This was the December selection for the Book & Wine Club. They are a newsletter that pairs a book and wine selection every month for local groups to meet. It this month they decided to do a Zoom meeting, so my best friend and I joined.
This book was not as advertised, the blurb on Amazon’s and good reads said it was the history of a family as they rose above their caste to become educated, leaders and an improved life. Eventually Gilda moves from India to America and writes her family’s history. It was marketed as a rare family history from the lowest of the castes in India, and their move triumph and success. It was also supposed to be about the bonds of family. Wow that sounds enlightening and amazing right? Yeah I would love to read that book! Sadly instead I read this one. It wasn’t about family and triumph, it was recounting the deeds of the the oldest brother Satyam as he became a political activist who founded the People’s War Group, which sounded like a communist terrorist group to me
Which per my internet research is exactly what it is! I’m sure I’m now on some monitoring list for even looking it up. There was almost no discussion of the author’s mother, besides when she was being mistreated first by her Father and Brothers, then by her husband. It definitely wasn’t about woman’s rights or gaining empowerment in India. This book was horrible and the description was do misleading I felt betrayed for it being selected.

For additional reviews please see my blog at www.adventuresofabibliophile.blogspot.com