Book review: Sita's curse by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu


Book Review: Sita's Curse : The Language of Desire Author by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu

 
Title: Sita’s Curse
Author: Sreemoyee Piu Kundu
Publisher: Hachette India
ISBN: 978-93-5009-789-9
Year of Publication: May 2014
No of Pages: 329
Cover: Paper Back
Language: English
Type: Fiction
Price: 350 INR
Rating: 4/5

First of all I am very thankful for writersmelon.com for giving me opportunity to review this wonderful book.   
  
The Plot:

This book is divided into two parts, the first part deals when Meera reaches her puberty while second half is about more mature and struggled.

Meera was born with his twin brother Kartik, after three miscarriages to her mother. Kartik was his best friend, inseparable; every minute detail was shared among them. And then Meera reaches her puberty and know her likes and dislikes about her body. Kartik is sent away for work from home to his uncle’s factory, where one particular day kartik found dead.
Then Meera was married to Businessman in Mumbai, Mohan Patel, Mohan was a decade older then Meera. And then start the second part of the book where many twist and turn encounters in Meera’s life. Now I will not spoil the whole story, just go to the store, grab this book, you will never regret. It’s a must read for the Indian society. I highly recommend reading this book.

My review

An erotic novel, for the conservative, orthodox Indian society. It’s is not like that we Indians have not read the erotic books but this book “Sita’s curse” is eye opening. We are living in 21st century every male and female are considered equal but, when it comes to sex the definition changes for women, there are many restrictions on women sexuality. This book is a true reality of typical Indian middle class family, woman’s desire for appreciation, affection, approval and sexual fulfilment. The author has thoroughly gathered/followed the Gujarati family; there are many typical Gujarati words used in the book.

The author Sremoyee piu kundu has very well intertwined two major events of recent times i.e. scandal of Sadhu and heavy rainfall of Mumbai. Also the hard reality of Bollywood is portrayed very well, Yosuf Ismaile comes from Pune to become an actor and fate was not in his favour, and turns him into a male prostitute. This is a power pack book, many combinations of events like reality of Sadhus, life of a Mumbai Chawl, sex in joint family where their are no enough space for husband and wife, a tragedy of woman suffering from father and also from her husband sides. This book is about lust, betrayal, acceptance, sexual fulfilment, soulless domesticity, forceful marriage, helplessness, sadness.  

What I liked the most:

The author has selected the title of every chapter very wisely like “Bhukhi Atma”, “Sukha Karela”. Also the conversation of Meera with her mother after the demises of her father is eye opening.  

Some of the catchy lines:

1. Outside it was flooded. Inside, I bled. – Page no. 23

2. Having a pretty face isn’t enough, you need strong inners. A woman’s body must be hardened to take what comes, be it pleasure or pain. – Page no. 74

3. Time to fly away, to a faraway place, somewhere beyond your own cage... there is a world out there you know... beyond the boundaries of your narrow Byculla lane. – Page no. 267     
 
The blurb:

Somewhere, behind closed doors, in her solitary world; Somewhere, under the sheets with an indifferent lover; Somewhere, is a woman who will not be denied…
Trapped for fifteen years in the stranglehold of a dead marriage and soulless household domesticity, the beautiful, full-bodied and passionate Meera Patel depends on her memories and her flights of fancy to soothe the aches that wrack her body; to quieten an unquenchable need. Until one cataclysmic day in Mumbai, when she finally breaks free…
Bold, brazen and defiant, Sita’s Curse looks at the hypocrisy of Indian society and tells the compelling story of a middle-class Indian housewife’s urgent need for love, respect, acceptance – and sexual fulfilment.

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