Mira Venkat – Google

Insightful but disappointing. I had heard people rave about this book, and for its high acclaim, I was expecting something groundbreaking. It was fascinating and heartbreaking to learn about the struggles of Koreans during Japan's colonial rule, and inspiring to follow the story of the characters battling hurdles and making their way up the social ladder. However, I was greatly disappointed by the turn the story took and felt no emotion except relief when I reached the very unsatisfying ending.

Well-written and unique. The book is inspired by the real life events of women belonging to the religious Mennonite colony, who were knocked unconscious and assaulted. This was believed to be caused by ghosts and demons, but it was later revealed that the men were responsible. For a long time, the women were chided for their wild imaginations that allegedly procured this series of events. The novel is an imagined response to these true events and explores dialogue between several women of the colony, who are deciding what their next steps should be - to do nothing, stay and fight, or leave. The book explores several themes that come into play within the scope of this discussion, including religion and faith, duties as a wife and mother, and attributes of being a woman. Sadly, the topics in this book have been discussed for decades and will unfortunately be recurring until women are regarded as equals and not objects.

I'm indecisive when it comes to picking favorites, but this is hands-down my favorite book of all time. Owens' words are sweet like honey and she paints the loveliest images of nature, the characters, and the town. A perfect blend between suspense and slice of life. I especially enjoyed learning about the inhabitants and characteristics of the marsh regions, and was intrigued by the parallels drawn between nature and human behavior.

An intimate look into the lives of slum dwellers of Annawadi, Mumbai. As someone who lived in Mumbai, the book took me back to my time there and I could relate a lot of my observations to the well-detailed, realistic images that Katherine Boo spins from her words. Although the novel has a plot, it is classified as non-fiction (which I don't typically read), however I think the only way the author could have done this topic justice is by the critical examination and exploration of the lives, attitudes, and cultural practices of the people of Annawadi.