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The Lilac House
Meera is happily submerged in the role of corporate wife and cookbook writer. Then, one day, her husband fails to come home. Overnight, Meera, disoriented and emotionally fragile, becomes responsible not just for her two children, but also her mother, grandmother and the running of Lilac House, their rambling old family home in Bangalore.
A few streets away, Professor J.A. Krishnamurthy or Jak, cyclone studies expert, has recently returned from Florida, to care for his nineteen-year-old daughter, the victim of a tragic accident. What happened on her holiday in a small beachside village? The police will not help, Smriti's friends have vanished, and a wall of silence and fear surrounds the incident. But Jak cannot rest until he gets to the truth.
Meera and of Jak's paths intertwine as they uncover the truth about the secrets of their pasts and the promise of the future. The Lilac House is a sweeping story of redemption, forgiveness and second chances.
A few streets away, Professor J.A. Krishnamurthy or Jak, cyclone studies expert, has recently returned from Florida, to care for his nineteen-year-old daughter, the victim of a tragic accident. What happened on her holiday in a small beachside village? The police will not help, Smriti's friends have vanished, and a wall of silence and fear surrounds the incident. But Jak cannot rest until he gets to the truth.
Meera and of Jak's paths intertwine as they uncover the truth about the secrets of their pasts and the promise of the future. The Lilac House is a sweeping story of redemption, forgiveness and second chances.
352 pages
First published January 1, 2010
15 people are currently reading
825 people want to read
About the author
Anita Nair
97 books474 followersAnita Nair is the bestselling and critically acclaimed author of the novels The Better Man, Ladies Coupé, Mistress, Lessons in Forgetting, Idris: Keeper of the Light and Alphabet Soup for Lovers. She has also authored a crime series featuring Inspector Gowda.
Anita Nair’s other books include a collection of poems titled Malabar Mind, a collection of essays titled Goodnight & God Bless and six books for children. Anita Nair has also written two plays and the screenplay for the movie adaptation of her novel Lessons in Forgetting which was part of the Indian Panorama at IFFI 2012 and won the National Film Award in 2013. Among other awards, she was also given the Central Sahitya Akademi award and the Crossword Prize. Her books have been translated into over thirty one languages around the world. She is also the founder of the creative writing and mentorship program Anita’s Attic.
Anita Nair’s other books include a collection of poems titled Malabar Mind, a collection of essays titled Goodnight & God Bless and six books for children. Anita Nair has also written two plays and the screenplay for the movie adaptation of her novel Lessons in Forgetting which was part of the Indian Panorama at IFFI 2012 and won the National Film Award in 2013. Among other awards, she was also given the Central Sahitya Akademi award and the Crossword Prize. Her books have been translated into over thirty one languages around the world. She is also the founder of the creative writing and mentorship program Anita’s Attic.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews
February 12, 2012
I won this book from Goodreads and couldn't wait to read - I wasn't disappointed. The book consumes your attention from the very start. It's a wonderful story of people dealing with their own personal losses and shows how resiliant the human spirit is. Meera loses her identity when her husband suddenly diappears and her story crosses the paths of others who have suffered major losses in their life. Meera's journey to transform her life crosses the path of a new friend Jak who is also suffering. His daughter has been is an accidnet which has changed their life. The story is set in India which provides a wonderful background.
April 1, 2012
It is hard for me to know what to write about the Lilac House. It took me weeks to finish it because I just didn't want to pick it up. The book was hard to follow, the story seemed to jump around. But I did finish it, and the last half was more engaging. I loved Meera, though, and how her character grew through the novel. The Lilac House just wasn't for me.
May 17, 2012
What amazed me most about this book was that I kept forgetting it was set in India - only when the characters mentioned the names of towns or food did I think, "Oh, that's right, this woman lives in India, not America."
May Be Spoilers (depending on what you think spoilers entail):
I loved the one recurring theme throughout of Meera imagining herself as Hera ("Meera Hera" - Meera was a scholar of greek mythology before marrying), and how Hera's marriage to Zeus and its various situations resembled those Meera has with her husband Giri. Amazing exploration of what it means to be a woman, and I was struck by how universal the experience is no matter where you live. Meera and I are about the same age, and I've felt all the feelings she experiences in the book. The fact that her Lilac house can be an albatross around her neck; wondering if she's acting in a "proper" way for her age, then realized heck with that, why care?, then vascillating back to wondering again; finally understanding the following her own interests is important to happiness; realizing that she can only sacrifice/give so much of herself before it stunts your own happiness & personal growth.
Her recollections of how she (sometimes) mis-treated her husband through conversations were painfully realistic, even though her husband could be a superior clod and she wasn't trying to be nasty; her husband's treatment of her abilities and academic desires were awful (as was his disgust with her aging: it's not somethign we WANT to do, for heaven's sake!). When you see her and Jaks' children trying to be modern in a rigid community, it's not much different than what teens go through with older generations anywhere in the world.
A very thoughtful book, and a great glimpse into what women's lives are like in other parts of the world, or maybe the fact that they aren't all that different across the globe (the universality really shocked me - even though I'm at a loss to explain why). I would not describe it as chick lit, since the subject matter is somber, plus the fact that from the writing you can tell Ms. Nair is a scholarly woman. The feminist undertones are great: it's not shrill and man-hating, but mrerely a book showing the women and men need each other, as well as needing to each be their own people.
I rarely say a book is un-put-downable, because, well, come on (I've had very few in my life that have been). But I really couldn't wait to discover what happens next with Meera, finally uncovering the awful reality behind Smriti's accident, and the ever-changing relationship between Meera and Jak. An amazing author whose other books I will definitely seek out.
May Be Spoilers (depending on what you think spoilers entail):
I loved the one recurring theme throughout of Meera imagining herself as Hera ("Meera Hera" - Meera was a scholar of greek mythology before marrying), and how Hera's marriage to Zeus and its various situations resembled those Meera has with her husband Giri. Amazing exploration of what it means to be a woman, and I was struck by how universal the experience is no matter where you live. Meera and I are about the same age, and I've felt all the feelings she experiences in the book. The fact that her Lilac house can be an albatross around her neck; wondering if she's acting in a "proper" way for her age, then realized heck with that, why care?, then vascillating back to wondering again; finally understanding the following her own interests is important to happiness; realizing that she can only sacrifice/give so much of herself before it stunts your own happiness & personal growth.
Her recollections of how she (sometimes) mis-treated her husband through conversations were painfully realistic, even though her husband could be a superior clod and she wasn't trying to be nasty; her husband's treatment of her abilities and academic desires were awful (as was his disgust with her aging: it's not somethign we WANT to do, for heaven's sake!). When you see her and Jaks' children trying to be modern in a rigid community, it's not much different than what teens go through with older generations anywhere in the world.
A very thoughtful book, and a great glimpse into what women's lives are like in other parts of the world, or maybe the fact that they aren't all that different across the globe (the universality really shocked me - even though I'm at a loss to explain why). I would not describe it as chick lit, since the subject matter is somber, plus the fact that from the writing you can tell Ms. Nair is a scholarly woman. The feminist undertones are great: it's not shrill and man-hating, but mrerely a book showing the women and men need each other, as well as needing to each be their own people.
I rarely say a book is un-put-downable, because, well, come on (I've had very few in my life that have been). But I really couldn't wait to discover what happens next with Meera, finally uncovering the awful reality behind Smriti's accident, and the ever-changing relationship between Meera and Jak. An amazing author whose other books I will definitely seek out.
May 1, 2012
It started out slow for me and at times it was hard to follow. The story seemed to jump around at first, but once I got a clear picture of who these characters were and how they related to eachother I became invest in what happened to them. I thought Merra was a very likable character. I found myself cheering her on. I love how Merra thought the lilac house was an anchor only to find out that her true anchor was Giria. I liked learning about the Indian culture and Greek Mythology. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.
March 5, 2012
I'm debating whether to give this a 4 or a 4.5. It had me from page one with "somewhere in her a little girl skips." It's a really well-written book with important themes and interesting characters. Although I'm not usually a fan of mystery, the mystery surrounding Jak's daughter kept me guessing till the end, so I can see this book appealing to many readers. I liked the mother/daughter, husband/wife, father/daughter relationships a lot since they rang true to me. When all is said and done, this is a really good book about love, loss, and having the courage to play the hand you're dealt.
August 6, 2016
I won the Lilac House from Goodreads.
The foreign names and places as well as the inserted passages of mythology made parts of the book cumbersome to read. Transitions from past to present time were somewhat confusing. Despite that, the storyline is interesting and not overly predictable. Characters are well developed.
The foreign names and places as well as the inserted passages of mythology made parts of the book cumbersome to read. Transitions from past to present time were somewhat confusing. Despite that, the storyline is interesting and not overly predictable. Characters are well developed.
March 25, 2012
I was first attracted to this book by the title, I love the color Lilac but no one I know lives in a lilac colored house (though I do have a friend who lives in a wonderful old plum colored one). I also love reading novels that take place in different countries, with different cultures and this one takes place in Bangalore, India. Rather quickly, this book and its wonderful characters drew me in, Meera, who compares herself with Hera, the wife and helpmate of Zeus and Jak, a cyclone expert whose daughter has suffered a horrible accident. In elegant prose this novel follows Meera and Jac in their individual quests. It shows the expectations we have of ourselves, the resilience of the human spirit and our human need to understand. Eventually it becomes even more as we learn what happened to a young girl who tries to document a practice that she sees as wrong. Heartbreaking and heartfelt I highly recommend this book. ARC from NetGalley.
March 8, 2015
This book is a little difficult to follow in the beginning, but stick with it and it all falls into place. There are two main stories which interweave as the story progresses. Meera's story deals mainly with the complicated question of how we get our identify, the relationships between husband/wife, mother/child. Jaks or Kitcha (It took me a while to straighten out that they were the sem person) is dealing with discovering the cause of his daughter's accident which has left her extremely disabled. He struggles with guilt and anger as he searches for the missing events of his daughter's life.
The author a real gift for sifting through the layers of human emotion and relationships.
The author a real gift for sifting through the layers of human emotion and relationships.
September 25, 2012
This book is very well crafted; I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the plot, the pacing. A sometimes quite sad story about grief, starting over, forgiveness and different types of love, these are familiar themes to fans of Anita Nair, themes which are skillfully woven through and around the different life stories of the larger tale. A very worthwhile read and addition to her body of work. Recommended.
(Publication note: This is the same book published in the India under the name: Lessons in Forgetting.)
(Publication note: This is the same book published in the India under the name: Lessons in Forgetting.)
April 28, 2012
I read Nair’s “Ladies Coupe” many years back and liked it very much. “The Lilac House” also touches upon the same topic – the status of women in Indian society. Via the two main characters, and the secondary female characters, Nair slowly brings into focus the plight of women in India. There is Meera who is savvy and sophisticated, but who as she herself puts it has gotten used to the comfort of being taken care of. There is Nina, Jak’s ex-wife, Indian born and living in the US, who considers herself an Indo-phile touting an affection for India she does not feel. There is Smriti herself, clear-hearted but rebellious, and naïve to the ways in which her egalitarian and liberal views will be perceived in a classist society. Jak’s elderly aunt Kala Chithi, who lives with Jak and Smriti has her own tale to tell – and I especially liked the way Nair told her story.
The stories are appealing and interestingly told, but over and above that, I like this book because of its feminist undertones. I found Nair’s writing familiar and slid into it – sort of – the comfort of recognizable things? It might be because the terrain was so well-known and I recognized Indian terms and languages and mannerisms. So, yes I was totally engrossed and speed-read my way through.The author manages to tell an interesting tale even as she skillfully embeds life’s truth’s in them; I’m nodding my head and rereading passages.Highly recommended.
The stories are appealing and interestingly told, but over and above that, I like this book because of its feminist undertones. I found Nair’s writing familiar and slid into it – sort of – the comfort of recognizable things? It might be because the terrain was so well-known and I recognized Indian terms and languages and mannerisms. So, yes I was totally engrossed and speed-read my way through.The author manages to tell an interesting tale even as she skillfully embeds life’s truth’s in them; I’m nodding my head and rereading passages.Highly recommended.
May 23, 2012
This book grew on me.
I picked it up mainly because it was set in India, with characters from Indian culture. Coming from that world myself, I'm always curious how authors portray Indians and the Indian way of life in stories.
While this book didn't disappoint, I had a hard time getting into it. This could be because the prose is very literary - this is not at all a piece of fluffy popular fiction or even a breezy, summer-beach read. It's a book that demands constant attention while you're reading, a book that requires you to read every single word on its own and in the big scheme of the whole writing, because you never know where symbolism might have been woven in, or where this specific word was used for a purpose rather than just to move the story forward.
The characters are relatable and likable, but as I mentioned, it took me a while to get into the story, mainly because of the literary tone.
On the whole, it's a good story. But make sure you have the time and energy necessary to read literature when you sit down with this one - otherwise, you will not enjoy it to its full potential.
I picked it up mainly because it was set in India, with characters from Indian culture. Coming from that world myself, I'm always curious how authors portray Indians and the Indian way of life in stories.
While this book didn't disappoint, I had a hard time getting into it. This could be because the prose is very literary - this is not at all a piece of fluffy popular fiction or even a breezy, summer-beach read. It's a book that demands constant attention while you're reading, a book that requires you to read every single word on its own and in the big scheme of the whole writing, because you never know where symbolism might have been woven in, or where this specific word was used for a purpose rather than just to move the story forward.
The characters are relatable and likable, but as I mentioned, it took me a while to get into the story, mainly because of the literary tone.
On the whole, it's a good story. But make sure you have the time and energy necessary to read literature when you sit down with this one - otherwise, you will not enjoy it to its full potential.
September 3, 2015
" The binding boundaries of those unwritten lines etched into your fiber. It is a greenish blue indelible tattoo that says what is proper and what isn't."
The book so nicely opens up the Indian women and meaning of their freedom. It touches the chord and reminds ones of all the false-modernity we have seen all thru our life. All the characters are human. It doesn't preach and differentiate what's good and what's not.
The relationships husband-wife, mother-children, father-children or family in genaral were very well covered. As a parent I could relate to both Meera and Kitcha.
It also raises a question about parenting...where do you draw the line and let your children be...
But the story I felt was over dramatic. Too many events in both people lives.
The book so nicely opens up the Indian women and meaning of their freedom. It touches the chord and reminds ones of all the false-modernity we have seen all thru our life. All the characters are human. It doesn't preach and differentiate what's good and what's not.
The relationships husband-wife, mother-children, father-children or family in genaral were very well covered. As a parent I could relate to both Meera and Kitcha.
It also raises a question about parenting...where do you draw the line and let your children be...
But the story I felt was over dramatic. Too many events in both people lives.
September 10, 2012
Very disjointed book that's hard to follow, but that's typical of this author. Overall, I enjoyed the story which tracks two strangers as their lives are uncannily bound together. One part fiction and one part mystery. Solid story, but the numerous snatches of what's in characters' minds, shifts between past and present, and the confusion of having characters thrust upon the reader without any introduction made this very difficult to delve into. If you stick with it, everything comes together, but the end is rather abrupt and void of conclusion. Don't know if I'll read this author again as this is a style issue.
May 9, 2015
I enjoy Indian female authors in general and have read some others books by Anita Nair with enough enjoyment. This book was a bit.. confusing. Not so much in the storyline and narrative but in the reaction it elicited. I was confused whether I was actually enjoying it or not. I found myself skimming a few pages, a sure sign that a book is just not holding my interest but I didn't feel compelled to stop reading it.
Anyway, I finished the book. It's a simpler story than it needs to be. Lots of characters were left with no neat bow tied around them towards the end. The ending in general was highly unsatisfactory. I'd say, read it if you have some time in hand and find a copy lying around.
Anyway, I finished the book. It's a simpler story than it needs to be. Lots of characters were left with no neat bow tied around them towards the end. The ending in general was highly unsatisfactory. I'd say, read it if you have some time in hand and find a copy lying around.
September 23, 2012
I can't decide if I liked this book or not. It was engrossing and hard to put down once I got into it but I didn't love the ending and numerous things about the house situation really bothered me. This book also takes place in India, so be prepared to have no clue how to say some characters names, most of the cities and other little things. I did put it down numerous times to look up something words online that seemed important to the development of the story. I felt the addition of the minor character Vinnie did nothing to the development or characters she interacted with.
January 9, 2013
The book is written in a style I'm not familiar with. Chapters begin with scenes, which apparently seems not connected with the last chapter. But along the way reading the book, I found it was a genius way of refering to the precious chapters.
The book covers some feminist subjects in India. And very disturbing to me was the rape of a young girl and how it affected the lives of her loved ones. How her dad came to know the reason and the wall of silence he experienced when questioning her 'friends'. This is still an actual subject in India.
This book was an eyeopener for me.
The book covers some feminist subjects in India. And very disturbing to me was the rape of a young girl and how it affected the lives of her loved ones. How her dad came to know the reason and the wall of silence he experienced when questioning her 'friends'. This is still an actual subject in India.
This book was an eyeopener for me.
August 10, 2016
There is quite a bit crammed into this book which basically follows two families as they deal with the ups and downs of life. For the characters involved in the tale, the downs outweigh the ups. The author does a good job of showing the dynamics of each family, the interaction of the family members and, the events and personal choices that forge the temperaments of the individuals. The main characters also are shown contemplating the choices they made and all the myriad complex emotions that were the result of those decisions.
September 24, 2016
I read my first Anita Nair when I was 18 and I loved it. That was Ladies Coupe. And since then I read a few more and loved them all but this was not quite there. The book was a fast read and took me just a few hours to finish it but the anticipation that Nair build up was all for nothing. The ending left me disappointed. I can understand an ambiguous ending but this was too much of a disappointment for me to get over. Pick it up only if you're a huge fan of Nair. Else I'd suggest you skip this one.
July 22, 2017
I honestly don't even remember how this book got on my shelves... I don't remember buying it myself, but thought I would try it anyway. "Try" being the key word here. I looked up ratings out of curiosity and found solid high praise in reviews. Promising... but for me it ended up being one of those ones that just felt like the author got so hung up on sounding literary that the more important element of compelling storytelling was drowned out. I also found myself caring less and less about the characters. This one just wasn't my thing.
November 21, 2012
I started this book thinking I'd catch up on a light read between historical fictions. However, I realized soon enough that this book tackles a lot.It is the story of two middle aged people struggling to cope with complex life situations.
This book is set so close to my hometown that I could effortlessly relate to the storyline and characters. For the same reason I found it predictable- like watching a typical long south indian movie.
This book is set so close to my hometown that I could effortlessly relate to the storyline and characters. For the same reason I found it predictable- like watching a typical long south indian movie.
March 13, 2013
Its a decently written book dealing with the loss of relationships, with endings and the quest for new beginnings. The plot is decent, the pace correctly languid as is the case with books on self introspection. The language is extremely fluid, a trait of Anita Nair's I have come to admire. The ending is open to interpretation, which might be a turn off for fans of neatly tied ends, but it worked for me. A good quick read that I could wrap up in two days.
December 24, 2018
The only regret I have reading this book is that it was a translated version (Dutch not English). I think Anita Nair is an amazing artist. And I can only praise how she created such a beautiful piece of art. I think for some of us this book will be very helpful. It's about letting go the past, new beginnings, accept life's imperfections, letting go of control and the challenges of parenthood.
This is defiantly 5*.
This is defiantly 5*.
June 8, 2012
I won this book and honestly didn't like where the story was going. I also didn't want to find out if I was right. I also don't like a book that repeats the "F" word. I couldn't finish it and don't plan on recommending this to anyone. So if you put it on your 'to read" list I suggest you think twice before reading it.
July 16, 2014
The book is very engaging. I could identify with the characters and the circumstances under which the story unfolds. The story kept me interested till the end. And it was a beautiful read. I was not, however, satisfied with the way the book ended. But maybe I just like all loose ends to tie up at the end of a book. Even though it rarely happens in real life.
July 13, 2017
This book took me a long time to get into. The authors writing style is very unique and took some getting used to. She changes characters, point of view and from present to past sporadically which sometimes makes it hard to follow. However, after I adjusted and got into the story, it was a very good novel. A story of feminism, of uncovering truths, redefining one's self, family and love.
January 12, 2019
In comparison to her Book 'Ladies coupe', this book not that great. Because I really like that book and the profound message highlighted in it, probably that's the reason I chose this one, but I struggled to finish it probably because of the simple story and the obvious ending of the book.
Our time on earth is limited so we can't read everything that is written so Skip this one !!!!
Our time on earth is limited so we can't read everything that is written so Skip this one !!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 6, 2017
Loved this book and its characters. Great character development and strong relationships between family members. One really gets to know the people whom one is reading about. Set in India this will help to bring your understanding of the place and time.
June 23, 2017
I had to give up on this book. I made it to page 91 and I have absolutely no idea where this book is going and zero desire to try and figure it out. Two disparate protagonists with very dull, boring, sad lives.
Want to read
May 14, 2012WHOO HOO!!! Another book I won here on GoodReads! I can't wait to get it, read, and review.
August 6, 2012
It was different... but enjoyable.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 64 reviews