Three sisters take an emotional trip to India after their mom's death
Pursuant to their mother's wishes, three sisters who are not close, take an emotional trip to India to carry their Mom's ashes, spend time together, and reconnect.
The Unlikely Adventures of the Shergill Sisters, Balli Kaur Jaswal
Genre: General Fiction
Published 2019, 310 pages
I have a personal interest in India having dated an Indian man so I've read quite a few books by Indian authors or set in India. I find it endlessly fascinating.
Each chapter of this book begins with a snippet from a letter the mother wrote to her daughters telling them where she wants them to visit and why it was special to her and what she hopes they will get out of it. I really enjoyed those insights.
This journey focuses on the relationship (past and present) between the daughters. They haven’t always gotten along and haven’t spent much time with each other in a long time. None of them want to make this trip. And yet......
Each daughter has a secret that she’s trying to keep from the others, although there are hints along the way and eventually everything comes out. Rajni, the oldest, is bossy and controlling and dealing with her son’s marriage to a much older, pregnant woman. Jezmeen is an out-of-work actress struggling with drinking too much and a scandal in her life. Shirina, the youngest, is in an arranged marriage and all her life has “gone along” to keep the peace. I enjoyed the very distinct, different personalities and each of the women were very well drawn.
Don’t want to reveal a spoiler but a mother-in-law’s awful meddling ways made me want to scream! I guess that’s good when a character can draw such a strong reaction from the reader. The descriptions of the cities, the people, the overcrowding, the cab drivers - everything made you feel the atmosphere of being in India. I really felt like I was there, on the streets, next to the sisters.
Overall a good book and one I would recommend.
Do you enjoy books set in other countries? Do you have a personal connection to a specific country? Where do you like your stories set - can you recommend something?
