Oh it is very interesting .She weaves quite a web of ordinary Bengal life of transplanted child growing up.One finds the issues are no different here as there.People have loves, fears,aspirations,intrigue,morality, digression.On animal level we are more similar than not.Problems are separated by the station in life not the place.For sure it is tough to be autonomous in life and particularly middle class. Indians were more parochial and sheltered .
What is she doing is showing a side of the Psyche which is not normally exposed.Her narrative talks in first and third person allowing the reader in the mindset of the author and the characters.
I just read the last of the trilogy(only third part going ashore)the question comes to mind what age group she is targeting this story to. May be more appropriate question i would ask is at what age it is appropriate for a young reader to read this story and her views on it.
Other question is does she self censor herself ? does she wonder if her parents would read and what would they say or now she is autonomous adult she can write and read what she pleases.How does she feel about her children.Them reading her work.Would they think that she is just a writer of this fiction,spicy and at times sexual in nature.
She is not using language of rap but her honesty and bold language Say's a lot.The type of language she has used is not commonly used in mixed company( at least Indian).Then author is by herself and it is not biographical by any means.You may ask that who am i to ask such questions from a renowned Pulitzer prize winning author. One surely wonders how much biographical are the details when she writes in first person.
Tragedy of Kaushik's death in tsunami is described in a very subtle way like the memories of lost loves of the youth.In this case,narrator marrying a sort of arranged marriage having a baby and missing lost loves is too much like a Hindi Movie promoting the stereo type that it is divine will that she was to marry this guy.Then it is just a story not real life.Interesting just the same. Is it like symbolic murder of love so one marries a prince? It would have been a great tragedy of Shakespearean proportion if the narrator had killed herself on funeral pyre just to be , and get the revenge for the love she did not fully realise for her husband yet.The tragedy would be even worst as an innocent life of unborn child is sacrificed at the alter of this story of love, betrayal and love.Oh i forget , it is not my story.
Congratulations Ms Lehri.Thanks for giving us glimpse into your mind.
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