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devonforest's review against another edition
4.0
I went into this not expecting much, a friend had given it to me as a gift. It was simple and a quick read, but the plot kept me interested- more so than I expected. I hoped for a bit more closure at the end, but overall the story wrapped up well. It's also interesting to read about w topic that I don't have much knowledge about. Reading about India's view in WWII was definitely not something I had thought of before.
book_concierge's review against another edition
3.0
3.5 stars.
A Young Adult book about India and the struggle for freedom from British rule, from the caste system, from the tradional roles for women.
A Young Adult book about India and the struggle for freedom from British rule, from the caste system, from the tradional roles for women.
el_reads17's review against another edition
2.0
I found it to be too simple. I didn't connect with Vidya at all. Probably would've liked it better if read it when I was younger.
I did learn some interesting things about India's history and the caste system.
I did learn some interesting things about India's history and the caste system.
aoosterwyk's review against another edition
5.0
I just reread this book since the author visited our school yesterday. What a great visit! We had lunch in the library with 20 or so students and a great discussion about reading and writing with a slideshow to follow. It was a real pleasure to meet her, she is sincere and well-spoken with a lot to say for herself and for women in general.
The story takes place in India as World War II is heating up and just as Pearl Harbor is bombed. The people of India are participating in nonviolent protests to gain their independence from Great Britain, so an interesting conflict is set up for Kitta, the older brother. He struggles to decide who is the bigger evil and whether HItler is enough of a threat to justify him fighting FOR the British Army.
Vidya has been raised in their family's liberal household, but when their father is beaten by the police for joining a protest, they move to their grandfather's house and live with the extended family. Suddenly, Vidya's life is severely restricted and becomes almost unbearable.
Many themes to discuss in this book and tough decisions to make. An excellent addition to any class studying WWII.
The story takes place in India as World War II is heating up and just as Pearl Harbor is bombed. The people of India are participating in nonviolent protests to gain their independence from Great Britain, so an interesting conflict is set up for Kitta, the older brother. He struggles to decide who is the bigger evil and whether HItler is enough of a threat to justify him fighting FOR the British Army.
Vidya has been raised in their family's liberal household, but when their father is beaten by the police for joining a protest, they move to their grandfather's house and live with the extended family. Suddenly, Vidya's life is severely restricted and becomes almost unbearable.
Many themes to discuss in this book and tough decisions to make. An excellent addition to any class studying WWII.
beatniksafari's review against another edition
4.0
Teenage Vidya, living in Bombay in 1941, has the good fortune to have a supportive, progressive family. She plays sports, attends school with a diverse array of classmates, and has the full blessing of her parents to continue her education beyond high school. All that changes when Vidya's father is gruesomely injured in an Indian independence protest march, and the family is forced to relocate to Madras. There, they move in with her father's strict, conservative family, who nearly squash Vidya's dreams for the future. However, she finds opportunities to learn, thanks to some allies, a beautiful library, and her own feisty spirit. I loved the character of Vidya, and the chance to learn about this time period from a new perspective.
linyarai's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
bekmorr's review against another edition
4.0
This is a young adult book up for a Beehive Award. Its about a young woman in British-occupied India during World War II. This was so eye-opening and interesting since I haven't read much about India and didn't know much about traditional Indian culture. A good, quick read.
zenjen's review against another edition
4.0
It took some time for me to be drawn into this book. Eventually I found myself very connected with Vidya and didn't want to put the book down. Since it was a completely different story than what I would normally read I found the first few chapters hard to get into. Since finishing it I've already recommended the book to a friend. It was interesting to read about the Indian culture and the historical events that took place during that time. I was actually sad when I finished it, I would love to read a sequel.
mheyburn's review against another edition
3.0
Ok, so I found this book at a thrift store thinking it would be a terrible read (sometimes I like to read terrible books) and it turned out to be a pretty good book. I was pleasantly surprised and engrossed in the book within the first chapter. Very well written, great imagery, and a wonderfully inspiring story line. I'm happy someone sent it to the thrift store so I could discover it.
lynnietakalele's review against another edition
4.0
Not as much depth as I would have liked, but I appreciated the bit of history and the sweet relation that bloomed, and the fact that the author didn't force the relationship into marriage at the end.