Sharmila's Book

Rating:
Summary: NIce Book
Review: Being an American of Indian heritage myself, AND having recently done the arranged marriage thing, I thought this book would be an interesting read -- just to see if it parralelled my experience in any way. It's also the FIRST book that i have read about people like me -- growing up Indian in America.

I thought the writing was good, and the emotions she captured were right on target for the most part. The main character was easy to like, and the book was not a cookie cutter story. Maybe b/c I found much in common with the subject matter -- I may be a bit biased -- but I have definitley read worse. If you like reading about women and how different cultures shape lives differently even within the US -- this is a good read. Nice ending too.

Rating:
Summary: Good solid little book
Review: Better than Shiva Dancing. I don't understand those who give it just one star. I am a hard grader and I give it 3 stars. The descriptions of Delhi are quite accurate, character development is good, and the plot holds one's interest. The author is very good at evoking the emotion we all have felt when trying to make such an important decision in choosing a partner for life. You can really feel the anguish Sharmila goes through. I'm sure jet lag played a big part as well! Congratulations to the author on a good book!

Rating:
Summary: Good solid little book
Review: Better than Shiva Dancing. I don't understand those who give it just one star. I am a hard grader and I give it 3 stars. The descriptions of Delhi are quite accurate, character development is good, and the plot holds one's interest. The author is very good at evoking the emotion we all have felt when trying to make such an important decision in choosing a partner for life. You can really feel the anguish Sharmila goes through. I'm sure jet lag played a big part as well! Congratulations to the author on a good book!

Rating:
Summary: An Indian escape....
Review: I truly enjoyed reading this book. This was one of those books that once I began reading, I could not stop. The plot is basically about an Indian-American woman who agrees to an arranged marriage, but by travelling all the way to India, instead she had unexpectedly found true love with another. Such a captivating read that drew me so close to Sharmila....

Rating:
Summary: Has Kirchner ever been to India?
Review: I was in the public library browsing when I read the author's bio and checked out Sharmila's Story. I finished the book because of my OCD BUT the story is too wordy with every dialogue rehashing the same explanations over and over. A little into the book, I was wishing the characters would just have a regular conversation without the indian history or cooking lesson accompanying each response. The characters were pretty badly developed, Sharmila's character is confused and always in two minds...overall, the book was a drone.

Rating:
Summary: Awful, soap opera
Review: Really sophomoric, awful and overly dramatic; And how can someone be so uninsightful when returning to a country of their origin! Ugh!

Rating:
Summary: An Improvement Over Shiva Dancing
Review: Shiva Dancing, Ms. Kirchener's first book, was clearly a masterful amalgam of a pathetic plot and one-dimensional character set. Fortunately she has improved in her second book. Unfortunately I read "Sharmila's Book" first and had the misfortune of plunking down cash for "Shiva Dancing" (thank goodness of soft covers). Returning to Sharmila's book, Ms. Kirchner has created a story where there is a constant forboding background. It is like "Rebecca" with some Bharatiya masala (no I will not explain it - make an Indian friend and ask her). There is always a hint of danger and scandal underlying the story that moves deftly among the Delhi "society". It all comes together fairly well at the end. While the book is a page turner, Ms. Kirchner did rather well here, she does indulge in formula sentimentality and simplistic portrayal of India and Indian society. But that is a task best left to many other talented Indian authors rising to the occasion. Two stars for tremendous improvement over the previous effort. Best wishes to Ms. Kirchner - please keep up the effort.

Rating:
Summary: Ups and downs but mostly ups.
Review: This book introduced me to the complexity and depth of Indian culture both in India and America. The author did a good job, I think, of describing Indian foods, values, clothing, and social challenges. However, the book contained some plot gaps that made me wonder how the protagonists got "from here to there" which ruined the sense of disbelief needed while reading fiction. Still, I lost alot of sleep as I read and read to reach the end of Sharmila's tale.

Rating:
Summary: beautiful and redeeming story.....
Review: This book is absolutely mesmerizing and thoroughly engaging!! It was as though I was experiencing a beautiful film. I could see the sights, smell and taste the Indian food the title character consumes and felt the delicate fabrics from which the saris come from. Kirchner's style is whimsical, heartfelt and cuts like a knife.

"Sharmila's Book" is an intimate and brutally honest account of one Indian-American women's journey to India to meet with her potential husband--this is through an arranged marriage organized by her parents. Though, Sharmila was born and raised in Chicago, fully immersed in American culture, she retains strong ties to traditional Indian respectablity, culinary preparation and her image and duty as a young and well-educated woman. What she discovers about the arrangement is all that glitters is not gold. Her intended, Raj, is tall, handsome, athletic and has seemingly all the breaks (MBA from a prestigious United States university, a prestigious position in the Indian caste system, and considerable material wealth), but something just isn't right about him. She can't put her finger on what........

Sharmila's trip to India turns out to be more than what she planned for. It turns out that the central reason for her travels is only secondary to her personal journey within as a woman and someone struggling with a dual cultural identity. Her story is also truly empowering for any woman of any culture who reads the novel. Sharmila learns about self respect, as well as taking the road less travelled when persuing true happiness in life.

Please reccomend this book to anyone who wants to get a better sense of the dual identity struggle that exists for American-born people of ethnic Indian origin. Very compelling!!!