This is my first post and my first book review. I have always loved reading and go through at least a dozen a month. I figured I should start writing reviews to put across my thoughts about the books I read and to hear from other book lovers what they feel about it. I invite all of you to feel free to comment and share your thoughts about these books.
Hitched
“Hitched, The modern woman and arranged marriage” by Nandini
Krishnan is a collection of real life stories of various women experiencing the
arranged marriage phase of their lives. Some are sweet, some are sour, but all
of them are interesting. Any girl above 20 would have experienced this phase in
her life. The myriad 'rishtey' that well meaning aunts and uncles keep getting,
promising the groom of every girl’s dream. Of course in reality, most turn out to be frogs
with only a few being prince charming.
This book shows different aspects, like how women
learn the ropes of starting their own families, maintaining their own houses,
of dealing with in-laws and nosy relatives. It talks about various concerns
which plague us as to whats the right age for marriage, pros and cons of
starting a family early or late, of how to deal with the issue of having to
share a bed with almost a stranger,dowry demands (both explicit and subtle).
Most stories are quite humorous and made me laugh, often marveling
at the way most women learn to cope and yes sometimes learn to manipulate their
husbands. I could relate to a lot of issues talked about in the book. One of
the girls says “Arranged marriage is like speed dating”, and it does. Most
often, there is only one meeting allowed
and the girl and guy are surrounded by too many family members who are all
putting a lot of pressure to hear a yes. And the expectation is that such a
momentous decision should be taken based on such a short meeting!
What makes this book a good read are that these are real
stories, showcasing real situations and issues, not exaggerated dramas. My one
grouse about this book is that it is a little superficial. It just breezes
through the stories, instead of exploring in depth the various layers and
nuances.
My rating: 3.5/5
