from the liner notes:

Kamini has recently moved to Canada from India. Plunged into the past by acrimonious telephone calls and odd postcards from her mother, Kamini tries to make sense of the eccentric family she has left behind. Why was her mother so bitter with her lot in life? How come she seemed to love Roopa best, rubbing almond oil on her skin at bath time and never scolding her for getting her sums wrong? And where did she disappear while Dada was away on business, leaving her daughters in the care of that superstitious old watchdog Linda Ayah?

*****
I will be starting a bookring for this book....please journal when you receive the book and when you are shipping it on to the next reader. Please email the next person on the list for his/her address when you are almost finished the book. I will list the bookring members here...Please note that the order may change to accomodate shipping preferences. Thanks!

1. caretta (USA--can ship int'l)

2. duza-kaluza (Poland--pref. shipping within EU)


(please note....there was a change and Geegal is no longer on the list!)

3. Rrrcaron (USA--can ship int'l)

4. Ilios (USA--pref. shipping within North America; pref. later in list)**BOOK IS HERE!

5. pammykn (FL, USA--can ship int'l)

(please note: goatgrrl has asked to be removed from this ring!)
6. Back to vibrant_art (Canada)

This book arrived yesterday and I look forward to reading it this weekend. Thanks for starting this bookring, vibrant-art!

I enjoyed all the descriptions of Indian places and culture in this book. The details about the daughters' baths and hair washing were particularly interesting. I think the mother's story (second half of the book) will stick with me more than the daughter's (first half).

I'm sending this book on to duza-kaluza, who is next in line for this bookring.

Finally it arrived! I'm about halfway and enjoying reading between the lines with this one. What is really going on with this family?

It was interesting to look at the mother/daughter relationship in this story. Especially in their versions of some situations. It makes me reflect on who my Mom was and what was going on with her when I was a child.
I plan on sending this one out on Monday, back to the U.S.

I received this book over the weekend. I plan on starting it soon!
Ruth

Sent this book off to ilios yesterday. I had it long enough and didn't want to hold it up any longer. I'll read it at some later date.

Just got this in the mail. I have quite a few rings in front of it, but my classes are ending on December 18th, so I hope to make a good dent on my reading during winter break. Thanks for sharing this, vibrant-art!

Update 2/15/05
vibrant-art was wonderfully understanding about my sluggishness (is this a word?) in keeping this book moving. Grad school is really getting in the way of my reading! :o( I expect to be done with this book within a month and then send it on its happy way.

Update 3/16/05
I am sending a PM to pammykn today to get an address to mail the book.

This was a nice book. I enjoyed the author's style and her presentation of the mother and daughter's point of views in two different sections. I also enjoyed the fact of learning a little about Indian culture through a novel.

One of the interesting things about this book is that is shows two sides of that culture. On one hand, it is a very traditional and strict environment, especially for women. On the other hand, it is very sensual (as in the 5 senses - I could smell the spices, feel the bite of the tamarind on my tongue, and the heat that envelops everything) and so exuberant.

One thing that is missing from this book is a glossary. I feel like I missed a lot because I was not familiar with the references to holy days, festivals, and customs.

I would definitely enjoy reading other ooks by this same author. Thank you for sharing.

RELEASE NOTES:

Thanks -- looking forward to reading this one!

Beautifully written and vivid descriptions of the everyday life in India. I found the section from the mother's viewpoint went by very quickly. Enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sharing. Will mail out 05/07.

...this returned home safely ages ago! Thought I should journal so that the bookring can be officially wrapped up....glad the book had interesting travels!