Tag Archives: india

Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line, by Deepa Anappara

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I really enjoyed the atmosphere created. The environment reveals a distinct separation of classes and the varied lives according to social status and monetary value. Police negligence, religious violence, and educational values are exposed through this fictional tale. The language was great, and I enjoyed the story being told through the eyes of nine-year-old Jai.

“The man scratches at his feathery beard. “Kids around here disappear all the time,” he says. “One day they’ll have too much glue and decide to try their luck somewhere else. Another day they’ll get hit by a rubbish truck and end up in a hospital. Some other morning, they’ll be picked up by the police and sent to a juvenile home. We don’t make a fuss about anybody vanishing.””

The story itself became repetitive. After one child disappeared, Jai and Pari investigated and played detective, and I was into it. However, then the same thing just kept happening. Another would disappear, Jai and Pari would investigate, turn up empty handed and go home, then another disappear, etc. So, the progress wasn’t as engaging as I would have preferred.

For me, the most powerful chapters were “This Story Will Save Your Life” which were mostly stories of the djinns and other beliefs regarding wandering children. My favorite scene was when Jai and Pari went to the railway station. Because of the title and blurb, I have to admit that I thought a big portion of this novel would take place around the railway. However, there was only one big scene there in the beginning. I wasn’t too pleased with the ending, but I respect the underlying messages delivered to the reader through that conclusion.

I think the themes embedded in this story are significantly valuable. However, the progression of the story was uniform. Overall, I liked the story because of the important leitmotifs. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for this copy. Opinions are my own.

Author, Deepa Anappara was chosen for the Deborah Rogers award for her novel Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line.

More on railway children:
Railway Children in India
What happens to “railway” children

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The Weight of Heaven, by Thrity Umrigar

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A young American Michigan couple, Frank and Ellie, grieve the loss of their 7 year old child, Benny. The story focuses on the grieving process individually for Frank and Ellie when losing a child. After Benny dies, the couple then moves to India when Frank accepts a position there. They see it as a form of escape. Frank quickly attaches himself to Ramesh, the 9 year old child of the poor Prakash and Edna who are locals of India. Once Frank begins to overstep his boundaries as friend to father, the thriller begins. Prakash, the father of Ramesh, does not agree with the relationship Frank is developing with his son and feels like he is trying to replace him as a father. Meanwhile, Ellie feels Frank is replacing their passed son Benny but just wants Frank to be happy again. However, there is a BIG plot twist in the end of this novel in regards to the decisions Frank makes- How far will he go?

The reader sees the reactions, thoughts, and struggles through the eyes of the parents who have lost a child. I took a star off because of all the bickering and arguing between Frank and Ellie. The arguing and fighting was heavy and dating. I felt like the story could have endured without each and every single argument. To be frank, it got old and draining.

The story is not just about the grieving process, but also the moral dilemma of globalization through Frank’s job. His company has caused much pain in the local village. At times, the locals riot and push for him and the company to leave India. The reader also experiences a small taste of the caste system in India.

This book is not for young readers or for the faint of heart. I say, though respectfully, that you must be in a strong place mentally to endure the entirety of this novel. It notably includes– Miscarriage, murder, abuse, suicide, alcoholism, globalization sex, religion, and of course death’s affect on those left behind.

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The Secrets Between Us, by Thrity Umrigar

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How does Bhima’s past fit into her present? Are Bhima’s misfortunes her greatest treasures? Are the secrets we carry a unifying element in our relationships? Is holding onto grief the way we legitimize the things we have lost or broken?

Thrity Umrigar takes you back to India where the first book, The Spaces Between Us, left off. The Secrets Between Us allows you to peek into daily Indian life and culture through the eyes of two poor elderly females Bhima and Parvati.

Bhima is raising her granddaughter, Maya, after losing her own daughter to AIDS. Bhima struggles to put Maya through college and takes multiple jobs after being fired from the Dubash family. Bhima gets a small taste of independence, selling fruit in the marketplace and balancing housework for the rich while playing tug-of-war with the caste system in India. She watches Maya changing along with Mumbai but isn’t sure how she fits into this picture.

Parvati has nothing except a large mass growth to call her own. Her secrets lay deep within the darkness of her past where only she alone can find them. Her health and life depend on selling six old cauliflower at the fruit market until Bhima and her develop a business plan. Tougher than nails, Parvati relies on her past to gather strength and courage in her present. She challenges religion, the culture, and her newfound companion Bhima. The ending of this book was majestic and I was sad that it was over.

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