Official Review: The Chrysalis by Bindu Adai
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pyjama
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- Latest Review: "The Chrysalis" by Bindu Adai
Official Review: The Chrysalis by Bindu Adai
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Chrysalis" by Bindu Adai.]
4 out of 4 stars
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What is the book about?
The Chrysalis, by Bindu Adai Mathew, is about a young Indian adult dealing with relationships with family, friends, lovers and most importantly, herself. The main character is called Sirai and through her eyes we see the expectations of getting married early and the apprehension of marrying late or not marrying at all, in the Indian community.
Why did you choose the book?
I chose this book as it reflects some aspects of my personal life. It really called out to me.
I was curious to know how Sirai tackled the family and society's pressure and what she would choose: arranged, love or no marriage.
What did you like about the book ?
The aspect which I enjoyed the most was the ending, as it did not close the story but left it open. Usually I do not enjoy open endings, especially when there are so many unanswered questions, but this time it worked perfectly. As the story reflects the lives of many 2nd generations and the tug between the parents' cultural traditions and the host country's expectations, leaving it as an open ending shows the variety of solutions available. Some marry early and some others late, others do not marry at all or are in an open relationship. Like this, the author is not giving a definite solution to the readers but showing them that they have infinite possibilities to pursue. What does this have to do with Sirai? Does that mean that she gets married in the end? Or not? That its up to you to find out, dear reader.
The second thing which I liked was the that even though there were so many characters, it wasn't difficult and confusing to follow their story and see their development. Usually, with so many characters and with foreign names, it is difficult to remember who is who and what their role is. But the author's writing was so smooth and clear, that it wasn't difficult at all. The character development was very realistic as it showed how people mature from their early 20s to their late 20s.
What did not you like about the book?
This is a very difficult question as I enjoyed the book a lot. Maybe the only thing which could be negative is the fact that it can't be relatable to everyone. What I mean by this, is that if you aren't part of an Indian or similar community, some aspects may seem strange, such as the arranged marriage. But this may also not be true, as my view could be limited. Also, the viewpoint of the story is female oriented, so I am not sure how much a male reader would enjoy it.
How would you rate the book?
I give this book 4 out of 4 stars, because the author managed to pull me in the story from the first chapter all the way to the last chapter, and kept me guessing all the way through.
******
The Chrysalis
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like pyjama's review? Post a comment saying so!
4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
What is the book about?
The Chrysalis, by Bindu Adai Mathew, is about a young Indian adult dealing with relationships with family, friends, lovers and most importantly, herself. The main character is called Sirai and through her eyes we see the expectations of getting married early and the apprehension of marrying late or not marrying at all, in the Indian community.
Why did you choose the book?
I chose this book as it reflects some aspects of my personal life. It really called out to me.
I was curious to know how Sirai tackled the family and society's pressure and what she would choose: arranged, love or no marriage.
What did you like about the book ?
The aspect which I enjoyed the most was the ending, as it did not close the story but left it open. Usually I do not enjoy open endings, especially when there are so many unanswered questions, but this time it worked perfectly. As the story reflects the lives of many 2nd generations and the tug between the parents' cultural traditions and the host country's expectations, leaving it as an open ending shows the variety of solutions available. Some marry early and some others late, others do not marry at all or are in an open relationship. Like this, the author is not giving a definite solution to the readers but showing them that they have infinite possibilities to pursue. What does this have to do with Sirai? Does that mean that she gets married in the end? Or not? That its up to you to find out, dear reader.
The second thing which I liked was the that even though there were so many characters, it wasn't difficult and confusing to follow their story and see their development. Usually, with so many characters and with foreign names, it is difficult to remember who is who and what their role is. But the author's writing was so smooth and clear, that it wasn't difficult at all. The character development was very realistic as it showed how people mature from their early 20s to their late 20s.
What did not you like about the book?
This is a very difficult question as I enjoyed the book a lot. Maybe the only thing which could be negative is the fact that it can't be relatable to everyone. What I mean by this, is that if you aren't part of an Indian or similar community, some aspects may seem strange, such as the arranged marriage. But this may also not be true, as my view could be limited. Also, the viewpoint of the story is female oriented, so I am not sure how much a male reader would enjoy it.
How would you rate the book?
I give this book 4 out of 4 stars, because the author managed to pull me in the story from the first chapter all the way to the last chapter, and kept me guessing all the way through.
******
The Chrysalis
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like pyjama's review? Post a comment saying so!
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Latest Review: "The Chrysalis" by Bindu Adai
