Contemporary
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An unforgettable journey...
Set in 70s suburban London, the hardware store is the apple of Mr Gupta’s eye, and he craves Englishness as much as his wife, Meera, opposes it. She longs for home, India, although the issue of home becomes more complex as time goes on. Just where is it, and once uprooted can one ever truly belong anywhere? Chandu and Babita have their own battles to fight, and together the four become bound to a destiny over which they have little control...
By writing bird’s-eye observations of people’s lives and believing that the minutiae, the small things that occur often without note, are equally as important and life changing as huge catastrophic events, Karla sets out with passion and skill to bring them to light. Tugging at every known emotion, the reader is transported both around the world and through time, to share and be a part of something that will never be forgotten.
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
Having recently read The House of Rani Kapur by the same author I was looking forward to this book. I was not disappointed. It's an enjoyable read, setting out the story of Meera Gupta, wife of Mr Gupta who owns the hardware store. Mr Gupta tries hard to satisfy his English customers by being as English as they are: and insisting that his wife wear Western style clothes rather than Indian.. Mrs Gupta is not happy with this, and this and several other factors almost lead to their separation. A tale that is funny and sad, and with characters that are endearing and irritating, this is a good, comfortable and enjoyable read. I look forward to more books by this author.
As British immigrants in 1970s London, the characters in this book assimilate themselves differently into British life. Full of the love of life and difficulties joining into a different culture, this book is alternately uplifting and hopelessly sad. Recommended reading, especially if you enjoyed A.K. Karla's novel The House of Rani Kapur.
This was an interesting story about four Indian immigrants and their attempts to assimilate in London. You could feel the loneliness and sadness of the characters, particularly Meera. The book certainly had a lot of tear-jerker moments, but it also did a good job of highlighting the struggles and hardships that many immigrants endure. It wasn't all sad however. There were some sweet and humorous moments as well. If you are looking for a character-driven book on the immigrant experience, you won't go wrong with this one.
A story of immigrants and differing ways coping and moving forward. Mr Gupta believes in assimilation that negates his cultural background while this stance frustrates and isolates his wife, Meera, so much that she longs to return to India. His employee, Chandu, chafes under his employer's Scripts like behavior, while his wife, Babita, is Meera's best friend and savior in the foreign land of England. How these four meld, change makes a lovely and poignant story
A wonderful read. A look at leaving your homeland moving to London and the struggle to assimilate. The characters really came alive shared their struggles their lives. A moving story excellent writing
