“You see, we cannot draw lines and compartments and refuse to budge beyond them. Sometimes you have to use your failures as stepping-stones to success. You have to maintain a fine balance between hope and despair.'
“The human face has limited space. If you fill it with laughter there will be no room for crying.”
This book is about four main characters who are brought together during the 1975 State of Emergency in India. Their individual stories are told and we see how they come together through difficult times.
This is a sad and impactful book. I don't think that I will ever be able to do much justice in capturing its magnificence. I felt for each of the characters and what they had to go through. I learned a lot about the aftermath of partition, and the effects that the State of Emergency had on the citizens, particularly the poorer communities. I thought this was well written with many hard-hitting sentences that will stay with me for a long time.
I was devastated by the end. I saw a few reviews that questioned the ending but I thought that while sad, it emphasized the overall message of the story. This is one of my favourite books I've read this year and I am looking forward to reading more from this author.
This book is part of my Read The World Challenge for India.
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