This novel was a wonderful mesh of genres, which I was not expecting. The changing nature of the story had me enthralled and I absolutely adored all the widows and Nikki. In Nikki's culture widows are meant to disappear into the background of society. But, Nikki does not believe that, she believes these women deserve more. So, she gives in quite easily when the women shift the format of their writing assignments to something a little spicier. And boy do I mean spicier! The book twists and turns, with many instances in which women are made to feel small, worthless, and like property. This novel challenges a misogynistic community to see the value in daughters, sisters, mothers, widows, and women in general. It is light at times, funny, and full of hope and laughter. The book focuses on the idea that women can be just as sexual as men can, and to deny them this ability to desire breeds anger and resentment. But it can also be dark, painful, and enraging. It pushes for the viewpoint that traditions can be good, but they can also be bad and sometimes need to change to better the life of others. This group of women upheld each other. They fought for one another. They defy the life that has been set out for them, pushing to be seen as more than a potential wife, a wife, sister, mother, etc. Each has their own unique voice and uses it to create small waves of change. I especially loved the developing friendship between Nikki and Sheena, and the relationship that grows between hard headed Nikki and fastidious Kulwinder. There is a mystery element to this story that had me shocked while reading. Kulwinder's daughter died and as the story progresses you begin to see things that are suspicious and you begin to empathize with Kulwinder. It added a lot of depth to her character and allowed for a look into the way that society sometimes fails young women, especially those who go against the grain. There is a romance between Nikki and a male character from the US, Jason. He is Punjabi and shares Nikki's more western ideas. But, he is also secretive. This relationship was nice, but not really necessary to the story. It could have been written right out and nothing in the story would have been lost. The most important part of this story is the connection of the women, learning to speak out, and grasping the ability to uplift other women's voices.
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