Rajasree Variyar

The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar is contemporary fiction raising its voice on a social issue that has been prevalent for ages in India. It reflects all the pain and humiliation of a mother who gives birth to a girl child. The book shows how insensitive people can be when it comes to selfishness. For ages, a girl child has been declared a bad omen. As a woman myself, it sounds painful when people worship a woman deity but not a real woman. The plot is nice, and two timelines are show more going side by side. But I was more than halfway into the book, and I was waiting for the two timelines to coincide. At some points, events are being dragged unnecessarily.

The characters needed more depth and color. I wanted to read more about the characters than the events. Also, I could not emotionally connect with them. I had great hopes for the book. I could only give it 3 stars. show less

In a Nutshell: A highly relevant topic that loses its impact due to the simplistic writing style and glossing over of key events. Good description of places, but shallow exploration of people.

Story Synopsis:

1992, Madurai, India. Janani knows that unless she bears a son, her future isn’t secure in her husband’s family. She was allowed to keep her first daughter, but the ones who came after were taken away soon after birth and murdered. How long can Janani survive in the face of such a

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situation, being insecure about herself, her daughter, and her unborn child?
2019, Sydney, Australia. Twenty-five-year old Nila has a secret that she hasn’t told her parents yet. Just when she decides to let them know, her grandfather in India falls ill. On a trip to Madurai, a place she hasn’t visited for more than a decade, Nila discovers that she isn’t the only one with secrets.
The story comes to us in the first person perspective of Nila and third person perspective of Janani.

Where the book worked for me: show less

This book was very well written and was moving. It’s heart breaking and heart warming all at the same time. I loved the two different timelines and how it all came together at the end.