Scan barcode
grapefruitjuice's review
informative
inspiring
reflective
tense
medium-paced
3.75
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape and Misogyny
bookswithchaipai's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
4.75
Tara and Zara. Inseparable. Born a few minutes apart but as different as night and day. An innocent hide and seek game on a bright and sunny day leads to the rape of Zara, and the sequence of events that follows leads to the agony of countless people. Tara's quest for the truth brings with it anguish, but she comes out triumphant, as a result changing her parents' outlook.
Is it the girls' fault she is raped? Why would the villagers beat her up if they find out?
Why does a man have complete discretion on how he treats his wife, even if it means employing her in a brothel?
Why do girls have to study undercover? Why would tongues wag if the villagers find out, reducing her marriage prospects?
Why is a son more precious than a daughter?
Why does Tara have to work as the help in a huge bungalow, where festive food is cooked all day, but is given a small bowl of rice and lentils to eat?
How can a girl get married without seeing her husband's face?
Why can't a girl get married without a huge dowry to her name,?
These are some of the concerns tackled in this book by depicting it in an immersive village scenario, filled with familial love, daily chores, & village politics. Honor killings happen aplenty even in this age because families cannot face the shame of divorced or raped daughters. Drugging girls so that they can be submissive is another horror that added to my shock.
Tara is a breath of fresh air in a dismal surrounding embroiled in religious customs. She surreptitiously read a lot of classics and is worldly-wise at the tender age of 13. Her determination to go to school, her bravado to find her sister and then break her out of a dangerous situation, deserves a pat on the back. I was in awe of how she stood up to her values and did her best in every unfortunate situation.
This is not just a run-of-the-mill storywith an oft-used rape trope and its ill effects. It is the story of a girl who has dreams sparkling in her eyes, a lion's roar in her heart, and the will to turn the tide in the name of justice and love.
Is it the girls' fault she is raped? Why would the villagers beat her up if they find out?
Why does a man have complete discretion on how he treats his wife, even if it means employing her in a brothel?
Why do girls have to study undercover? Why would tongues wag if the villagers find out, reducing her marriage prospects?
Why is a son more precious than a daughter?
Why does Tara have to work as the help in a huge bungalow, where festive food is cooked all day, but is given a small bowl of rice and lentils to eat?
How can a girl get married without seeing her husband's face?
Why can't a girl get married without a huge dowry to her name,?
These are some of the concerns tackled in this book by depicting it in an immersive village scenario, filled with familial love, daily chores, & village politics. Honor killings happen aplenty even in this age because families cannot face the shame of divorced or raped daughters. Drugging girls so that they can be submissive is another horror that added to my shock.
Tara is a breath of fresh air in a dismal surrounding embroiled in religious customs. She surreptitiously read a lot of classics and is worldly-wise at the tender age of 13. Her determination to go to school, her bravado to find her sister and then break her out of a dangerous situation, deserves a pat on the back. I was in awe of how she stood up to her values and did her best in every unfortunate situation.
This is not just a run-of-the-mill storywith an oft-used rape trope and its ill effects. It is the story of a girl who has dreams sparkling in her eyes, a lion's roar in her heart, and the will to turn the tide in the name of justice and love.
More...