Independence (Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni)
Early Review
This review is the initial impression of our editorial team after reading approximately one-tenth of the book.
DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed in the Early Review might not necessarily have a correlation with the Final Review of the book.
The latest work by the author of 'The Forest of Enchantments' and 'The Last Queen' is
set on the cusp of India's independence. The novel begins in the idyllic setting of Ranipur, a village in
Bengal 'safe from the rising turbulence in the country'. Nabakumar Ganguly is a doctor who runs a clinic
in Calcutta with Dr. Abdullah but the former is facing financial difficulties because of his magnanimity
towards poorer clients, much to the disapproval of his pragmatic wife Bina. They should be thinking of the
dowry for their three daughters --- Priya, Jamini, and Deepa. The youngest of the three, Priya,
idolizes her father and wants to follow in her father's footsteps. Nabakumar's friend Somnath gives him
the necessary push to allow her to appear for the exam. Deepa is her mother's favourite and enjoys most
of the privileges while Jamini is dutiful, the archetypal less favoured middle child. Chitra Banerjee
Divakaruni novel is a homage to Sarat Chandra and 'Sahitya Samrat' Bankim Chandra and yet she manages
to navigate through the plot effortlessly with an immediacy that is the hallmark of the greatest writers
of our generation. There are numerous Indian writers in English who are great at storytelling but there
are few who manage the art with such a deft touch. Even in the bucolic refuge of Ranipur, readers are
aware of the ominous and underlying tremors occurring in Calcutta and the rest of the country which will
surface soon with cataclysmic consequences. The rest of the novel promises to be a page turner and
possibly yet another in the series of Divakaruni's masterpieces.
Original Title : Independence: A Novel
ISBN : 0063142384 (ISBN13: 9780063142381)
Edition language : English
Published : 30 November 2022
Summary
Set during the partition of British India in 1947, a time when neighbor was pitted against neighbor and families were torn apart, award-winning author Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel brings to life the sweeping story of three sisters caught up in events beyond their control, their unbreakable bond, and their incredible struggle against powerful odds.
India, 1947.
In a rural village in Bengal live three sisters, daughters of a well-respected doctor.
Priya: intelligent and idealistic, resolved to follow in her father's footsteps and become a doctor, though society frowns on it.
Deepa: the beauty, determined to make a marriage that will bring her family joy and status.
Jamini: devout, sharp-eyed, and a talented quiltmaker, with deeper passions than she reveals.
Theirs is a home of love and safety, a refuge from the violent events taking shape in the nation. Then their father is killed during a riot, and even their neighbors turn against them, bringing the events of their country closer to home.
As Priya determinedly pursues her career goal, Deepa falls deeply in love with a Muslim, causing her to break with her family. And Jamini attempts to hold her family together, even as she secretly longs for her sister's fiancè
When the partition of India is officially decided, a drastic—and dangerous—change is in the air. India is now for Hindus, Pakistan for Muslims. The sisters find themselves separated from one another, each on different paths. They fear for what will happen to not just themselves, but each other.
Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni outdoes herself with this deeply moving story of sisterhood and friendship, painting an account of India’s independence simultaneously exhilarating and devastating, that will make any reader—new or old—a devoted fan.