Published by Algonquin Books Genres: Adult Fiction, Historical Fiction, Literary Fiction
Format: ARC, eBook
***BLOG TOUR: 9/1 @algonquinbooks for The Archer by @theshrutster!
“Sometimes god puts a soul in the wrong body. You should have been a boy with your nature.”
Vidya, as a child served her family. She carried around a huge amount of responsibility and expectations on her shoulders. One day she noticed a class of dancers studying the Kathak, a precise, dazzling form of dance that requires the utmost discipline and focus. Upon mentioning the dancers to her mother, she learned that she was named after a dancer and is told she may take dance lessons. Her mother understands her drive as she too had dreams and hopes for her life as a young girl. After her mother left, Vidya took care of her younger brother and made meals, but never lost her desire to dance. Dance soon became her sole focus. Her father had other plans for her but from a young age, Vidya was restless, wanting more than what was expected of her. Her grandmother saw this with her own knowing eyes.
“You are restless, you are unsatisfied. You cannot reconcile yourself. A boy could find an outlet for all his restlessness. Not you.”
But she did find an outlet in dance. Kathak became a huge part of her life even when she went away to college. It was/is her purpose. Dance allowed her to be separate from all other aspects of her life. She continued to dance as she fell in love with her best friend, studied, and realized that she was unaware of so many things in her life. Awareness, harsh truths, family, dance, hope, friends, and college course work combine for her while she makes her way.
Even when she married, she continued to dance and reconcile how to be a wife and a dancer. Is it possible? Could she create her own legacy? Will she be like her mother? What will the future hold?
This book touches on a lot of themes such as gender roles, expectations, sexuality, duty, feminism, colorism, mental health, and purpose to name a few. The book is about Vidya’s journey from childhood to adulthood in Bombay. We watch as she grows, experiences, lives, and struggles. Her mother is gone for most of her life and as she finds purpose, she thinks of her mother often.
This was a book I needed to sit with. Initially I gave it 3 stars but bumped my rating up upon reflecting on the book. Parts of this book felt a little choppy as the story progresses from her childhood to college to married life. I fell this book could have benefited from a chapter header here and there to make for smoother transitions. But life isn’t smooth so this may also have been done on purpose. What helped me with the transitions was thinking about each section as a short story about Vidya’s life.
This book is about one woman’s journey. Again, I found that with sitting with this book and reflecting on the story, that I enjoyed it more than I initially thought. I enjoyed the insight into her drive and search for purpose. How she struggled with several things in her life such as being her own person vs. the expectations that society and her father placed upon her. What will happen when expectations and drive collide?
The writing style is unique thus creating its own pace which meanders through one woman’s life. The writing ebbs and flows. It is a dance in and of itself.
This is a unique and original novel set in Bombay. I found it to be thought provoking and mesmerizing. There is a lot of food for thought here and would make a good book club selection.
Insightful, original, and thought provoking. Swamy’s words dance across the page.
3.5 stars rounded up
Thank you to Algonquin Books and NetGalley who provided me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All the thoughts and opinions are my own.