The Daughters of Madurai: Heartwrenching yet ultimately uplifting, this incredible debut will make you think

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The Daughters of Madurai: Heartwrenching yet ultimately uplifting, this incredible debut will make you think

The Daughters of Madurai: Heartwrenching yet ultimately uplifting, this incredible debut will make you think

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Fans of historical and contemporary fiction novels about India such as Alka Joshi’s THE HENNA ARTIST from the Jaipur Trilogy and Thrity Umrigar’s THE SPACE BETWEEN US, as well as Kristin Hannah’s books exploring sisterhood and mother-daughter relationships, will enjoy Variyar’s poignant debut. This extraordinary work of fiction tells a story that deserves to be read and discussed for years to come. Mothers-in-law berate their dils while their sons spend all the hard earned money on their vices. Husbands are spineless in front of their mothers but show their so called masculinity by hitting of abusing their wives. Two of Janani's girl babies are killed because they are girls. No one views this as a crime. Rather, they view it as a honor killing. The only issue I had with the book was the middle. At times, it felt that things were unnecessarily long and were straying far from the heart of the story. And some parts of the writing felt a little clippy, mixed with some slang that didn’t go well with the narrative. While being a mesmerizing and excellent debut novel, there are a few hiccups though negligible and has no direct impact on the message conveyed but taint the story. Of those the worst such example is Sanjay’s maternal aunt who happens to be a two-years older twin sister of his mother! “But what was it like for Priya, watching her twin sister dwindle before her while her brother-in-law spent his days treating other people? Vs Seeing them like this, the two of them together, was like looking at his mother reflected in a horribly warped mirror. Priya was vibrant, alive, although she was two years older .”

There were some heart-wrenching moments and difficult happenings to read about but I really was gripped by the storyline and very much looked forward to reading more chapters each day. Very moving and thought provoking and made me count my blessings. Madurai, 1992.A young mother in a poor family, Janani is told she is useless if she can’t produce a son – or worse, bears daughters they can’t afford. They let her keep her first baby girl but the rest are taken away as soon as they are born. The fate of her children has never been in her hands. But Janani can’t forget the daughters who weren’t allowed to live.Wow what an emotional rollercoaster! This book gripped me with its poignant story and I sobbed multiple times' Years later, in 2019,Nila, who has grown up in Australia, comes to India with her parents to see her dying grandfather one last time. She has a secret to reveal to them as well. She also hopes to know more about where her mother came from, her family and her own history but she ends up getting more than she bargained for. I loved Janani and her portrayal was very realistic. Reading the book on mothers day was a nice coincidence as this is an ode to the strength and determination of a mother to protect her daughter. Nila's story however was dragged out a lot and there was no mystery about her secret as it was very obvious!

The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar is published with Orion Books and is described as a ‘heart-wrenching, thought-provoking book club debut’. Inspired by the horrific stories of female infanticide, Rajasree Variyar spent time at grass-roots level with a charity in Madurai. This charity was working to eliminate this barbaric act by educating and empowering the local community from a young age. After her experiences there, Rajasree Variyar took what she had witnessed first hand and created this emotive debut that highlights a mother’s heart-breaking fight for her unborn daughter. I liked the bond of friendship Janani shares with fellow sufferer Shuba and the way they help and encourage each other but I found myself wanting more about Janani's journey to a different country after her second marriage. This is only hinted at but we never get to see what happened. The Daughters of Madurai is a captivating and riveting debut from an unforgettable new voice.”—Louise O’Neill, author of Asking for It I was pleased to have the opportunity to read this with Methley Book Club. Thank you to the Reading Agency and Orion publishers for the books.Heartrending but ultimately hopeful, this richly evocative and spellbinding book will touch your soul.”—Veronica Henry, author of How to Find Love in a Bookshop



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