Tell a Thousand Lies

Tales from the Deccan Plateau #1

by Rasana Atreya

In a land where skin colour can determine one's destiny, fraternal twins PULLAMMA and LATA are about to embark on a journey that will tear their lives apart. Dark skinned Pullamma dreams of being a wife. With three girls in her family, the sixteen year old is aware there isn't enough dowry to secure suitable husbands for them all. But a girl can hope. She's well versed in cooking, pickle making, cow washing -- you name it. She's also obliged her old-fashioned grandmother by not doing well in school. Fair skinned and pretty, her twin sister Lata would rather study medicine than get married. Unable to grasp the depth of Lata's desire, the twins' Grandmother formalizes a wedding alliance for the girl. Distraught, Lata rebels, with devastating consequences. As Pullamma helps ready the house for her older sister Malli's bride viewing, she prays for a positive outcome to the event. What happens next is so inconceivable that it will shape Pullamma's future in ways she couldn't have foreseen. TELL A THOUSAND LIES is a sometimes wry, sometimes sad, but ultimately realistic look at how superstition and the colour of a girl's skin rules India's hinterlands.

Genres: Fiction, India, Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Asia, Cultural, Indian Literature

352 pages, Paperback

First published March 8, 2012

About the author

Rasana Atreya's debut novel, Tell A Thousand Lies, was shortlisted for the UK-based "Tibor Jones South Asia Prize." In 2017, the University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, taught this novel to the students of "English 479."

Glam Magazine, UK (June 2014) calls "Tell A Thousand Lies" one of their "five favourite tales from India."

She's currently working on the series, "Tales From The Deccan Plateau":
* Tell A Thousand Lies
* Talking Is Wasted Breath
* Daughters Inherit Silence
* The Temple Is Not My Father
* The Water Wives
* Tell A Lie, Beget A Daughter

Rasana is one of India's self-publishing pioneers. She was invited by Amazon to the India launch of the Kindle.

Reviews

[Kavita · Rating 1 out of 5]

Note: There might be some spoilers in the review below.

Bwahahahaha! Rasana Atryea has watched too many bad Telugu films of the melodramatic type. Let alone a thousand, I won't tell even one lie. This book is utter crap - it is one long mega TV show with every single silly idea taken from them.

Twins: one evil, one good - ✔

Deux ex-machina plots - ✔

Moustache twirling villainous politician - ✔

Forever victimised Mary Sue heroine - ✔

Arvind Kejriwal - ✔ (Yes, he goes under the name of Chandrashekhar!)

One dimensional characters - ✔

Have cancer, will have spontaneous remission - ✔

Plots chasing each other in circles - ✔

Child abuse - ✔

Female subjugation - ✔

Forced marriage - ✔

Vamp, who (because) refuses to adhere to traditional customs - ✔

Predictable hap-hap-happy ending - ✔

The story starts off in a remote village in South India. With three girls in the family, an old grandmother has no other priority than to marry them off. This can only happen when the girls don't study too much. Pullamma is quite happy to be the stupid and unambitious twin, while her sister Lata is the smarter, more ambitious one. Over time, Pullamma achieves everything, including all that Lata wanted, and Lata is left bereft of everything. And somehow she is the vamp ... don't ask me how the author managed to put this spin on it!

My sympathies lay with Lata throughout the book, so I did not really relate to Pullamma and her stupid and unrealistic problems. You want to know who actually had problems? Lata! Not being allowed to study is a real-life problem for girls. Being chased by crazy politicians and not wanting to be a Goddess - not so much!

The synopsis talks a lot about how this is a book about how skin colour can affect people's lives. It started off quite nicely, showing how the main character had dismal marital prospects because of her skin colour. But then, the message got lost in all the later melodrama. Another point I think the author was trying to make is that girls must be educated. But somehow, putting Lata in such a terrible position and then kicking her out of the story unceremoniously and unrealistically just diluted the message. Lata should have been the one to gain education because she valued it. Pullamma was just a village bimbo with no ideas in her small brain other than to serve her husband and pop out babies. Even after she has gained a degree, she keeps moaning about how she wants to give it all up. Spare me your woes, lady!

Since the author chose to write in first person, we only get to see Pullamma whining her way through the book. We never even get to see the other important characters, who undoubtedly were more interesting. Lata, to me, was the most interesting character. Her dreams were actually shattered, she was forced into an unwanted marriage, she had a miscarriage, and in the end, she is somehow the villain. I really can't get past that. Why?! Other unexplored interesting characters were ... ummm ... ummm ... no one.

The plot twists were frankly unbelievable. I bought the first unrealistic plot, but it steadily became worse and by the end, nothing made any sense. In many instances, especially where Lata is concerned (sorry, can't get over it!), character motivation is completely inexplicable. There are also some characters that just appear out of the blue to save the situation, and these characters were not developed in any way, and their plots were non-existent.

In the end, the message I took away from this book is this: If you want a happy ending, be a sheep and obey your elders unquestioningly, believe in patriarchal norms and you will win over the baddies and have a happy life (after struggling a bit, like all pious women are supposed to do). Going by the fact that the author writes about gender studies, I don't think this was the message that Atryea was trying to send out. Fail.

[Christine · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author gave me a copy in exchange for a review.

People like to think that both racism and sexism are dead, but many of us know that this isn't true. While it might be correct to say that Mrs Bennett in modern England might not be as husband hungry for her daughters, she wouldn't turn up her nose at what's on offer either. In some places, the -isms are more underground, more subtle (Friends takes place in all white NYC, the black man always dies first, and the female scientist is dressed in heels with a mini-skirt. BTW, where did she get that matching vibrator?). Yet, in other parts of the world, even those we see as developed, it is more direct. Last week, for example, there was a mix-up at a maternially ward in India. A couple were first told that they had a boy, and then were later told that, in fact, they had a girl. Even when a blood test ruled them out as parents of the boy, the couple refused the girl and demanded a DNA test because who wants a daughter.

I found myself thinking of that story several times as I read this book. Pullamanna is the middle child of three girls, all raised by their grandmother who is Mrs Bennett mad to get them good husbands. A difficult prospect considering the family's lack of money, but at least a possibility for two of the girls, the two who are light skinned and beautiful. It's a bit more tricky for Pullamanna who is dark, too dark. Too make things worse, Pullamanna's twin Lata wants an education, and well all know education isn't for girls, even girls who are too dark, because the only bad husband is no husband.

What's a grandmother to do?

Then, to make matters worse, Pullamanna becomes a goddess. Maybe.

What then follows in this Pride and Prejudice/ "Cinderella" story is Pullamanna's attempt to find herself and her place in the world. This quest is hard because of the -isms that surrond her, that sometimes she succumbs to as she battles against them, and because of the powerful politician who takes an interest in her family. Atreya looks at culture and how it effects family and oneself. Her characters aren't flat and while the story may take place in a culture of isms, the writer has a large cast of characters that ran the gamut. It isn't a heavy hand moralistic story either, though in some ways it reminds me of a Bollywood movie (and I mean this in a good way).

I debated over whether to give this excellent first novel three or four stars. While Pullamanna and her family are well drawn and believable, I found myself wanting a bit more detail in terms of character growth and the change in relationships. It isn't that the changes do not work, they do, they just a bit more showing and less telling. Once the ground seems to shift too suddenly. Yet despite this somewhat minor flaw, I found myself engrossed in the story. In fact, I was so engrossed that I read snatches when the bus I was on stopped at lights. I know it doesn't sound like much, but I get sick when I read if a bus or car is moving. I can't even look at maps when a car is going. Yet, I kept my Kindle out and read this book during light pauses. That's worth a four star rating.

I fully intend to read the other books Rasana Atreya is sure too write.

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where I got the book: copy supplied by author.

Whoops! This was supposed to be my April indie review but yeah, I got a bit behind. This was one of those occasions where an author cold-pitches me and I'm immediately intrigued by the setup, but I had NO IDEA of the directions this novel was going to go in. It starts quietly: because Pullamma's dark-skinned and tall and therefore not attractive by the standards of her corner of rural India, she is allowed to be present at her sister's bride-viewing party (she won't distract the future bridegroom's attention from her sister). So straightaway you have this sketch of what life is (was?) like for a woman without dowry or beauty: pretty bleak. I loved the way Atreya put me straight into India; unfortunately I've never visited the country but I got a vivid picture of the scene, the attitudes of the villagers, Pullamma's own drily humorous resignation to her lot. And all this in flawless English that wasn't any the less Indian for being correct.

So I wasn't expecting the stranger who throws himself at Pullamma's feet, a dead child in his arms...

Which neatly introduces the second theme, that of superstition. Pretty interesting, because I was sure at the outset that it would be Pullamma's dark skin (equating to unattractiveness) that would limit her options as a woman, but in fact it's the superstitious gullibility of the villagers that both traps and frees her. Pullamma's newfound status as a goddess makes her, for the first time in her life, useful, but unfortunately the man she's useful to is the unrelievedly evil Kondal Rao who exploits her for his political aims. The drastic action that she's forced to take to escape Rao's influence frees her from the limitations she's imposed upon herself, while causing her heartbreak worthy of Bollywood drama at its best.

And that's how I ended up seeing it: as a Bollywood story, full of improbable coincidences and tragic sobs. The melodrama lessens its effectiveness as a novel from a Western viewpoint but wow, what a story. I'd love to see it made into a movie.

[Sandra "Jeanz" · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY REVIEW
I liked the cover though it was quite a way into the book before I recognised the cover as a scene from the book.the scene depicts Pullama as a rather unwilling Goddess, with the gifts people have brought to her as gifts for her blessing. Also all the hands stretching out towards Pullamma demanding her attention.
I found the beginning of the book rather slow to read, then about 18% the story pace started to pick up and become faster so more enjoyable. I loved all the cultural references even though some of them seemed really alien to me and a little odd. One in particular, which is also the title of the book is "Tell a Thousand Lies" to marry off your daughter as a bride.
Pullamma's mother is dead and her father has literally run off with other women leaving her mother's mother to bring them up, provide dowry's and marry them off to suitable matches.
Pullamma is kind of classed as the ugly duckling of the family as her skin is so dark so she is expected to possibly remain single and never make much progress in life. Lata is Pullamma's twin and more or less opposite, she's clever and dreams of becoming a Doctor one day, someone important, who will be looked up to and given much respect. Malli is the other more placid sister.
The story covers Malli's marriage and how a corrupt politician uses Pullamma, having her declared a goddess.He gives her power but can just so very easily take that and everything else away from her too. He never lets her forget the power he has over her and her family.
Pullamma escapes his clutches many times, but ends up being dragged back.On one occasion she returns to help her sister Lata, who has disgraced herself. Pullamma faces many difficult choices and situations, at times she suffer indescribable hurt and heartbreak.
This book is a great example of how fortunes and futures can change on the wind. It is a tale of courage, determination and never ending unconditional love. However it also has its fair share of prejudice, racism within the community, violence, deception and hurt.
I do not wish to give away more of the story, but I really would recommend this book as a really great read. i have to say personally it would make a great movie, or TV mini-drama. this book gives a deep insight into a totally different culture and explains the reasoning behind the culture as it goes along.
So did I enjoy it? Yes, I truthfully did. Would I recommend? Yes to a serious reader.someone who loves books and likes to learn a little whilst reading too. Would I read more by Rasana Atreya?Yes I would.

[Carol Kean · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a rare treat - an e-book that is beautifully written, polished and full of substance! The narrative voice hooked me from page one. So calmly, with no question that this is just the way life is, teenage Pullamma reports the terrible things her own relatives say to her. Not a hint of whining or self pity - just a wry, honest, clever depiction of her world. And what a world! I had no idea that small towns in India as recently as the 1980s remained so Old World in their thinking. A corrupt politician can pluck a girl from the village, declare her a goddess, and get hoards of people to wait in line to seek her help and lavish her with gifts they can't afford? It's as mind-boggling as the arranged marriages, the attitudes. Their conventional wisdom is shocking, archaic, ignorant, or superstitious, to a modern American. Yet for all the "backwards" or inhumane customs, the humanity of every character shines through in this novel. Every line of dialogue, especially in the opening scenes, is authentic, memorable and incisive. It's also both laugh-out-loud comical yet heartbreaking. This is no small achievement for any writer.

Page after page, new plot twists arise, new surprises. Rasana Atreya is the master of "torture your protagonist." I do see why other reviewers complain about a soap-opera quality to the perils of Pullamma, but I suspect the escalating horrors are, unfortunately, believable. It may be impossible to believe a smart woman, a good man, could become so trapped--unless you consider the culture they live in. Modern Americans apparently have no concept of honor as they see it. The best example of it in American literature may be "The Portrait of a Lady" by Henry James, in which a young American woman is given the freedom to marry anyone she chooses--and when she makes the worst possible choice, she *chooses* to live with the consequences rather than just run away and start over again.

As another reviewer wrote, "...tradition, honor, and respect for elders can create a stranglehold which chokes courage. When reading books set in a culture different from your own, remember to be mindful that those differences can seem alien to your own understanding."

This dazzling first novel from Rasana Atreya leaves me eager to read more of her work.

[The Book · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought the idea for the story was just great; unfortunately the writing and character development was pretty poor. The language used and sentence structures read like something grossly simplified for teenagers, and the book as a whole was a little like a soap opera - slightly unbelievable developments just kept happening which would conveniently roll the story along, and at the end all the loose ends were neatly tied up to the heroine's liking. Not to mention the one-dimensional characters you couldn't connect to emotionally because they were paper thin. Interesting, but not enough to save this book.

[eNovel Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

We are transported back to the year 1986, when "Top Gun" was the highest grossing movie and "Pretty in Pink" defined the decade for Generation X. Yet we are not in the US, or even the Western world. The shimmering blue-green Bay of Bengal laps the shores of the southeastern Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. We travel inland to the small village of Mallepalli, where the Hindu religion is part and parcel of people's lives, and ancient tradition comes into to stark contrast with the changing social mores of a sleepy but slowly rising economic power. (Spoilers if you plan to read more.)

There the story unfolds about two 16-year-olds. Fraternal twins, one dark-skinned and plain, Pullamma, and the other fair-skinned and pretty, Lata. Told from the perspective of Pullamma, who endeavors to someday become a good wife. Yet cognizant of her place in society, and respectful of her grandmother's old-fashioned views of women, she has limited her schooling. Though there are three girls in the family, and with finite resources, there is not enough dowry money to go around. Pullamma being the less desirable of the three will undoubtedly be left out of the marriageable lot.

Lata, on the other hand, has embraced education. Her dream is to study medicine and become a doctor. Only then will she abide by tradition and seek a suitable husband.

Fate has other plans and Pullamma is accorded the gift, or the curse, of a being proclaimed a "goddess" by a corrupt, local politician. Now the plain and less educated of the three girls ascends to a station of prominence. She is married off to a wealthy and well-respected family, and like Cinderella, her life goes from rags to riches

Luck was not kind to her twin Lata, who aspired to greater goals, and with her virginal beauty and fair skin would have been swept up quickly by an affluent suitor. She is pregnant, out-of-wedlock, and embittered that her dreams have crashed unceremoniously around her. She becomes resentful and vindictive, to the detriment of Pullamma.

Breathless, describes Rasana Atreya's exhilarating, compelling and extraordinary debut novel. This is a tale of the complex human condition immersed in a culture that is thousands of years old. The author deftly illustrates, through her erudite prose, that complications and situations only drive the spirit of survival and resourcefulness. With each new challenge and obstacle, the protagonist rises to the occasion.

Atreya's vivid descriptions create the perfect backdrop to the multifaceted lives of the characters. The author draws you into the scenes, with the smells, the sounds and the colors of this humble yet vibrant Southern India village. The story lingers in your imagination long after you have turned the last page.

Born in India, the author attended Marquette University in Wisconsin. She worked in the IT field and as a rape crisis counselor in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is now a full-time writer as well as a mother of two grade school children. Tell A Thousand Lies is her first self-published novel. It certainly won't be her last. --eNovel Reviews

[Adite · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rasana Atreya’s debut novel, Tell a Thousand Lies, is a hard hitting tale that focuses on the curse of being born a woman in India. Pullamma, the protagonist, is doubly cursed as she neither has the much sought after fair skin nor the handsome dowry that could have helped in procuring a good match for her. After all, as the saying goes, to arrange a good marriage for a girl, you have to tell a thousand lies. Pullamma grows up resigned to living a life of spinsterhood and being a support to her grandmother while her older sister, Malli, and fraternal twin, Lata – both fairer and prettier than her – would inevitably snag suitable husbands. But she’s destined for a life that she’d had never imagined. Her fate is sealed when she is declared goddess with miraculous powers by a wily, power-hungry politician. Whatever little hope she had of realizing her dream of getting married and leading a happily married life is crushed as people throng at her doorstep to seek her blessings. Now, who will dare to marry a goddess? Traditionally, in India, you’re either reviled because you’re a woman or deified as a goddess. And the author cleverly builds this into her theme by portraying that even as a "goddess", Pullamma cannot escape exploitation.

Pullamma’s story is intertwined with that of her twin sister Lata who dreams of studying and becoming a doctor. Poverty and age-old beliefs—that an overeducated girl will be unable to find a suitable boy—snatch away her dreams and she is thrust into a situation where the two sisters are pitted against each other.

The story grabs you from the get go, throwing a twist every few chapters to a finale that is a tad melodramatic. Rasana Atreya’s story is so plot-driven that by the time you hit the middle of the book the twists and turns get a little too overwhelming. The major flaw in this twisty tale is the overtly melodramatic relationship between the two sisters which harks back to the clichéd storylines of Hindi movies of the 1980s. Also, the first-person narrative that the author uses while effective in rooting the reader to the protagonist’s plight leaves one with the feeling that the other characters are dictated more by the plot rather than their own peculiar goals, motivations and flaws. Having said that, Rasana’s pacy story keeps you hooked…as you turn the pages to the denouement that is inevitable and yet leaves you with a certain sense of dissatisfaction.

The author punctuates the tragic events with little flashes of humour. She creates a picture of rural India where superstitions, illiteracy and corruption is a potent mix that no woman can escape, particularly if she has had the misfortune of being born with a dark skin colour.

[Sheila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell a Thousand Lies by Rasana Atraya is set in a land of tradition, superstition and poverty where the drinking water’s turned on at three in the morning and guests have to be cajoled with false and fawning humility. A girl is praised for having “no mind of her own. Just does what she’s told.” And the sister who wants to become a doctor is steered by her loving family towards marriage and motherhood.

This is the India of Pullamma, Cinderella with skin too dark and an ugly name. Her own aspirations are only to find a man willing to marry her with so small a dowry. As the story begins her grandmother’s house awaits the arrival of a rich man’s family to view Pullamma’s sister. Will the groom-to-be agree to the arranged marriage? But the groom is influenced by a rich relative whose light skin hides a truly dark interior.

The gentle humor of superstition and coincidence in this tale soon give way to the misery of manipulation and the crushing evils of ordinary people when someone else “controls the police.” Saved, lost, rescued and recaptured, Pullamma’s life follows a tortuous path, sprinkled with delight then brutally doomed to despair. Love of family anchors her but duty to family betrays her again and again.

The land and characters become very real in this novel, pulling the reader in to share their joys, frustrations and pain. A thousand lies might be needed to arrange a good marriage, but cultures change and opportunities arise through the murmuring of a thousand truths. Pullamma lives a lie, learns to be comfortable in her own dark skin, and finally sees her world and hopes change to something achievable. Meanwhile the reader learns how tradition and politics can finally turn into promise.

I enjoyed this book particularly for its local scope--set in India, staying in India, steeped in Indian life--and for its evocative prose that makes the culture so vividly real. The story’s fascinating too with its hint of deeper truths behind the lies of everyday existence—a truly enjoyable novel, highly recommended.



Disclosure: I received a free ecopy of this novel from the author in exchange for my honest review.

[Devina Dutta · Rating 4 out of 5]

After reading this book, i realised how less i knew about the rural parts of my own country.Beautifully narrated and a well developed plot, this novel cannot be merely dismissed as a story but is actually an account of a dark-skinned girl with a fair heart.Set in 1986, in the heart of a tiny village in Andhra Pradesh,this novel introduces us to some characters which am likely not to forget in a long time. Dark skinned Poullama and fair Lata are fratenal twins with contrasting personalities. While the former dreams about marriage and a happy household, the latter wants to become a doctor. Sadly enough, they get to live not their own but each other's dreams. Though the story is told from Poullama's point of view, Lata's plight is sympathetic too.
The pace of the book is slow at first, diverting from one incident to another which can be confusing at times but gradually picks up pace and steadies on when the action starts happening. I, especially liked the occasional dry wit and humour of the heroine in the book which could totally be related to by me.
Descriptive and resplendant with characters from our daily lives, "Tell a thousand lies" paints a sad yet realistic picture of rural India.
Loved it!

[Jane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I live in India several months out of every year, I am always looking for books which will bring me "back home". I picked up this book with no expectations, other than hopefully getting a shot in the arm of Indian energy. I was not prepared for the wonderful story or for the genuineness of the feeling of rural India. Since I have a couple of Indian women friends living under the same type of village mentality and culture, I know for a fact that much of what is written here is sadly very true, especially where the role of women is concerned. I was also pleasantly surprised by the Universality of the emotions felt and displayed by the mothers in this book and could identify with those feelings as a mother myself.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a good, though tragic, story with a real touch of India thrown in for fun.
Enjoy
Jane

[Supraja · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started this book because it seemed like a fun read when I read the book jacket. This is not a fun read. Yes, it's easy to get through, the writing is not complicated, but the topics discussed hit me pretty hard. Growing up outside of India, I had heard of some of the circumstances described in this book, but never experienced them or even thought they were real. The portrayal of women in this book was both shocking and awe-inspiring. Although it took me some time to get used to the fact that this wasn't a happy-go-lucky story, and these women faced many hardships, I couldn't put the book till I finished it.

[Denise · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, in my opinion, is basically Indian chick-lit. It isn't the more serious Indian fiction that I prefer. Regardless, it isn't the author's fault that I chose the wrong kind of book to read for myself. And it was entertaining and the writing was good, despite the constant eye-rolling drama and girly tears. For that reason I am rating it 3 stars.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were aspects of this book that raised my spirits and other aspects that left me thinking the author didn't seem to know when to stop piling another dollop of misery onto her poor characters. The sense that 'nothing's so crap that it can't get worse' was running through my mind for much of the book. Alongside that, the sense of 'how much more can one woman take'.

Now I don't mind a book where things go badly again and again but Pullama, the orphaned, dark-skinned, plain, unmarriageable granddaughter of a hard-working but poor grandma can't seem to get a lucky break. When a corrupt local politician decides to tell his constituents that Pullama is a goddess, he has only his own potential success in mind. He callously throws her life under the bus to create a sensation that will win him votes. And then he does it again. And again. And again as the book progresses.

Poor Pullama's 'goddesshood' brings good fortune to some of her family but disaster for herself. Not all - temporarily there's a happy marriage - but in no time at all the dodgy politician has taken everything good away from her and wrecked her life again.

It's easy to think that now India has some of the best IT people in the world, a space programme and phenomenally successful business entrepreneurs, that life must have changed for the better. For the characters in both Hydrabad and the small village where Pullamma's family lives, it could just as easily be set in the middle-ages. People believe in witches, goddesses and blessings but don't accept that such goddesses can be wives or mothers or even doctors.

As a western reader, it's tempting to think it surely can't be so bad. Surely Pullamma and her husband could escape the influence of the evil politician, but clearly it's just not that easy.

People in this book tend to be very good or totally evil - almost without redemption in the latter cases. People find and lose one another in a way that almost feels careless. Coincidences abound, but despite that, the book feels like it's delivering a strong dose of potential truth.

Did I believe everything? Of course not. But that didn't stop me turning the pages. I enjoyed it a lot. And, knowing it was part of a series - the Tales from the Deccan Plateau - I was deeply relieved that the book had a start-middle-ending and didn't leave the protagonists hanging at the end like so many series authors seem to do these days.

Rasana Atreya is apparently a bit of a self-publishing phenomenon. Her book was certainly a lot better than many set in India - especially those written by either NRI authors who don't actually know anything about Indian life, or posh big city Indian writers who can only imagine what's going on in the countryside. This isn't a 'literary' story - the language is simple and compatible with the background of the characters. (That's a pet hate of mine - a book where the protagonist is a simple country person but the writing style is self-consciously snooty and overly wordy).

I liked it. I'll read more by this author.

[Read In Colour · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1986 India, four of the most important determinants of a woman's future were the tone of her skin, her caste, her home village and her family's wealth. Based on these things, Pullamma, at the age of 16, has resigned herself to living with her grandmother forever. As one of three orphaned sisters, Pullamma is the darkest and most unattractive.

With her oldest granddaughter married off, Ammamma begins to worry about the fate of Pullamma. While it should be easy enough to marry off Lata, Pullamma's beautiful, light skin twin, it won't be easy to find a match for Pullamma. The only hitch in Ammamma's plan is Lata has no desire to get married. In a time and village that placed little emphasis on girls beyond the 12th class, and actually frowned upon girls doing well in school, Lata not only passes the 12th class, but does so with distinction. A smart girl, she dreams of becoming a doctor, but as Ammamma asks, "With such good marks, how am I to find her a suitable groom..." Pullamma, on the other hand, only dreams of getting married.

Just as Lata is about to wed into a family that respects her dreams and will allow her to continue her studies to become a doctor, a local politician intervenes and changes the fate of both Lata and Pullamma. Suddenly, Pullamma has the life Lata always wanted and the beautiful Lata becomes a shrewd and bitter woman out for revenge at any cost, even if it means destroying her twin.

I can't remember how this book came across my radar. I think it was recommended by Amazon based on other books I've read, but I can't be sure. Regardless of how I stumbled across it, I'm glad I did. Tell A Thousand Lies is a brilliant effort from Rasana Atreya. As she tells the story of Pullamma and her family, she also gives glimpses into the Telugu community and Hindu beliefs ad practices

I loved this book because Atreya kept me on my toes while reading it. At no point did I ever really know how the story was going to end. And a sure sign that a book has pulled me in, I found myself talking out loud to the characters, knowing good and well they couldn't hear me. If you love learning about new cultures and love a good story, do yourself a favor and give Tell A Thousand Lies a read.

[Harsha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, thanks to the author for sending me the free ebook. I might not have read it otherwise, and I am really glad I didn't miss this one out.

It is the story of a 16 year old Pullamma, an orphan who is raised in a village in Andhra by her maternal grandmother. Growing up in a society that thinks of girls as nothing other than 'marriage material', and with two fair-skinned sisters, the dark-skinned Pullamma's prospects for marital bliss seem to be extremely dim. Not helping the matters is the highly corrupt politician Kondal Rao, who doesn't think twice before manipulating and ruling over innocent people's lives in ways that favour him. And then there is the fact that the superstitious villagers have suddenly started believing her to be a Goddess.

True that it took me five days to complete this book, but had I been uninterrupted, I am sure I would have completed it in five hours. Rasana Atreya's Tell A Thousand Lies has it all, that you need to enjoy a novel. An engrossing narrative rich in well-developed characters and a strong, realistic and socially relevant plot with enough twists and turns to keep you interested. The book kept me hooked to it throughout, and during the times I was not reading it, I found myself constantly thinking about the book and its characters. Although a bit dramatic at certain points, the story was relate-able in all. I particularly liked the irony in which the twins Pullamma and Lata were living the lives the other had dreamed of. Much as I hated her for what she did to her twin, I did feel sorry for Lata, and I think I would have liked to know her a little more.

In all, this was a really enjoyable read, and a great first novel. Wish the print edition of the book comes out soon.

[Laura McHale Holland · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tell A Thousand Lies is an ambitious, imaginative, engaging, unpredictable work. Author, Rasana Atreya roots the story in the specifics of rural India and, in particular, the trials and triumphs of protagonist Pullamma, who, along with two sisters, was raised in poverty by her grandmother. The sisters dreamed of a different life than their circumstances dictated, and the action one of them took to achieve that end set powerful forces in motion that ripped Pullamma’s life apart. The setting was itself a revelation for me, and I expect for others who have no direct experience of the culture, but the author also transcends time and place to plumb universal themes: betrayal, jealousy, greed, power, love, hate, forgiveness. Atreya conveyed the main characters clearly, with just enough quirks and flaws, so they jumped to life, engaged me emotionally, swept me into the saga, and left a lasting, positive impression.

[Jess Chambers · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an unexpected treat this novel turned out to be. From the first page, I was transported to India in the 1980s, a world where skin colour is everything and girls are brought up to be suitable wives. The dry, witty narrative gave me an instant connection with the heroine Pullamma, feisty and a little wild, but ultimately longing to be loved for herself. She will break your heart, have you laughing out loud, and take you on an emotional journey you will never forget. With her vivid characters, evocative description and rich cultural detail, the author pulled me into the story from the outset and refused to let me go until the end. Yet, this novel did far more than entertain me. It opened my eyes to a culture I confess to knowing little about, and to the struggles women in India are forced to confront even today.

A truly wonderful read!

[Vinay Leo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Reviewed on A Bookworm’s Musing: http://wp.me/p2J8yh-31w

Positive aspects:
+ Story idea; to focus on such a plot, and character as Pullamma
+ Characters like the headmaster, who give hope for the future
+ First twist; it felt very believable

Negative aspects:
- Twist upon twist; works for a bit, but becomes heavy and melodramatic quickly
- Character of Kondal Rao; felt very clichéd even though believable
- Lata’s story; initially felt interesting, but not given prominence
- Since narration from Pullamma’s perspective, other sub-stories get diluted

Actual rating: 2.5 stars

[Yejide Kilanko · Rating 4 out of 5]

In this debut novel, Atreya did a fantastic job of immersing the reader in the world of her characters. The rural villages of India and their inhabitants came alive in a way that I was able to flip through the pages with bated breath. I found myself aching and cheering for Pullamma, the main character. It was a joy to watch her grow from a place of self-loathing to self-acceptance. There were parts in the middle of the book where I grew impatient with the events and choices made by the characters. However, the novel did end with a satisfying resolution. Definitely a book worth reading.

[Sally906 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some wonderful prose - but the story was just not for me - too many twists and dramas - melodramas - stupidity.

Just could not warm to the main character at all. Her sister though, I really wanted to get to know her better.

[Richa Bhattarai · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tell a Thousand Lies is a strange novel – it is at once realistic and melodramatic; simple and layered; unbelievable yet credible. This is the kind of book that could be read as a simple fable, a tussle between right and wrong, good and evil. But then, it also has potential to spark a thousand debates and discussions. Reaching for the heart yet aiming for the psyche, the novel is an exploration of an ordinary girl’s bizarre fate.

Our heroine, Pullamma, could be any girl in the South Asian hinterlands, though in this case, she lives somewhere in a desolate village in Andhra Pradesh in India. So dark-skinned that her father disowned her at birth and abandoned his family; so tall and gawky that no boy would look at her twice, and so poor that there might never be enough dowry to marry her off – this is Pullamma in her totality. She does not care for books, her only dream is to be wedded off. But when the wedding does take place, the bride is Lata – Pullamma’s gorgeous twin who wants nothing more than to be a doctor. And just as readers begin to feel that this is nothing more than a nostalgic novel relieving the lazy hinterlands comes the twist. A dying child is put into Lata’s arms, the child lives, and Lata is hailed as a Goddess. It is as a Goddess that she will have to live the rest of her life.
While it might be a tad too confusing for readers unacquainted with such cultural practices, everyone will immediately understand the repercussions that being a Goddess will have on a young girl’s life. Revered by many but shunned by her closest ones, Pullamma’s life quickly denigrates into a miserable one. Sometimes she believes she has magical healing powers, at other times she is exasperated with her own stupidity and caged existence. And then, one day, the dark, dark truth reveals itself – she is merely a pawn in the hands of the terrible politician Kondal Rao, who has his own interests in making the poor villagers believe that Pullamma is Goddess incarnate.

The novel’s strength is its element of surprise. Readers will not know, cannot even guess, just how the events will unfold the next moment. Its beginning is definitely placid, taking us back to the world of hopscotch and homework and a grandmother’s strict love. Then overnight, Pullamma is a Goddess. Just as quickly, we realize that she has been framed. From then on, Pullamma lives a virtually unpredictable life. She gets married in amazing circumstances, whirlwinds through a fairy tale existence with her wonderful husband, makes friends, becomes pregnant. Then, again, the evil eye snatches everything away from her and she lands up in a home for women with ‘loose’ morals. Years pass, and it seems as if she will never be reunited with her love, her child, her grandmother. She sinks into depression and readers fear for her sanity. The climax, just like her topsy-turvy life, is half-unexpected and half not.

While Atreya keeps the plot honest, if a little over-the-top at times, the supporting characters are not up to the mark. More stereotypical than creative, they are clearly demarcated into good and evil and that takes half the fun away. Meanwhile, Pullamma’s husband is portrayed as the non-existent ideal man, too good to be true. At times, he seems to be at the center of the deceit and treachery just because he is so syrupy sweet. But then, by the end, he is just an ordinary man, trying his best to walk down the correct path and yet led astray by external factors he has no control over. Kondal Rao as the conman is as vile as it gets, the grandmother is the peacekeeper, and Lata is an extremely interesting character, who deserves to have a novel written about her, too.

The language is simple, earthy, and with a definite flavor of the characters’ mother tongue. Examples like “These people,” Ammamma said, sweeping the debris from the coconuts. “They have no education, no understanding. With my fifth class education, I’ll need him to tell me right from wrong? I’ll be scared of my friend’s husband, or what?” abound throughout the novel. The tone is kept light most times, but sometimes the writer seems to be so obsessed with presenting her side of the story that it gets really screechy, moralistic, one-dimensional. The sentences also turn clumsy and structures become clunky at times, in turn bringing down the novel’s beauty. But phases like this are thankfully few and far between, and for the most, readers familiar with the customs mentioned in the novel will enjoy traversing through a life that could easily have been their own.

The novel is a strong statement on and against myriad problems that plague our lives – superstition, the dowry system, the discrimination faced by dusky complexions, corruption, power politics, male chauvinism. Pullamma’s entire life is like a textbook study on things that can go wrong during a woman’s lifetime. The difference being that Atreya brings it out of the textbook to resemble real life.

[Helen Mallon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review appeared on my blog on Sept. 7, 2012

TELL A THOUSAND LIES AND SEE WHAT YOU GET

This week I'm happy to review Rasana Atyeya's hard-to-tear-the-eyes-from first novel, which was shortlisted for the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize in 2012. Tell a Thousand Lies traces the dizzying fallout when traditional Indian marriage plans run afoul of a rebellious young bride and a malignant politician.

16-year old Pullama may be considered ineligible for marriage because of her tall frame and dark skin, but she's more shocked than anyone in the village to find herself being worshiped as a goddess. (It's exhausting, sitting in state on that bumpy silver chair.) She is not the rebellious bride, however--her twin sister Latta is.

The twins' grandmother, Ammamma, ably pulls off a trifecta by arranging marriages for all three of her granddaughters, despite her poverty and the demands of dowry--the goal of Pullama's marriage to the dreamy and long-suffering Srikar being to rescue her from the goddess setup orchestrated by the dastardly politician Kondal Rao.

Scheming is the MO of all the characters in the novel. Mayhem springs forth, from kidnappings to blackmail to revelations of secret relatives to forced husband-swapping. From beginning to end, the power volleys between level-headed Pullama, the borderline Latta, and the buffoonish politico, Kondal Rao. Ammamma's nuanced, complex, but settled character provides the reader with a welcome breather from all that intensity.

The story's precipitating event is Latta's desertion of a wildly inappropriate husband --or, wait, is it actually fired off by Latta's out-off-wedlock pregnancy, or does it result from the twins' older sister Malli's "bridal viewing," in which a prospective bride is displayed for the first time to the groom's family? --In a book this crammed with calamitous events, it's hard to keep track of them all.

I found myself unable to stop reading, even as I complained about the book's relentless pace and the unconvincing, puppeteer villain. I'm still not sure whether or not Atreya intended to write a farce. Still, she tells a whomping good story, and like the savvy Pullama, Atreya knows how to reassemble her own broken pieces to create a vivid tale that won't let you go.

For someone unacquainted with rural life in India, the book is eye-opening, rich in detail about a way of life that's prevailed for thousands of years. Clearly, democratization, the women's movement, and pride in one's natural skin tone haven't yet made their way under the shadow of the banyan tree in Pullama's village. Yet in the book's upbeat ending, Atreya assures us that women of spirit and intelligence can triumph over injustice, even if their "fairness creams" are ineffective.

[K.W. McCabe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tell a Thousand Lies by Rasana Atreya 4 of 5 stars




Pullama wants nothing more in life than to be a wife and mother. But how will she find a husband who will take her with no dowry? Her ugliness and dark skin are a burden her family can't hide.




Her two sisters, Malli and Lata, are beautiful--their marriages are assured. But in the midst of Malli's wedding preparations, something horrible happens and Pullama's life takes a downward spiral.




Will Pullama ever find the fulfillment of her dreams? Or will the chains of her culture slowly devour her and those she loves?




I purchased Tell a Thousand Lies on my kindle for $3.99 and it was worth every penny. It tells the moving tale of the few choices a young woman has in a society bound by tradition.




The book begins with spurts of humor, but moves forward through tragic events until Pullama finally takes the path of her life into her own hands.




SPOILERS------------

I do want to say that I read previous reviews which made comments disparaging "the good guys," which I'd like to address. As an American born citizen, I can see how Srikar's actions seemed more like in-action--or just not enough. But as a woman married to a man from a similar culture, I can see where tradition, honor, and respect for elders can create a stranglehold which chokes courage. When reading books set in a culture different from your own, remember to be mindful that those differences can seem alien to your own understanding.




In any case, I thoroughly enjoyed the read. There were times I laughed--and cried, but the read was enjoyable throughout. The ending felt slightly contrived, but I greatly enjoyed the story's resolution nonetheless.




A job well done by Rasana Atreya and I'm looking forward to reading more of her work.

[Clarice · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is certainly not my usual genre. I lean towards total escapism – humor, sci-fi, horror, and whodunits. I skipped the book summary and read the most helpful review on Amazon with the subject line “Great Heartwarming Humorous Read!” After reading the sample about a young, dark skinned girl in India, who, although her life was not ideal, managed to find happiness with her family and friends and even managed to find humor in the absurd reactions of her fellow villagers when a bizarre turn of events turned her life upside down, I downloaded the book and prepared for a fun read.

But, slowly and steadily, the situation turned dangerously serious and there was no longer much humor and very little happiness in Pullamma’s life. By this point, however, I was totally immersed in Pullamma’s life and, due to Rasana Atreya’s masterful story-telling and remarkable character development, I cared too much for Pullamma and her family and friends to stop reading just because things were starting to get difficult. I HAD to know what happened to all of them.

This was a very compelling narrative! I couldn’t bring myself to put it down and found myself reading much later into the night than I usually do. I was drawn in by Pullamma’s determination to overcome many obstacles and her ability to find a spark of light in the darkest situation.

Although "Tell a Thousand Lies" is NOT a "humorous story" as several other reviewers claimed, there is humor in the beginning, but it is mostly tragedy with many uplifting moments. It is certainly a thought-provoking story. I recommend this to anyone who enjoys a well-told story with interesting characters.

[Kavipriya Moorthy · Rating 4 out of 5]

First Impression – I should say, I loved the cover. In fact, all her novel covers are pick-worthy. I love the titles as well.

Overall Impression – Worth reading. Though the cover image and title mislead me as a reader that the novel might travel along the lines of an ugly looking girl turning all the more beautiful for her husband to fall head over heels, Rasana does the magic. She changed every single detail that might run in the reader’s mind. It was as if Rasana held a microscope watching what the reader might think after every chapter, and deliberately changed every single detail that gives a sweet shock.

What did I love about the book? 1) The narration – she is a poem. So detailed and creative descriptions that I kept smiling without a choice. 2) I love reading old-school type novels, and this book just satisfied my thirst. Am done with the book that are too modern for my type. As a South Indian, I was able to relate a lot to the book. The places, the issues, and thought process of a south Indian village girl was crystal clear are near perfect. 3) The character pullamma – a dark girl, but I bet, as you read she will look all the more beautiful!
Rating: 4/5

Wow Factors: 1) Srikar’s character – it would make any fall in love with. I was afraid that the happy living part might mess when I kept reading. 2) The exact details of issues by a girl who is taller and darker than expected, the witch stereotypes, the play of those in villages to attain their post – so real.

Frown Factors: 1) Lengthier, could have been a bit crispier. It gave it a more of serial feel than a novel. 2) A few cliched characters here and there

[Shruthi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Nominated for the "Tibor Jones South Asia prize," this novel tells us about Pullamma, a dark-skinned girl whose only dream is to get married and have a municipal water connection. But fate has other things in store for her, as she becomes a pawn in a crooked politician's power games.

Filled with wit, and astute observations about life, this novel is quite unputdownable. The characters are very well-etched, and I can imagine how difficult it must be to maintain the integrity of a character's identity through a full-length novel, but Rasana has done it.

I think the success of a novel depends on how well you identify and root for the protagonist, and how memorable the other characters are. So considering all that, I would call this novel a success.

There are twists and turns at every point, and it can keep you turning the pages. Sometimes you wonder whether such events can really happen, but yes, such things indeed do happen.

There were some parts which I felt was repetitive - especially during emotional scenes where a particular feeling was stressed and re-stressed. But for all you know, that might very well be the reason it worked to engage the reader in the problems of the characters in the story. I know how fine a balance it is, to get the right effect, and if you consider all that, then Rasana has done a good job.

Looking forward to her next books :)

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

For my full review, see here:
http://bookswithoutanypictures.wordpr...

"Tell A Thousand Lies" is a compelling and well-written story about two sisters in India whose lives are turned upside down when a conniving politician preys on the superstitions of local villagers. Pullama dreams of a good marriage, but she's dark-skinned and therefore considered a less attractive bridal candidate. Her twin sister Lata is drop-dead gorgeous, but Lata dreams of continuing her education and becoming a doctor. When the two sisters find their roles reversed, Lata's simmering resentment threatens all that Pullama has ever held dear.

I'd highly recommend "Tell a Thousand Lies." I'm extremely picky about self-published books because many of them are poorly edited and could have used some more work. This book isn't one of them. The writing is beautiful and the story sucked me in. I stayed up until 2 am to finish it because I couldn't put it down.

[Cathy Dekoop · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A good novel gets under our skin, provokes us, and haunts us long after the first reading, because we never fully understand the characters....good characters must retain a certain mystery and unfathomable depth, even for the author." So says Alan Lightman in his essay (the title essay of his 2005 book) "A Sense of the Mysterious." This is exactly what Rasana did in "Tell a Thousand Lies." Her character Pullamma lives in a world far distant from the American metropolis, and struggles with emotions and problems equally well removed. Yet her character, an innocent victim besieged by powerful enemies, is captivating, and engaging. Her struggle to stay true to herself and attain a simple, happy life when such seems impossible, however, is strikingly relatable. Rasana has brilliantly combined all the elements of the modern novel with the ancient traditions of India. "Tell a Thousand Lies" will draw you in and fascinate your attentions until the very last page, no matter where you are from or what your background.

[Laura Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pullamma, narrator of this rich cultural tale, is a young woman in rural India with dark skin. Her fair skinned twin is considered more marriageable than she is. Both are very intelligent, but their grandmother doesn't want them to study because how will they find families willing to give their sons in marriage to too educated girls?

Pullamma's world is turned upside down when she is suddenly declared the living incarnation of her goddess. What follows is a sometimes heartbreaking, but always intriguing tale of a woman finding her own strength in a culture that is trying to reconcile the superstitions of the past with the modern world.

I loved this book so much. Watching Pullamma grow from a frightened teen to a strong woman is a very touching journey. I learned a lot about a culture I was primarily unfamiliar with. A glossary would have been helpful for some of the terms I didn't know, but I was able to mostly figure them out via context.

Read on my Kindle Fire.