AUTHOR: Sujata Rajpal
ISBN/ASIN: 9781310086687
GENRE: Contemporary Fiction
FORMAT: Digital
SERIES / STANDALONE: Standalone
HOW I GOT THIS BOOK: I thank The Book Club for giving a chance to review this book and the author for this review copy
SUMMARY:
When your dreams are tainted with lies and deceit, you have no other choice but to walk to the other end of the corridor
Leela has nothing extraordinary about her except the dream to become famous. Her desires take wings when she gets married to
a handsome boy from a respectable family in Delhi. But her dreams are shattered even before they have a chance to take flight.
She happens to meet two friends from a long forgotten past, which infuses hope and opens new avenues to realize her dormant
aspirations.
Leela delves into previously unexplored paths of deception and forbidden passions that only make her stronger.
In an attempt to rediscover herself, she falls in love with life and with herself but her life takes a sudden turn again…
No matter what, Leela will continue to chase her dreams.
Where does this journey take her?
FIRST IMPRESSION:
The cover image was an immediate attraction. The image of a woman standing with her legs poised for walking across was brilliance in its simplicity. The summary promised a good read, and the moment I opened the epub file given to me, it was quite hard to put down.
REVIEW:
Every woman, no matter what her family backgroud, has hopes and dreams of a fairytale marriage. Irrespective of the age and class differences, each woman has expectations about how her married life would be. But the sad reality in this nation is that most of these dreams are crushed as mere infatuations and daydreams. Most of these dreams are shushed as forbidden pleasures. And the woman in question ends up being disappointed and severely uncertain. While some women chose to live with the life that was thrust upon them, some women struggle against the bonds and stretch their wings, setting themselves free.
Leela is a simple woman, and like every other woman of her age, is a really happy woman to be married to a handsome boy from a good family. What follows next is just a mirage. Perfect marriages exist only in dreams. And for a manglik girl, the fact that there was a boy to marry her is by itself a great feat. In a nation where horoscopes and dowry payments take more priority in deciding the marriage than the bride's wishes, Leela's marriage was no different. Reality strikes hard and she realises that her life was not what she expected. But having grown accustomed to being born as a girl and therefore being ignored and downtrodden, Leela takes it all until the dam breaks. What follows next is the rest of the story.
Special mention to the author for dealing with issues such as domestic abuse and how women try very hard to keep the marriage intact facing backlash from the society. It is a very prevalent shocking practice that many parents still assume that the responsibility they have towards a girl child is over once 'she becomes someone's wife'. Further stories of the hardships the girl might face at her new home are, at best, listened to with a sympathetic and helpless ear, with hopes that, one day, it will all be alright. Leela captures the reader's heart by being a very simple, unassuming girl who dreams wildly, but also tries her best to make do with what she was dealt with.
While other supporting characters are strong, it is the narration that holds the reader's interest. While stories like this are abundant, especially recently, very few manage to capture the thoughts of a woman who was always second to her good for nothing brother and abused at the hands of a man who should be her prince charming. Stories of marital abuse, consent, forbidden passions and coming of age rarely make such an impression as this. Leela shows that one's family background is not an issue to achieving dreams. Ending this book on a positive note (though expected) was the best thing that the author could have done to send the right message across.
VERDICT:
A book that set out with a message - and successfully conveyed it.
RATING: 3.8/5
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sujata Rajpal gave up her rewarding career as a Corporate Communication & PR professional in an IT MNC to become a full-time
author – so far the best decision of her life. Sujata holds an MPhil degree in Economics and has studied Mass Communication
from Panjab University, Chandigarh. She also writes articles and short stories for publications and journals, such as Femina,
Deccan Herald, Star of Mysore. Her short stories have been published in E Fiction India and Women’s Web. She is a yoga
enthusiast and enjoys being a Toastmaster. She currently lives in Mysore.
EDITIONS AVAILABLE: Kindle, Paperback
PRICE Rs. 90 for Kindle, Rs. 119 for Paperback
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