When I read the description of this book, I was hoping for a big romance, spanning continents. Forbidden love, culture clashes and such.And I suppose that exists in this story, but the manner in which it's written sort of downplays everything. This is the story about an English woman who falls in love with and marries and Indian doctor, shortly after India has gained independence from the English. They move to India, and his family is unhappy with his choice of a wife and she's regarded as something of an enemy in the community. Also, the fact that she wants to work as a midwife is frowned upon.
This story should have created all kinds of emotional reactions, but it didn't.
I never felt any strong connection with any of the characters. I was not shocked or concerned or upset when bad things happened - and a lot of bad things did happen. She's attacked, she's thrown in jail, she disgraces her husband's family, she had problems with her own family. But I never felt like we were allowed enough of a glimpse into the characters emotions to invoke any kind of a strong response.
The story was interesting, and I liked learning about this time period and location, because it isn't something with which I'm familiar. I was also interested in the way the women lived during this time and place. But it wasn't quite the grand, intense romance I'd hoped it would be. Maybe that's my fault for having false expectations. I wanted something to read at the end of the summer that would completely sweep me up into the story, and this wasn't it.
It is by no means a bad book. I just wanted something a bit more.
I received a review copy of this via NetGalley.
