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kitt3nfight's review
4.0
This was a touching story about a girl who, after finding out a family secret, left her home to discover more. This offers a great perspective into other cultures, and understanding why people choose to make the choices they make, even if it goes against cultural norms. I loved the main character, and seeing her develop through the story, however I wish we got more of her backstory, and more of the backstory of a few other characters. I hope the author continues writing because she has some great stories to tell.
licelotd's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
leighbaldwin's review against another edition
dark
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
almondcookies's review against another edition
4.0
One of the best parts of this book was the experiences of arriving in another culture and realising you actually know nothing.
All along, whilst growing up in their home country, both MCs have never experienced true responsibility for their decisions because the people around them control all the choices they're presented with. Afterall, how can one have true accountability for their choices if they've never been given a real choice?
It's interesting to see how the two women handle this, and how feelings of pride and shame fall into the mix, and how they affect decisions both intimately end up making.
It's also funny that because Nita has never been given choices in her life, she equally does not know how to give others choices too.
Her husband continuously gave her chances and opportunities to come home, but she kept believing it was 'too late' for her and she had already brought enough shame on the family. Those are her thoughts, but they're not her husband's. By not telling him, she never gives him space or the opportunity to show who he really is.
Another example is when she's pregnant she doesn't want to even hope the real father might be Good Guy. Instead she assumes that if she tells GG that will ruin his life, and resigns herself to her fate with Shit Guy. She strips the decision of having a child from GG, even though he has said countless times that he would love to have her and her baby, even if it wasn't his.
These are only two examples, but its a common theme throughout her story and ultimately what she perceives to be predetermined outcomes end up destroying her in the end.
On the opposite end of the scale, we have Sophie, who faces wildly different circumstances but very similar trials. She felt like she gained a level of independence because she worked and has been working for a long time. However, in Paris she comes to realise that it's her father that got her the job, and actually what other choices did she have in her job hunt? As a woman, basically nothing else.
However, after this realisation hits, she doesn't discard all other forms of help and try to do it on her own. She still relies on others for help (albeit after a few mistakes like going to a bad area of town near midnight. The point is, she learns, okay?)
Another interesting thing is seeing both MCs dance the dichotomy between the French and Indian culture. One is very open and individualistic, and the other is conservative and collective. Both MCs get to experience the positives and negatives of both cultures, and seeing how they toe the line is very interesting.
Nita forces herself to follow the French way, believing she will never be accepted back in Indian society. Due to that she does many things that go against Indian cultural norms whilst still uploading herself to those values. As a result, beats herself up the whole way.
This "in for a penny, in for a pound" mentality can be seen basically throughout her whole relationship with Shit Guy. From her first sip of wine to her last dose of heroine. Why? Because of all that uncontrollable shame, baby. She believes she's a shit person and that's what she deserves.
Sophie, maybe because she has never had any intention of staying in the west, is accepting of the French culture but doesn't try discard her Indian heritage as soon as she notices the good parts of the new country. Equally, after getting robbed by people from her home country, she doesn't taint them all with the same brush. She's able to learn from her mistakes without beating herself up so badly. (Once again, maybe this all stems from the fact she doesn't harbor the deep seated shame that Nita does)
I know this story deals with addiction and mental health, but I'm not going to comment on them. The parts that resonated with me most have been touched on above.
Last note - Sophie makes a very interesting point that Self Reliance is different from Independence, and maybe this is the biggest difference in the chasm that divides our two MCs.
All along, whilst growing up in their home country, both MCs have never experienced true responsibility for their decisions because the people around them control all the choices they're presented with. Afterall, how can one have true accountability for their choices if they've never been given a real choice?
It's interesting to see how the two women handle this, and how feelings of pride and shame fall into the mix, and how they affect decisions both intimately end up making.
It's also funny that because Nita has never been given choices in her life, she equally does not know how to give others choices too.
Her husband continuously gave her chances and opportunities to come home, but she kept believing it was 'too late' for her and she had already brought enough shame on the family. Those are her thoughts, but they're not her husband's. By not telling him, she never gives him space or the opportunity to show who he really is.
Another example is when she's pregnant she doesn't want to even hope the real father might be Good Guy. Instead she assumes that if she tells GG that will ruin his life, and resigns herself to her fate with Shit Guy. She strips the decision of having a child from GG, even though he has said countless times that he would love to have her and her baby, even if it wasn't his.
These are only two examples, but its a common theme throughout her story and ultimately what she perceives to be predetermined outcomes end up destroying her in the end.
On the opposite end of the scale, we have Sophie, who faces wildly different circumstances but very similar trials. She felt like she gained a level of independence because she worked and has been working for a long time. However, in Paris she comes to realise that it's her father that got her the job, and actually what other choices did she have in her job hunt? As a woman, basically nothing else.
However, after this realisation hits, she doesn't discard all other forms of help and try to do it on her own. She still relies on others for help (albeit after a few mistakes like going to a bad area of town near midnight. The point is, she learns, okay?)
Another interesting thing is seeing both MCs dance the dichotomy between the French and Indian culture. One is very open and individualistic, and the other is conservative and collective. Both MCs get to experience the positives and negatives of both cultures, and seeing how they toe the line is very interesting.
Nita forces herself to follow the French way, believing she will never be accepted back in Indian society. Due to that she does many things that go against Indian cultural norms whilst still uploading herself to those values. As a result, beats herself up the whole way.
This "in for a penny, in for a pound" mentality can be seen basically throughout her whole relationship with Shit Guy. From her first sip of wine to her last dose of heroine. Why? Because of all that uncontrollable shame, baby. She believes she's a shit person and that's what she deserves.
Sophie, maybe because she has never had any intention of staying in the west, is accepting of the French culture but doesn't try discard her Indian heritage as soon as she notices the good parts of the new country. Equally, after getting robbed by people from her home country, she doesn't taint them all with the same brush. She's able to learn from her mistakes without beating herself up so badly. (Once again, maybe this all stems from the fact she doesn't harbor the deep seated shame that Nita does)
I know this story deals with addiction and mental health, but I'm not going to comment on them. The parts that resonated with me most have been touched on above.
Last note - Sophie makes a very interesting point that Self Reliance is different from Independence, and maybe this is the biggest difference in the chasm that divides our two MCs.
jlreadstoperpetuity's review against another edition
4.0
The hungover that this book brought me is real
olivegregory's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
jec7b's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Addiction
kalliste's review against another edition
3.0
2.5*
In The Direction of the Wind we meet Nita in 1998 and her daughter Sophie in 2019.
Nita has felt trapped in her marriage and culture and flees to the city of her dreams, Paris. She imagines this life of freedom and beauty and time to pursue her art.
20 years later Sophie finds out that her Mother Nita wasn't dead like her family had told her all those years ago, but had actually left them for Paris.
I was hoping for a story of a woman who gets to find out who she is when she isn't a mother, daughter or wife but the story goes in a completely different direction and I was disappointed that the lesson of the book seemed to be that
Sophie decides to go to Paris to find her Mother but
I really liked where this story began but was severely disappointed in where it ended.
In The Direction of the Wind we meet Nita in 1998 and her daughter Sophie in 2019.
Nita has felt trapped in her marriage and culture and flees to the city of her dreams, Paris. She imagines this life of freedom and beauty and time to pursue her art.
20 years later Sophie finds out that her Mother Nita wasn't dead like her family had told her all those years ago, but had actually left them for Paris.
I was hoping for a story of a woman who gets to find out who she is when she isn't a mother, daughter or wife but the story goes in a completely different direction and I was disappointed that the lesson of the book seemed to be that
Spoiler
if you leave your culture you will end up seduced by a charming French man who leads you to unprotected sex, alcohol and drugs. Sure, there is mention of Nita's mental health struggles, but it would have been amazing to see this play out differently.Sophie decides to go to Paris to find her Mother but
Spoiler
gets swindled on her first moments in the city and then ultimately ends up where she started.I really liked where this story began but was severely disappointed in where it ended.
gena1203's review against another edition
2.0
This read was interesting in the beginning. The only reason it is ending up with 2 stars for me is because the ending was such a disappointment IMO. This plot was ripe with complex characters who were full of potential. The 3rd person perspective of Nita's story was incredibly rich with emotion which Sophie's perspective was ridden with grief and curiosity throughout the first half. The 2nd half of the book was rushed with too many gaps to piece together. While I normally don't mind a sad ending, to me, Sophie wasted the entire book to end up right back where she started. What was the whole point of taking us on this journey with absolutely nothing to show for it. I felt awful for Nita's son, but then we were completely left in the dark regarding his perspective and role in this entire thread. After reading, I just felt like I sorted through a mess of a plot line that essentially was a waste of time.