Difficult Daughters

Not me, not Debby, and certainly not Sue. Difficult Daughters is the title of the novel that the international book group (sponsored by Ben's school) read. Written by Manju Kapur it is the story of three generations of women who struggled within the tight limits of their family's expectations, while the country struggled for Independence. It highlights the tension between mothers and daughters, though also features tension between Western and Indian, and men and women. The action takes place in the Punjab region that undergoes civil war and separation between Hindus and Muslims. The discussion was led by the Indian group -- a bunch of women who explained the meaning of the characters' names, shed light on the social and religious status of various characters, and offered rich personal insights. The group of all women was very animated. We disagreed over whether the Professor (love interest) was a cad or a victim of circumstance and whether the heroine was strong-willed or merely duped. We talked generally about mothers and daughters, husbands and wives. When the discussion turned to arranged marriages and I got to impress/horrify folks with the fact that I have cousins who still follow such traditions. I arrived at Ben's school at 10:30 and still beat Ben to school because he has two free morning periods back to back once every eight days. Don't ask. The novel wasn't great, but it was good and immersed the reader thoroughly into the daily life of Indian culture. And, unlike many of you, when the food described in the book sounded tasty, there were authentic versions of the same savory delights just blocks away. Okay, sorry to brag, but remember I haven't seen the sun since my parents left, I need something (good conversation, delicious food) to hold me over till it is bright again around here.