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threegoodrats's review
4.0
Pretty heavy subject matter, but what came through the most for me was the story of Poornima and Savitha’s powerful friendship. Through it all, through the worst days of their lives, they didn’t give up and just kept thinking about how to get out of their situations and what they needed to do that. They are survivors.
I found this book engaging from the very first line. The writing was easy to read, and the short chapters just propelled me forward. I loved all the descriptions of their work, their homes, and especially the food they ate. It was such a pleasure to read, despite the hardships and brutality in the story. I look forward to reading more from this author!
I found this book engaging from the very first line. The writing was easy to read, and the short chapters just propelled me forward. I loved all the descriptions of their work, their homes, and especially the food they ate. It was such a pleasure to read, despite the hardships and brutality in the story. I look forward to reading more from this author!
drbtown's review against another edition
3.0
3 stars. But that's probably more my fault than the books fault. I rushed to get it read by the time my bookclub was meeting. This book needs more time to reflect on it than I gave it, and therefore, I didn't enjoy it as much.
ktaroo939's review against another edition
4.0
Needed a better ending
I loved this book right up until the ending. But it’s worth reading despite the disappointing ending. I would still recommend it.
I loved this book right up until the ending. But it’s worth reading despite the disappointing ending. I would still recommend it.
bookph1le's review against another edition
3.0
This book was almost a four star read, and then the ending happened. I won't spoil anything, but I will say that I flipped past it, confused, thinking there had to be more pages. There weren't.
The thing is, this book is so well-written and so searing and so engrossing that I was almost glued to it, even though it was page after page of nearly unrelenting misery. This is definitely not a book to read if you're looking for something uplifting. Truthfully, it's hard to take, and I have no doubt it's downright triggering for some people. This is why the unfulfilling ending was hard for me to take.
Yet the author writes so eloquently, and what she's writing about is important and worth consideration that I'm both glad and not glad I read it. The indignity these women suffer, the way they're treated like they're less than human simply because of their biological parts is an everyday reality for countless women around the world. This book is absolutely relentless in driving home just how little power, how little agency these women have, and it's not easy to read. There is some deeply disturbing content in this book, but maybe by reading it and feeling uncomfortable, a reader unfamiliar with the plight of women might change his mind just a little bit, might start to think a little more deeply about sexism and misogyny.
I really hope so, because one day I'd like the subject matter of this book to be so obsolete that readers will look on it with horror and shudder that humanity could ever have been so base.
The thing is, this book is so well-written and so searing and so engrossing that I was almost glued to it, even though it was page after page of nearly unrelenting misery. This is definitely not a book to read if you're looking for something uplifting. Truthfully, it's hard to take, and I have no doubt it's downright triggering for some people. This is why the unfulfilling ending was hard for me to take.
Yet the author writes so eloquently, and what she's writing about is important and worth consideration that I'm both glad and not glad I read it. The indignity these women suffer, the way they're treated like they're less than human simply because of their biological parts is an everyday reality for countless women around the world. This book is absolutely relentless in driving home just how little power, how little agency these women have, and it's not easy to read. There is some deeply disturbing content in this book, but maybe by reading it and feeling uncomfortable, a reader unfamiliar with the plight of women might change his mind just a little bit, might start to think a little more deeply about sexism and misogyny.
I really hope so, because one day I'd like the subject matter of this book to be so obsolete that readers will look on it with horror and shudder that humanity could ever have been so base.
gamecocksara's review
2.0
beautifully written, but too gratuitously violent for me. other reviews said it better, but a lot of the main characters’ suffering seemed unnecessary to me. :/
read_mo's review
3.0
3.5 stars, the main story is compelling enough but there are so many side characters/stories that are confusing or add no real contribution. Rao tries to grapple with a little too much in the story and it only leads to general confusion. Things tend to be a little too convenient