Book Blurb:
Honor by Thrity Umrigar Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena—a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man—Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past. While Meena’s fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her.
My Review: 4.5 stars
Honor, by Thrity Umrigar, is a compelling book about two strong women, both Indian, that live vastly different lives but share so much of the same spirit. Umrigar is a talented writer that continually creates engaging stories about the people and culture of India to life. I’m always excited to learn about her upcoming books, they are instant buys for me.
The story follows Meena, a working-class woman from a small town, who is suing her brothers for killing her beloved husband because she married a Muslim, rather than a Hindu like herself. Marrying outside the faith is quite unusual, and in this case, caused much unrest. Smita, a journalist and our other protagonist, finds herself back in India to interview Meena. Both are strong women, learning to fight difficult circumstances in a misogynistic society.
As the two women get to know one another, they create a friendship that seems unlikely, but their paths brought them together, and will ultimately bond them in life and death. This was an important story about walking in other people’s shoes, the importance of compromise, woman’s rights, strong women, social justice and mother-daughter relationships. Once again, Umrigar has shown her skills as an expert storyteller. Well done!
Quotes I liked:
But you don’t love something because you’re blind to its faults, right? You love something despite its flaws.”
“Sometimes, it seemed to Smita that the history of the world was written in female blood.”
“Because traditions are like eggs – once you break one, it is impossible to put it back inside its shell.”
“Nobody taught us what I know today – the most dangerous animal in this world is a man with wounded pride.”
“…the innocent always paid for the sins of the guilty.”
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