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Tell It to the Trees
One freezing winter morning a dead body is found in the backyard of the Dharma family’s house. It’s the body of Anu Krishnan.
For Anu, a writer seeking a secluded retreat from the city, the Dharmas’ “back-house” in the sleepy mountain town of Merrit’s Point was the ideal spot to take a year off and begin writing. She had found the Dharmas’ rental through a happy coincidence. A friend from university who had kept tabs on everyone in their graduating year – including the quiet and reserved Vikram Dharma and his first wife, Helen – sent her the listing. Anu vaguely remembered Vikram but had a strong recollection of Helen, a beautiful, vivacious, social and charming woman.
But now Vikram had a new wife, a marriage hastily arranged in India after Helen was killed in a car accident. Suman Dharma, a stark contrast to Helen, is quiet and timid. She arrived from the bustling warmth of India full of the promise of her new life – a new home, a new country and a daughter from Vikram’s first marriage. But her husband’s suspicious, controlling and angry tirades become almost a daily ritual, resigning Suman to a desolate future entangled in a marriage of fear and despair.
Suman is isolated both by the landscape and the culture, and her fortunes begin to change only when Anu arrives. A friendship begins to form between the two women as Anu becomes a frequent visitor to the house. While the children, Varsha and Hemant, are at school, Anu, Vikram’s mother, Akka, and Suman spend time sharing tea and stories.
But Anu’s arrival will change the balance of the Dharma household. Young Varsha, deeply affected by her mother’s death and desperate to keep her new family together, becomes increasingly suspicious of Anu’s relationship with her stepmother. Varsha’s singular attention to keeping her family together, and the secrets that emerge as Anu and Suman become friends, create cracks in the Dharma family that can only spell certain disaster.
For Anu, a writer seeking a secluded retreat from the city, the Dharmas’ “back-house” in the sleepy mountain town of Merrit’s Point was the ideal spot to take a year off and begin writing. She had found the Dharmas’ rental through a happy coincidence. A friend from university who had kept tabs on everyone in their graduating year – including the quiet and reserved Vikram Dharma and his first wife, Helen – sent her the listing. Anu vaguely remembered Vikram but had a strong recollection of Helen, a beautiful, vivacious, social and charming woman.
But now Vikram had a new wife, a marriage hastily arranged in India after Helen was killed in a car accident. Suman Dharma, a stark contrast to Helen, is quiet and timid. She arrived from the bustling warmth of India full of the promise of her new life – a new home, a new country and a daughter from Vikram’s first marriage. But her husband’s suspicious, controlling and angry tirades become almost a daily ritual, resigning Suman to a desolate future entangled in a marriage of fear and despair.
Suman is isolated both by the landscape and the culture, and her fortunes begin to change only when Anu arrives. A friendship begins to form between the two women as Anu becomes a frequent visitor to the house. While the children, Varsha and Hemant, are at school, Anu, Vikram’s mother, Akka, and Suman spend time sharing tea and stories.
But Anu’s arrival will change the balance of the Dharma household. Young Varsha, deeply affected by her mother’s death and desperate to keep her new family together, becomes increasingly suspicious of Anu’s relationship with her stepmother. Varsha’s singular attention to keeping her family together, and the secrets that emerge as Anu and Suman become friends, create cracks in the Dharma family that can only spell certain disaster.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 20, 2011
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1145 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 170 reviews
October 11, 2011
I was really looking forward to reading this book based on reviews and promotions by Goodreads. I began reading as soon as I downloaded it, despite being in the middle of another book.
Unfortunately I was very disappointed. I felt that the characters were largely undeveloped and rather unlikable. While I wanted to sympathize with Suman and Hemi I found it difficult as I felt as if I did not know them. While I was easily able to dislike Vikram that was based on deeds rather than character development. Akka, who encouraged the children to " tell it to the trees" should/could have taken on a much more substantial role. Her stories and experience would have added so much to the story, in terms of both action and answers to many of the untied ends.
Admittedly Anu was an important character-- without her nothing would have changed, however she appeared rather wishy-washy and inconsequential. Too bad, she could have done so much.
A good storyline and potentially fantastic characters fell short in this novel.
Unfortunately I was very disappointed. I felt that the characters were largely undeveloped and rather unlikable. While I wanted to sympathize with Suman and Hemi I found it difficult as I felt as if I did not know them. While I was easily able to dislike Vikram that was based on deeds rather than character development. Akka, who encouraged the children to " tell it to the trees" should/could have taken on a much more substantial role. Her stories and experience would have added so much to the story, in terms of both action and answers to many of the untied ends.
Admittedly Anu was an important character-- without her nothing would have changed, however she appeared rather wishy-washy and inconsequential. Too bad, she could have done so much.
A good storyline and potentially fantastic characters fell short in this novel.
September 16, 2011
I won this book on a Goodreads giveaway, and did not know what to expect. It turned out to be one of the most gripping reads I have had in a long time. I couldn't put it down.
The story begins with the discovery of the frozen body of their tenant in the backyard of the Dharma family's isolated Northern B.C. home. What follows is the gradual unfolding of the events leading up to the death, told from the perspectives of the two children of the family, the mother, and the tenant herself through her journal. It is a chilling glimpse into the devastating effects of domestic abuse, secrets and isolation, both geographical and social.
I'm not certain whether I agree with the author's decision to tell us of the death at the beginning of the book. I feel it served as somewhat of a spoiler, allowing me to figure out much too early how the death occurred. It might have been better to surprise us with the death at the end of the book. Having said that, I don't think that the author's approach has diminished the power of the story that is told. It is probably the best portrayal of the psychological effects of domestic abuse that I have ever read.
This is not a feel-good read. It left me emotionally devastated, which in my opinion means that the author has done her job really well.
The story begins with the discovery of the frozen body of their tenant in the backyard of the Dharma family's isolated Northern B.C. home. What follows is the gradual unfolding of the events leading up to the death, told from the perspectives of the two children of the family, the mother, and the tenant herself through her journal. It is a chilling glimpse into the devastating effects of domestic abuse, secrets and isolation, both geographical and social.
I'm not certain whether I agree with the author's decision to tell us of the death at the beginning of the book. I feel it served as somewhat of a spoiler, allowing me to figure out much too early how the death occurred. It might have been better to surprise us with the death at the end of the book. Having said that, I don't think that the author's approach has diminished the power of the story that is told. It is probably the best portrayal of the psychological effects of domestic abuse that I have ever read.
This is not a feel-good read. It left me emotionally devastated, which in my opinion means that the author has done her job really well.
February 1, 2012
This book will grab your attention from page one and will linger in your mind long after completion. It is a thought provoking book concerning family secrets, an unexplainable death of a tenant and an isolated family invested in maintaining a good family name. The cold harsh setting of a small Canadian town springs to life in Anita Rau Badami beautiful lyrical writing. The Dharma family- consisting of autocratic Vikram; his aged mother Akka, who has chilling secrets of her own; sweet gentle Suman, Vikram's second wife, newly immigrated from India and rushed into marriage; the troubled teenage daughter Varsha, abandoned by her first mother; and Hemant, the sensitive seven year old, haunted by ghosts- live at the end of a barren lonely road outside of a town called Merrit's Point, referred to as Hell by old Akka. Everyone loves secrets, and this story is all about secrets, who you tell... who you don't...but when you are 7 and have to tell, you tell it to the tree.
This puzzle of a story is told from four view points Suman, Ana, the tenant, and the two children Varsha and Hemant. The characters come alive in your mind. Each is given an unique voice expressing alternate views of the story. Each piece of this jig saw puzzle flows smoothly into the next, until a complete chilling picture is revealed at the end.
This book will have buzz...people will talk about this book...book clubs will vote to include it in their reading lists. In Tell it to the Trees, Anita Rau Badami evokes a chilling depth of insight into the psychological aspects of a dysfunctional abusive family. This is a book that all women should read, all men should read. This is one of those important books that come along every so often that can change how people view unmentionable aspects of our society. Most books are read for pleasure, entertainment, and, make no mistake, there is a very good mystery story in this book, but, very few go to the heart of such difficult and mostly hidden aspects of our society with such a sense intimate feeling. This book goes beyond entertainment; this is a cautionary tale of isolation and abuse. Tell it to the Trees describes the cycle of abuse and how it passes down the generations. As Suman dreams of escape, Badami describes how such a situation can entrap, ensnare and beat you down until you are capable of fabricating excuses for inexcusable behaviour. Why does she not just leave, is often queried with regard to women who suffer from abuse. This book will show you why. But more importantly, it will clearly show why you should get out, for yourself and your children. Does Suman get out in time? We can only hope...
New blog post with this review and About the Shafia trial and honour killings. Check it out at http://jackleenslibrary.blogspot.com/
This puzzle of a story is told from four view points Suman, Ana, the tenant, and the two children Varsha and Hemant. The characters come alive in your mind. Each is given an unique voice expressing alternate views of the story. Each piece of this jig saw puzzle flows smoothly into the next, until a complete chilling picture is revealed at the end.
This book will have buzz...people will talk about this book...book clubs will vote to include it in their reading lists. In Tell it to the Trees, Anita Rau Badami evokes a chilling depth of insight into the psychological aspects of a dysfunctional abusive family. This is a book that all women should read, all men should read. This is one of those important books that come along every so often that can change how people view unmentionable aspects of our society. Most books are read for pleasure, entertainment, and, make no mistake, there is a very good mystery story in this book, but, very few go to the heart of such difficult and mostly hidden aspects of our society with such a sense intimate feeling. This book goes beyond entertainment; this is a cautionary tale of isolation and abuse. Tell it to the Trees describes the cycle of abuse and how it passes down the generations. As Suman dreams of escape, Badami describes how such a situation can entrap, ensnare and beat you down until you are capable of fabricating excuses for inexcusable behaviour. Why does she not just leave, is often queried with regard to women who suffer from abuse. This book will show you why. But more importantly, it will clearly show why you should get out, for yourself and your children. Does Suman get out in time? We can only hope...
New blog post with this review and About the Shafia trial and honour killings. Check it out at http://jackleenslibrary.blogspot.com/
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May 10, 2013Reading Tell It to the Trees by Anita Rau Badami was neither particularly enjoyable nor instructional. While family abuse is certainly a topical subject, readers looking for some insight into either its causes, dynamics or solutions will be disappointed. The abusers punch and kick and frighten while the victims cower and cover-up—over and over, from multiple points of view. Readers looking for a story will find it difficult to identify with, let alone fall in love with any of the characters. The potential hero, the tenant Anu who might have blown the whistle on the whole dysfunctional family, is dead before the first chapter starts—hardly a recipe for suspense. The "plot" is really just a revelation of how the seeds of abuse bear pain and suffering, how evil people do evil things. If that constitutes a plot at all (this is probably an archetypal irony) it is one that might be more interesting told to trees than readers.
June 10, 2013
The book gave me shivers - I was much upset and developed a headache by the time I finished it. The story deals with a cruel, controlling husband, his rebellious first wife who died in an accident, the docile second wife who had to deal with all sorts of physical and psychological atrocities from her husband as well as more subtle threats from his daughter of the first wife. Her son, who is 6 years younger is a willing slave to his step-sister. The wife wants to escape the situation but is forced to stay back due to various reasons including lack of money and 'loss' of her passport. Their outhouse is rented to a capable lady and the wife begins to see some home...
I was thoroughly immersed in the story - I would have thought such cruelty doesn't exist but for having had witnessed such oppression or having had second hand accounts of the same. This is a situation any woman should run away from, at the earliest.
I was thoroughly immersed in the story - I would have thought such cruelty doesn't exist but for having had witnessed such oppression or having had second hand accounts of the same. This is a situation any woman should run away from, at the earliest.
November 13, 2011
Wow! What a bad book by an author that I really like. The characters were all awful to each other and, even though they were in a bad situation, it was hard to feel any sympathy for them. Very disappointing but fortunately a quick read so I didn't waste too much of my life.
June 10, 2023
4.25 stars
Varsha is 13-years old (or 12?) when her half brother, Hemant, is born. Varsha’s had a tough life until now: her mother was leaving her father when she was in a car crash and died. Not long after, her father headed to India to bring home a new bride. Varsha is so scared of her new Mama leaving that she hides Suman’s passport so she is unable to.
Why might Suman want to leave? Abuse. It’s why Varsha’s mother tried to leave. When Vikram (Varsha’s father) decides to rent out the little house behind theirs in this tiny rural area in B.C. a former classmate (whom he does not remember), Anu, comes from NYC in hopes of getting some writing done. While there, she befriends Suman and Vikram’s mother, Akka. And slowly figures out something is wrong with the family.
This was told from many different points of view, including Suman, Anu, Varsha, and Hemant, so we got to see almost everyone’s perspective of what was going on. Varsha became very possessive – she was very controlling (reminiscent of her father?); I initially felt badly for her, but came to quite dislike her. And the end? I liked it although many might not due to . I think this would make a good book club book with lots to discuss.
Varsha is 13-years old (or 12?) when her half brother, Hemant, is born. Varsha’s had a tough life until now: her mother was leaving her father when she was in a car crash and died. Not long after, her father headed to India to bring home a new bride. Varsha is so scared of her new Mama leaving that she hides Suman’s passport so she is unable to.
Why might Suman want to leave? Abuse. It’s why Varsha’s mother tried to leave. When Vikram (Varsha’s father) decides to rent out the little house behind theirs in this tiny rural area in B.C. a former classmate (whom he does not remember), Anu, comes from NYC in hopes of getting some writing done. While there, she befriends Suman and Vikram’s mother, Akka. And slowly figures out something is wrong with the family.
This was told from many different points of view, including Suman, Anu, Varsha, and Hemant, so we got to see almost everyone’s perspective of what was going on. Varsha became very possessive – she was very controlling (reminiscent of her father?); I initially felt badly for her, but came to quite dislike her. And the end? I liked it although many might not due to . I think this would make a good book club book with lots to discuss.
February 13, 2012
A dark novel about a dysfunctional family of E.Indian extraction living in a small N.BC town.
The father Vikram is a cyclothymic manipulative abusive man whose 1st wife Helen leaves him & their daughter Varsha. He remarries to a 2nd wife Suman, he finds in India & fathers a boy Hemant who is totally under the domination of his half-sister. Vikram abuses the submissive Suman & the 2 children physically & verbally. This is kept secret except that the children confess their secrets to a tree on the property. His mother,an invalid, also lives with them.
When his job as lumbermill accountant is threatened by the probable closure of the mill, he rents a cottage on the property to a budding writer fron NYC Anu. She befriends the 2 women, and gradually discovers the secrets of this unhappy family which she writes into a diary, discovered by the 2 kids. Varsha is terrified to be abandoned by her stepmother & stepbrother, especially when her grandmother has a stroke & is hospitalized. At that time when father & mother are at the hospital, Anu is left to look after the kids who lock her out of the house when she goes for a smoke, and leave her to die of cold exposure, pretending that they were asleep & didn't hear her. Hemant however confesses to his mother who makes definite plans to leave with him, but the book closes on an uncertain note, as Varsha plots to prevent their departure "permanently".
The father Vikram is a cyclothymic manipulative abusive man whose 1st wife Helen leaves him & their daughter Varsha. He remarries to a 2nd wife Suman, he finds in India & fathers a boy Hemant who is totally under the domination of his half-sister. Vikram abuses the submissive Suman & the 2 children physically & verbally. This is kept secret except that the children confess their secrets to a tree on the property. His mother,an invalid, also lives with them.
When his job as lumbermill accountant is threatened by the probable closure of the mill, he rents a cottage on the property to a budding writer fron NYC Anu. She befriends the 2 women, and gradually discovers the secrets of this unhappy family which she writes into a diary, discovered by the 2 kids. Varsha is terrified to be abandoned by her stepmother & stepbrother, especially when her grandmother has a stroke & is hospitalized. At that time when father & mother are at the hospital, Anu is left to look after the kids who lock her out of the house when she goes for a smoke, and leave her to die of cold exposure, pretending that they were asleep & didn't hear her. Hemant however confesses to his mother who makes definite plans to leave with him, but the book closes on an uncertain note, as Varsha plots to prevent their departure "permanently".
September 2, 2014
.5 STARS
"One freezing winter morning a dead body is found in the backyard of the Dharma family's house. It's the body of their tenant, Anu Krishnan. Why had she, a stranger to the mountains, been foolish enough to go out into the blizzard? From this gripping opening, Anita Rau Badami threads together a story of love and need, and of chilling secrets never told aloud.
For Anu, seeking a secluded retreat from the city, the Dharmas--the authoritarian Vikram, his aged mother, gentle Suman whom he has brought from the bustling warmth of India in a swiftly arranged marriage, their young daughter, Varsha, and her little brother--are a tightly knit family with values to uphold. The joy of Suman's good Indian cooking, the tales told by old Akka, the beauty of the place, delight her; but she soon realizes that the Dharma family holds unexpected secrets--Suman is a trapped, silent and fearful woman--and the memory of Vikram's first wife who died in an accident casts a long shadow over the household. Anu's arrival will change the balance of the Dharma household, and when the secrets start to spill out, something terrible is bound to happen..." (from Amazon)
I could not get int this novel beyond page 75. It was hard to feel anything for the characters.
"One freezing winter morning a dead body is found in the backyard of the Dharma family's house. It's the body of their tenant, Anu Krishnan. Why had she, a stranger to the mountains, been foolish enough to go out into the blizzard? From this gripping opening, Anita Rau Badami threads together a story of love and need, and of chilling secrets never told aloud.
For Anu, seeking a secluded retreat from the city, the Dharmas--the authoritarian Vikram, his aged mother, gentle Suman whom he has brought from the bustling warmth of India in a swiftly arranged marriage, their young daughter, Varsha, and her little brother--are a tightly knit family with values to uphold. The joy of Suman's good Indian cooking, the tales told by old Akka, the beauty of the place, delight her; but she soon realizes that the Dharma family holds unexpected secrets--Suman is a trapped, silent and fearful woman--and the memory of Vikram's first wife who died in an accident casts a long shadow over the household. Anu's arrival will change the balance of the Dharma household, and when the secrets start to spill out, something terrible is bound to happen..." (from Amazon)
I could not get int this novel beyond page 75. It was hard to feel anything for the characters.
January 22, 2016
This book follows an Indian Canadian family, where the father is emotionally and physically abusive to everyone in the household. Each chapter follows the narrative of four characters: Varsha, the 14 year old daughter, who takes on her fathers way and is emotionally or physically abusive, the tenant Anu, who is dead at the start of the book, the stepmother Suman and the younger brother Hem, who gets emotionally and phyically abuses by both his father and sister. The first 25% or so of the book sort of gave a run down of south Asian mentalities towards families, relationships between spouses and love. Because I am from a south asian family, this was not new information and i didn't enjoy the way this information was given. I'd rather they tell the story through the action and experiences of the characters, which thankfully the rest of the book did. I really enjoyed the narratives of the younger brother, as it showed how a child may act towards their abuser and the relationship between brother and sister was sad to look at, but it painted a picture of a controlling and abusive relationship from a perspective I don't often hear about. I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a short family drama, that deals with abuse.
November 21, 2017
Wow, that was dark. The book is well-written and sheds light on how tragedy can occur when a very flawed individual reigns so ominously over a family, particularly when the family lives in a completely isolated environment. It's not surprising then, that such tyrannical behaviour reaps deeply scarred -- mentally and physically -- individuals.
For me, the book is merely ok, hence the two stars, vice three. I waffled on giving it three stars, but when I'm left feeling sad and deflated, I am not inspired to sing the praises of a book.
A friend once said that there were no redeeming qualities, at all, to the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. At least there was a glimmer of light at the end of that book. This book has no light at the end of the tunnel. If anything, the tunnel just filled with water and rats, on top of the incessant darkness. And while it would make an excellent study for up and coming social workers or psychologists, it is definitely not my cup of tea for light reading!!!
For me, the book is merely ok, hence the two stars, vice three. I waffled on giving it three stars, but when I'm left feeling sad and deflated, I am not inspired to sing the praises of a book.
A friend once said that there were no redeeming qualities, at all, to the book, A Thousand Splendid Suns. At least there was a glimmer of light at the end of that book. This book has no light at the end of the tunnel. If anything, the tunnel just filled with water and rats, on top of the incessant darkness. And while it would make an excellent study for up and coming social workers or psychologists, it is definitely not my cup of tea for light reading!!!
February 3, 2016
Do you ever stop halfway through a book, go "Wait.. are we heading where I think we're heading?" and flip to the end to see if your suspicions are correct? I do, and I definitely did for this book.
Badami's 'Tamarind Mem' stands out as one of my favorite reads of the two-thousands - "Tell it to the Trees' was a considerable disappointment in comparison. While Badami's prose is still lush and beautiful, I disliked every single character. I hoped for something better for the downtrodden wife, Suman, and her child, Hemant, and when I found no such hope was coming I simply pulled out my bookmark and put the book back on the stack to reach for another. There's enough explainable ugliness in real life - in fiction what is muddled can be brought clarity, and what is unjust can be set to right. I read for glimmers of light in the broken pieces. The darkness and acidity of this book, while I'm sure is honest, was not for me.
Badami's 'Tamarind Mem' stands out as one of my favorite reads of the two-thousands - "Tell it to the Trees' was a considerable disappointment in comparison. While Badami's prose is still lush and beautiful, I disliked every single character. I hoped for something better for the downtrodden wife, Suman, and her child, Hemant, and when I found no such hope was coming I simply pulled out my bookmark and put the book back on the stack to reach for another. There's enough explainable ugliness in real life - in fiction what is muddled can be brought clarity, and what is unjust can be set to right. I read for glimmers of light in the broken pieces. The darkness and acidity of this book, while I'm sure is honest, was not for me.
November 5, 2011
This is the story of a murder (in the 1st chapter), family secrets and domestic abuse all within the Dharma family who had immigrated from India to a small isolated town in Northern B.C.
I found it hard to close this book once I had started. The subject matter is very disturbing (various types of domestic abuse) yet the story grabs you. The characters were well-developed and I found that either my heart was breaking for them, I was terrified for them or I loathed them.
This has to be one of the best portrayal's of the effects of domestic abuse that I have ever read.
The title was perfect!
I found it hard to close this book once I had started. The subject matter is very disturbing (various types of domestic abuse) yet the story grabs you. The characters were well-developed and I found that either my heart was breaking for them, I was terrified for them or I loathed them.
This has to be one of the best portrayal's of the effects of domestic abuse that I have ever read.
The title was perfect!
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April 26, 2021I had to check the publication date on this because it felt like a regression from the previous books ARB has written. It has all the potential to be a great book but it never quite works. The father is a monster with no complexity - just a brutal abusive man; Akka should have/could have played a much bigger part and added depth to the story but remained on the sideline; the children are oddly unsympathetic; Anu is dead from the opening so there’s no tension; and even the big reveal of how Anu died is not a shock because it's too easy to figure it out.
September 24, 2013
I read Tell It To The Trees last spring. I am repeatedly and pleasantly surprised by how much I am enjoying entering the world of story through the pen of our Canadian/South Asian writers. Farzana Doctor, Jasmine D'Costa, Khaled Hossein (U.S.), Rohinton Mistry and now Anita Rau Badami! The great stories keep coming. I enjoyed this story and there is a gentleness about it, a lightness, even as the author explores a serious topic.
June 22, 2013
As much as I felt sorry for some of the characters in this book (Varsha, her half-brother, her step mother, etc), I just couldn't like them.
A woman is found dead in the snow in front of the family home. Different characters in the family tell their story.
The central story is that the father beats the children and his wife and everything spins from that point.
A woman is found dead in the snow in front of the family home. Different characters in the family tell their story.
The central story is that the father beats the children and his wife and everything spins from that point.
September 29, 2016
Difficult book to rate. Hated the story but admired the storyteller and the way it was told. Family abuse is a horrible story to tell. I loved Hero's Walk so have to give her the benefit of that. Switching from third person narrator to first person was odd and served no purpose. Varsha was a broken soul.
March 30, 2018
It seemed like Badami got bored with writing her own book and decided to stop suddenly. The theme of the book is family abuse, a dysfunctional family, and murder, but with characters and their motives largely left unexplained, the book ends abruptly to perhaps, signify, even something more sinister.
July 28, 2015
I didn't like the subject matter (domestic abuse), and I didn't like the characters (not even the victims), but Badami's writing was strong and compelling enough that I stayed up late to finish reading this book.
July 11, 2016
The author does an excellent job in highlighting characters perspective's within an isolated and dysfunctional home. This novel is a page turner: gripping, mysterious, and dark, the story is addictive. I really enjoyed it.
October 29, 2011
just didn't like the characters
July 30, 2014
I was excited to read this book bc Badami is one of my favorite authors, but I was disappointed. Normally, I can't put down her books...this time it was hard to pick it up!
November 8, 2011
Good although I felt that the could have been more. More length, more development, more story.
June 21, 2012
There was a major unanswered question at the end. Despite that - this is her best book yet.
February 10, 2014
A desperately sad book but an important piece of fictional (Canadian) herstory set in the isolation of the BC mountains that have been home to legions of Indian immigrants for well over a century.
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April 26, 2024This is one of those books you read in a day, an easy read turn pager. It really shows how those adverse childhood experiences can affect your life later on with out support. I work with immigrant woman who feel alone I can only imagine for Suman how isolated she felt in the town she lived in.
July 7, 2018
The Dharma family literally covers the underwear on their clothesline with towels, so nobody can see it.
This is the story of a family and its secrets, told through the eyes of various adults and children.
It's a 3-generation family, mostly from India but the children were born in rural British Columbia where the story takes place. The family hides its truth from outsiders, and also from itself. It protects one individual at the expense of the others. But it's not about protecting that individual as much as it is about protecting the family name and reputation. They teach their young to lie - and to believe their own lies - from a very young age.
Creepy, insightful and well-written.
This is the story of a family and its secrets, told through the eyes of various adults and children.
It's a 3-generation family, mostly from India but the children were born in rural British Columbia where the story takes place. The family hides its truth from outsiders, and also from itself. It protects one individual at the expense of the others. But it's not about protecting that individual as much as it is about protecting the family name and reputation. They teach their young to lie - and to believe their own lies - from a very young age.
Creepy, insightful and well-written.
November 15, 2011
The Dharma family live in an isolated house in Merrit’s Point, a small town in northern British Columbia. One February morning their tenant, Anu, is found dead in the snow from hypothermia. Tell it to the Trees tells the story of the Dharma family in the months leading up to Anu’s death. Vikram Dharma abuses his wife and children, and led his first wife to run away. His thirteen-year-old daughter, Varsha, is terrified that her stepmother will leave her like her mother did. Suman has been married to Vikram for eight years and dreams of taking her six-year-old son, Hermant, and leaving. The Dharma family is full of secrets, and the children have learnt to whisper things they could never tell another person to the tree in their yard. Tree will always be there for them and will never reveal their many secrets. When their new tenant Anu comes into their lives and befriends Suman, things begin to change. When Anu witnesses some of the secrets the children must tell only to the trees, she will have to pay with her own life.
I was drawn to Tell it to the Trees because I thought the title was beautiful and poetic. This is the story of a dysfunctional family and what happens when some of their secrets are shared with their tenant, Anu. The novel begins when the body of Anu is found on the Dharma’s property. The story recounts the events leading up to her death, and the family history of the Dharmas. Vikram’s first wife ran away and then died in a car crash. A year later, he traveled to India and married Suman, who moved to Canada to raise his daughter and care for his elderly mother. Vikram is abusive and cruel hearted, and has made Suman hate herself for who she has become. Varsha, Vikram’s daughter, is terrified that Suman will leave her and would rather her stepmother die than run away. Hermant is only six, but is controlled by Varsha and does what ever she says. The family dynamics were both tragic and absorbing, making this an engaging story. The story is told from the point of view of alternating narrators. I thought the writing in the sections from Varsha’s perspective could be awkward, especially in the first pages when she seems much more intelligent than she is in the rest of the novel. However, the sections from Hermant’s point of view were very well done, and it can be difficult to write from the eyes of a young child. I was impressed with the way Badami made you sympathise with each narrator, at least until the end when it was impossible to feel anything for one of the characters. It was frustrating how some of the characters acted at times, although some of their actions were a symptom of the abuse they received from Vikram. There were many times when the story was disturbing and chilling. The author captured the bitter cold of winter and I think that the early descriptions of the cold helped set the mood of the story. I wasn’t completely absorbed in the plot, but I still read it fairly quickly and enjoyed the book as a whole. The ending was left open, and I thought that it worked very well. It made me wish it didn’t have to end. Overall, Tell it to the Trees was a gripping novel about a family that suffers from abuse and the secrets they keep.
I received this e-galley from Random House of Canada.
3.5/5
I was drawn to Tell it to the Trees because I thought the title was beautiful and poetic. This is the story of a dysfunctional family and what happens when some of their secrets are shared with their tenant, Anu. The novel begins when the body of Anu is found on the Dharma’s property. The story recounts the events leading up to her death, and the family history of the Dharmas. Vikram’s first wife ran away and then died in a car crash. A year later, he traveled to India and married Suman, who moved to Canada to raise his daughter and care for his elderly mother. Vikram is abusive and cruel hearted, and has made Suman hate herself for who she has become. Varsha, Vikram’s daughter, is terrified that Suman will leave her and would rather her stepmother die than run away. Hermant is only six, but is controlled by Varsha and does what ever she says. The family dynamics were both tragic and absorbing, making this an engaging story. The story is told from the point of view of alternating narrators. I thought the writing in the sections from Varsha’s perspective could be awkward, especially in the first pages when she seems much more intelligent than she is in the rest of the novel. However, the sections from Hermant’s point of view were very well done, and it can be difficult to write from the eyes of a young child. I was impressed with the way Badami made you sympathise with each narrator, at least until the end when it was impossible to feel anything for one of the characters. It was frustrating how some of the characters acted at times, although some of their actions were a symptom of the abuse they received from Vikram. There were many times when the story was disturbing and chilling. The author captured the bitter cold of winter and I think that the early descriptions of the cold helped set the mood of the story. I wasn’t completely absorbed in the plot, but I still read it fairly quickly and enjoyed the book as a whole. The ending was left open, and I thought that it worked very well. It made me wish it didn’t have to end. Overall, Tell it to the Trees was a gripping novel about a family that suffers from abuse and the secrets they keep.
I received this e-galley from Random House of Canada.
3.5/5
April 29, 2012
Anita Rau Badami is an excellent writer. Her previous novels bear this out. Her writing is fluid and graceful, she gives us characters we care about and creates complete worlds in which her readers cannot help but immerse themselves. Her depictions of Indian family life, in stories set both here and in India, are morally complex, rich in detail, and find their crux in the cultural tensions that exist between east and west. It is disappointing then to report that her latest novel, Tell it to the Trees, falls short of the high standard she has thus far set for herself. At a basic level, this story of the unhappy Dharma family living in isolated Merrit's Point in northern British Columbia seems ill-conceived. Many of the elements which we find in Badami's other novels are here, but remain stubbornly unrealized throughout the narrative, which at its close comes across as cliched and trivial. Vikram Dharma has lived in the same house in Merrit's Point since he was a boy, a house built by his immigrant father. The current inhabitants are Vikram, his second wife Suman, Varsha (Vikram's daughter by his first wife), Hemant (his and Suman's son), and Akka, Vikram's elderly mother. Vikram is a bully with a quick temper, who rules his family through cruelty, terror and humiliation. His beautiful and temperamental first wife was in the process of escaping when she was killed in a road accident. His response to this was to travel to India and select a second wife, the unassertive Suman, who arrives in Merrit's Point with no clue of what's in store for her. Hemant is born a few years later, by which time Suman has been beaten and taunted into subservience. Akka knows what her son is (his father was much the same) but is too old and weak to do anything but sympathize with Suman in her plight. Into this hive of domestic bliss enters Anu, a thoroughly westernized woman of Indian background who, years before, attended school with Vikram, though he has no memory of her. Vikram's work hours have been cut and to make ends meet he is forced to rent out the smaller house at the back of the property, and Anu answers the advert, agreeing to stay for the year in order to write. Being an observant sort, it does not take long for Anu to suspect that not all is right with the Dharma household, and she approaches Suman with an offer to help her escape. The tragedy that ensues is not necessarily the one we expect, but by the time the gaps are filled in and the story is complete, the circumstances that bring the tragedy about seem so staged and contrived that its emotional impact is severely blunted. It is not that the circumstances are unbelievable, but they and everything about this story are delivered in black and white rather than shades of grey, to the point where the absolute divide between good and evil leaves the reader wondering if she has strayed into Steven King territory. Badami's prose is every bit as lush and evocative as it usually is, and she writes convincingly from several perspectives. But in the final analysis Tell it to the Trees resists the reader's efforts to fully engage with the story. It seems a regression in the career of a writer whose earlier works received much praise and recognition, all of it deserved. Let's hope this is just a temporary setback.
April 22, 2013
Tell it to the trees by Anita Rau Badami is more than just an immigrant story. It is a story of a close knit family where the family name is paramount. "The Dharmas are spotless and ab-SO-olutely perfect" so the belt connects with hidden places (back or legs) where nobody can see. This is a dark novel which centres on secrets and abuse.
Vikram is the autocratic, manipulative, controlling figure in this dysfunctional family. Suman is his second wife brought over to Canada from India because he judged her character well and it suited him perfectly for he saw her "as a woman who could be moulded, who would be submissive to his needs and the needs of his household". And Suman did not disappoint, she later described herself as follows:
"I am a follower of rules. I do not have the courage to break them. I cannot bring myself to fight back against the things I know are wrong or to stand up for things that are right."
The story is told through the points of view of four narrators - the two children (Varsha & Hemant), the mother (Suman), and the family's tenant - Anu - through her journal. The book opens with the death of Anu and this gripping starter has the readers turning the page eagerly to find out what next.
The four narrators are well developed characters while others, such as Akka - the grandmother, and Vikram - the father, were only fashioned based on bits and pieces provided by the narrators. Akka has secrets of her own and Vikram is portrayed as the typical abuser manifesting mood swings and regretful tears. His "why do you make me do this?" is common of abusers who attempt to affix blame on someone else. Varsha is terrified that her stepmother would leave her as her own mother did and she forged a strange bond with her half-brother, Hemant. The family dynamics are both tragic and absorbing which makes Tell it to the Trees, an engaging story.
An easy, fast read, this book also gives a glimpse of life in India, the customs, religious practices, and the role of women. The ending is both unusual and interesting but it left the reader wanting more. There are also unanswered questions such as what drew the Dharmas to a remote town outside of Vancouver; what secrets did Akka not reveal. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating tale about the cost of preserving and protecting the family name and about violence which transcends several generations.
Vikram is the autocratic, manipulative, controlling figure in this dysfunctional family. Suman is his second wife brought over to Canada from India because he judged her character well and it suited him perfectly for he saw her "as a woman who could be moulded, who would be submissive to his needs and the needs of his household". And Suman did not disappoint, she later described herself as follows:
"I am a follower of rules. I do not have the courage to break them. I cannot bring myself to fight back against the things I know are wrong or to stand up for things that are right."
The story is told through the points of view of four narrators - the two children (Varsha & Hemant), the mother (Suman), and the family's tenant - Anu - through her journal. The book opens with the death of Anu and this gripping starter has the readers turning the page eagerly to find out what next.
The four narrators are well developed characters while others, such as Akka - the grandmother, and Vikram - the father, were only fashioned based on bits and pieces provided by the narrators. Akka has secrets of her own and Vikram is portrayed as the typical abuser manifesting mood swings and regretful tears. His "why do you make me do this?" is common of abusers who attempt to affix blame on someone else. Varsha is terrified that her stepmother would leave her as her own mother did and she forged a strange bond with her half-brother, Hemant. The family dynamics are both tragic and absorbing which makes Tell it to the Trees, an engaging story.
An easy, fast read, this book also gives a glimpse of life in India, the customs, religious practices, and the role of women. The ending is both unusual and interesting but it left the reader wanting more. There are also unanswered questions such as what drew the Dharmas to a remote town outside of Vancouver; what secrets did Akka not reveal. Nevertheless, it is a fascinating tale about the cost of preserving and protecting the family name and about violence which transcends several generations.
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