidira ghandi's time, four people are brought together into a single household. their story moves among their lives, past and present, to mold together into a single tale of heroic love. dina is an independent widow trying to make ends meet without invoking the help of her overbearing brother. maneck, a young student, is forced from the countryside and the family that he adores, to attend university, for the opportunity that it will afford him in the future. ishvar and om, two tailors with a painful and unforunate past from the caste violence of their small hometown, are in search of better fortune in the city. as their lives intersect in a single apartment, for a moment, time stands still. despite the pain and cruelty that is at every corner, there is a genuine joy for life that can be felt. this book will sweep you up, take you in and break your heart, but it is an amazing journey that needs to be taken.

i walked away from this book feeling as if i had just experienced something very profound, much more than just words and characters in a book. it was a captivating journey, a stunning narrative, and a beautiful panorama of the culture and the times.

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