What do you think?
Rate this book
Shiva's Arms
When Alice marries Ramesh, she is plunged into a battle of wills with her mother-in-law. Namesake of a god, Amma reigns over Alice's household until a family secret is revealed that costs the old woman everything. Now it is up to Alice to heal the rift, as Shiva’s Arms evolves into an exploration on cultural identity, the power of reconciliation, and the meaning of home.
Available in hardcover at http://www.amazon.com/Shivas-Arms-Che...
and at the Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004R1QBUG. Also available for the NOOK and iPad.
Available in hardcover at http://www.amazon.com/Shivas-Arms-Che...
and at the Kindle Store: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004R1QBUG. Also available for the NOOK and iPad.
- GenresPoetry
209 pages, hardcover
Published March 15, 2010
55 people want to read
About the author
Cheryl Snell
42 books34 followersReviews of my books: http://cherylsnell.blogspot.com
When I married into a Hindu Brahmin family, I began to write seriously as a way to penetrate the protocol of another culture. My novels, Shiva's Arms and Rescuing Ranu explore South Indian life, particularly the stage referred to as samsara.The term haunted me for awhile— samsara--the sibilance of a word that can connote drowning. I had been reading Indian writers—Lahiri, Desai, Divakaruni-- and was drawn to the stories of immigrant families thrashing in their domestic seas. The plight of characters who straddle two continents, the lives they make here, and the families they leave behind, raised the question: when one belongs to two cultures, which part of a divided self goes, and what stays? It's a recurring question in my work.
Besides my novels, I have written eight other books. Most recently, my poetry was chosen by Dorianne Laux for inclusion in the Best of the Net Anthology, and one of my collections of poetry, Prisoner's Dilemma, won the Lopside Press Chapbook Competition. When I'm not writing, I like to cook in the Indian idiom, and I play a mean classical piano.
When I married into a Hindu Brahmin family, I began to write seriously as a way to penetrate the protocol of another culture. My novels, Shiva's Arms and Rescuing Ranu explore South Indian life, particularly the stage referred to as samsara.The term haunted me for awhile— samsara--the sibilance of a word that can connote drowning. I had been reading Indian writers—Lahiri, Desai, Divakaruni-- and was drawn to the stories of immigrant families thrashing in their domestic seas. The plight of characters who straddle two continents, the lives they make here, and the families they leave behind, raised the question: when one belongs to two cultures, which part of a divided self goes, and what stays? It's a recurring question in my work.
Besides my novels, I have written eight other books. Most recently, my poetry was chosen by Dorianne Laux for inclusion in the Best of the Net Anthology, and one of my collections of poetry, Prisoner's Dilemma, won the Lopside Press Chapbook Competition. When I'm not writing, I like to cook in the Indian idiom, and I play a mean classical piano.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
June 23, 2010
Originally posted on my blog, Knitting and Sundries (although this review has an addendum):
I was immediately drawn in by the picture of Alice being hustled through the airport and into the sweltering Indian heat on her first visit to meet her new Indian relatives-by-marriage. Most of us have or know someone with an overbearing mother-in-law, and I think those issues are doubled, if not tripled, when you add in the cultural differences between groups like Americans and Indians.
As I read, I could feel Alice's frustration, her husband Ram's ambivalence and all of the interplay that exists when two women each want to run things. Amma's visits to her son's house in America are fraught with tension, although there are some close moments with Amma and Alice throughout the book where you think that all things are now settled and they've become at least contented with each other.
I enjoyed this book, although there were some rather abrupt transitions throughout. My fondest wish would have been to see the characters come to life in full flesh a bit sooner and to have more background info on the major players. This is a debut novel following some extremely well-received volumes of poetry, so I kept that in mind as I read, as the flow of poetry is often a bit fractured for effect.
All in all, it is well worth a read, as it reads quickly and is light enough (even with the subject matter) to make for a good summer reads book. I did, however, feel a need to take points off for the abrupt transitions and sometimes surface sketches of the characters and action.
Addendum: After I read my own review (which was written without much sleep), I realized that it did not fully convey what I felt about this book. I do not want this review to read as though the book is not well-written; the abruptness I reference only appears in the first half of the book; after that, the book flows smoothly and the story and characters come more fully to life. I could not have enjoyed it otherwise.
I was immediately drawn in by the picture of Alice being hustled through the airport and into the sweltering Indian heat on her first visit to meet her new Indian relatives-by-marriage. Most of us have or know someone with an overbearing mother-in-law, and I think those issues are doubled, if not tripled, when you add in the cultural differences between groups like Americans and Indians.
As I read, I could feel Alice's frustration, her husband Ram's ambivalence and all of the interplay that exists when two women each want to run things. Amma's visits to her son's house in America are fraught with tension, although there are some close moments with Amma and Alice throughout the book where you think that all things are now settled and they've become at least contented with each other.
I enjoyed this book, although there were some rather abrupt transitions throughout. My fondest wish would have been to see the characters come to life in full flesh a bit sooner and to have more background info on the major players. This is a debut novel following some extremely well-received volumes of poetry, so I kept that in mind as I read, as the flow of poetry is often a bit fractured for effect.
All in all, it is well worth a read, as it reads quickly and is light enough (even with the subject matter) to make for a good summer reads book. I did, however, feel a need to take points off for the abrupt transitions and sometimes surface sketches of the characters and action.
Addendum: After I read my own review (which was written without much sleep), I realized that it did not fully convey what I felt about this book. I do not want this review to read as though the book is not well-written; the abruptness I reference only appears in the first half of the book; after that, the book flows smoothly and the story and characters come more fully to life. I could not have enjoyed it otherwise.
June 16, 2010
I love learning about different culture and Cheryl's book Shiva's arms is a wonderful way to learn a little about the everyday interactions of the Indian Hindu culture.The story is simple yet complex. Alice a young free spirited American and Ramesh a young college student from India fall in love.From that point on Alice and Ramesh both deal with the struggles and joys of a cross cultural relationship and marriage. I love this book . No outrages plot just a good strong story line about every day people trying to deal with personal struggles and family conflicts. The characters are all strong and believable and the authors describes India in such a way that I literally felt has if I had been there
June 28, 2010
Right from the beginning of this story I was lured into the lives of a family, most specifically a woman, who culturally is not accepted. Yet she keeps with it until the very end. I felt so much empathy for her, and then at the end I felt her strength. Truly powerful!
This is a book that will hit nerves with most who read it, but in a way not offensive.
The writer has done an outstanding job on the detail of emotion, good and bad. Conveyed to the reader it rang loud and clear.
Yes there is recipes, but I did not try. Though I will one day.
I am recommending this book, it was fantastic!
This is a book that will hit nerves with most who read it, but in a way not offensive.
The writer has done an outstanding job on the detail of emotion, good and bad. Conveyed to the reader it rang loud and clear.
Yes there is recipes, but I did not try. Though I will one day.
I am recommending this book, it was fantastic!
July 24, 2011
I learned how intense and strong some life struggles are and the strenght it takes to make changes. It made me believe we can get through difficult personal and cultural changes that we must. All our lives and all of us as individuals will be stronger as a result and pass this on. I cried at the end.
Read
January 14, 2020This is the first volume of the author's series Bombay Trilogy.
When Alice marries Ramesh, she is plunged into a battle of wills with her mother-in-law. Namesake of a god, Amma reigns over Alice's household until a family secret is revealed that costs the old woman everything. Now it is up to Alice to heal the rift, as Shiva’s Arms evolves into an exploration on cultural identity, the power of individuation, and the meaning of home.
When Alice marries Ramesh, she is plunged into a battle of wills with her mother-in-law. Namesake of a god, Amma reigns over Alice's household until a family secret is revealed that costs the old woman everything. Now it is up to Alice to heal the rift, as Shiva’s Arms evolves into an exploration on cultural identity, the power of individuation, and the meaning of home.
January 2, 2016
There are things I liked about this book, and things I didn’t like. But, I guess that’s something to be said for just about every book. Usually, I can rate a book pretty easily. Not so much with this one. On one hand, it was OK. On another, I liked it. So, I’ll break it down into what I think is good and bad.
Didn’t like: Transitions were often poorly handled. One paragraph, they’re in India and the next they’re in America. It gets confusing at times. No, it doesn’t need to be written out, “And now back in America …” or anything like that. But, something as simple as extra space between the last paragraph in India and the first in America would suffice. It is a device used in many, many books to denote change of scene, change of perspective, or something else that doesn’t merit a new chapter. Some books have just extra space, others put squiggles, stars, or other graphics between the sections within a chapter. Something like that is needed in Shiva’s Arms. There weren’t transitions, but just abrupt changes. Sometimes it took me awhile to figure out that we’d changed places or focus.
Liked: The struggle that is clashing cultures is very well depicted in Shiva’s Arms. While I was better able to relate to Alice, I could see both sides of things. That said, I couldn’t agree with much of anything that Amma did. Taking a new baby to INDIA without even discussing with the baby’s mother? So NOT cool. And, while I hated a lot of things Amma did, said, and stood for, I can’t count that against the book. And don’t get me started on Ramesh. Torn between two cultures, his inner struggle was evident.
Didn’t like: Some of the terminology and reference to Indian culture were things I didn’t understand. I found the Glossary at the back very helpful, but occasionally I was frustrated for lack of definition for something that wasn’t in there. Yes, a lot could be guessed at based on context, but not all of it. I agree with not talking down to readers, but giving them too much credit isn’t necessarily a good thing, either. Some readers might be picking up this book, not having read others like it. They are the ones who need the additional help. And, with those things in the Glossary (rather than explained in the text of the story), I don’t think it would’ve been talking down to the reader. Someone who doesn’t need it defined simply wouldn’t look for it. Someone who did would be grateful to find it there.
Liked: The recipes in the back. What an excellent touch! I might have to try some of the sweets!
Bottom line: I have decided to give this book 3 stars because of how well it shows the clash of cultures. How well it shows the struggle, and how well it shows Alice’s extra struggle with depression, too. Yes, there were some things I thought that could’ve been handled better, but overall the book was quite interesting. It wasn’t riveting; it wasn’t something I couldn’t put down. But, it held my interest and I was intrigued to see how things would play out.
Didn’t like: Transitions were often poorly handled. One paragraph, they’re in India and the next they’re in America. It gets confusing at times. No, it doesn’t need to be written out, “And now back in America …” or anything like that. But, something as simple as extra space between the last paragraph in India and the first in America would suffice. It is a device used in many, many books to denote change of scene, change of perspective, or something else that doesn’t merit a new chapter. Some books have just extra space, others put squiggles, stars, or other graphics between the sections within a chapter. Something like that is needed in Shiva’s Arms. There weren’t transitions, but just abrupt changes. Sometimes it took me awhile to figure out that we’d changed places or focus.
Liked: The struggle that is clashing cultures is very well depicted in Shiva’s Arms. While I was better able to relate to Alice, I could see both sides of things. That said, I couldn’t agree with much of anything that Amma did. Taking a new baby to INDIA without even discussing with the baby’s mother? So NOT cool. And, while I hated a lot of things Amma did, said, and stood for, I can’t count that against the book. And don’t get me started on Ramesh. Torn between two cultures, his inner struggle was evident.
Didn’t like: Some of the terminology and reference to Indian culture were things I didn’t understand. I found the Glossary at the back very helpful, but occasionally I was frustrated for lack of definition for something that wasn’t in there. Yes, a lot could be guessed at based on context, but not all of it. I agree with not talking down to readers, but giving them too much credit isn’t necessarily a good thing, either. Some readers might be picking up this book, not having read others like it. They are the ones who need the additional help. And, with those things in the Glossary (rather than explained in the text of the story), I don’t think it would’ve been talking down to the reader. Someone who doesn’t need it defined simply wouldn’t look for it. Someone who did would be grateful to find it there.
Liked: The recipes in the back. What an excellent touch! I might have to try some of the sweets!
Bottom line: I have decided to give this book 3 stars because of how well it shows the clash of cultures. How well it shows the struggle, and how well it shows Alice’s extra struggle with depression, too. Yes, there were some things I thought that could’ve been handled better, but overall the book was quite interesting. It wasn’t riveting; it wasn’t something I couldn’t put down. But, it held my interest and I was intrigued to see how things would play out.
July 20, 2010
If you’ve ever wondered about Indian culture, Hindu festivals, mixed marriages that span continents, or how people from a different background assimilate in America’s new world, Shiva’s Arms is surely the book for you.
A literary story, Shiva’s Arms tell the tale of Ram, who marries the American Alice, of Ram’s mother, known as Amma, of his sister Nela, and of son Sam who grows from childhood to adulthood with a foot in each world. The story’s narrated through the eyes of each of the main characters, flickering sometimes between points of view, so the reader’s left vaguely unsettled, unsure, just as the narrators are.
There are beautiful scenes, of a wedding in India and Alice’s cultural mis-steps as she tries to fit in; of a festival of dolls with Barbies adding their color to tradition; of “painting” with chalk, sacred symbols that strangers scuff with shoes. And there are sad scenes too; Alice’s struggle against depression; her mother-in-law’s seeming cruelty; Nela’s wounded dance round relationships.
The characters in this novel are all very real. They see their own mistakes and navigate troubled waters of their own making. They analyze their motives and forget to notice love. But there’s healing for Indian and American errors, and samsara sagara (the drowning sea of domesticity) proves to offer shelter on beautiful shores.
Moving rapidly, from a time before Sam’s birth through to his high school graduation, the story spans continents and cultures, pleasures and pains. Ram drifts on the edge of understanding, ever-loving, ever-loyal. And Sam drifts on the edge of rebellion. A sudden coincidence brings all the relationships into turmoil and sharp focus, and a breathtaking dogged devotion leads to breathtaking delight.
There are Indian words and phrases, and foods, scattered through the tale, but I never felt the need to refer to the glossary till the end. Then I delighted in reading their full meanings. There are Indian recipes too though I’d struggle to find patience to make them. But most of all, there’s an Indian and American feel to the tale, a telling of something real from which all of us can learn, a blending of cultures that leaves them both unique and that heals the rift.
The author, a published poet, clearly knows what she’s writing about, and I loved learning from her and sharing her love of cultures and of words.
A literary story, Shiva’s Arms tell the tale of Ram, who marries the American Alice, of Ram’s mother, known as Amma, of his sister Nela, and of son Sam who grows from childhood to adulthood with a foot in each world. The story’s narrated through the eyes of each of the main characters, flickering sometimes between points of view, so the reader’s left vaguely unsettled, unsure, just as the narrators are.
There are beautiful scenes, of a wedding in India and Alice’s cultural mis-steps as she tries to fit in; of a festival of dolls with Barbies adding their color to tradition; of “painting” with chalk, sacred symbols that strangers scuff with shoes. And there are sad scenes too; Alice’s struggle against depression; her mother-in-law’s seeming cruelty; Nela’s wounded dance round relationships.
The characters in this novel are all very real. They see their own mistakes and navigate troubled waters of their own making. They analyze their motives and forget to notice love. But there’s healing for Indian and American errors, and samsara sagara (the drowning sea of domesticity) proves to offer shelter on beautiful shores.
Moving rapidly, from a time before Sam’s birth through to his high school graduation, the story spans continents and cultures, pleasures and pains. Ram drifts on the edge of understanding, ever-loving, ever-loyal. And Sam drifts on the edge of rebellion. A sudden coincidence brings all the relationships into turmoil and sharp focus, and a breathtaking dogged devotion leads to breathtaking delight.
There are Indian words and phrases, and foods, scattered through the tale, but I never felt the need to refer to the glossary till the end. Then I delighted in reading their full meanings. There are Indian recipes too though I’d struggle to find patience to make them. But most of all, there’s an Indian and American feel to the tale, a telling of something real from which all of us can learn, a blending of cultures that leaves them both unique and that heals the rift.
The author, a published poet, clearly knows what she’s writing about, and I loved learning from her and sharing her love of cultures and of words.
July 28, 2010
Shiva's Arms is a book about the struggle between husband and wife, son and mother, and daughter-in-law and mother-in-law. The plot not only follows these conflicts but adds cultural differences in the mix to make it more complicated. Alice is American and she married the Indian born Ramesh, only to face a life she didn't know was coming. The book explores the cultural difference and the difficulties that these marriages often face. I liked that the author took on a new take in having the character of Ramesh being torn between his wife and mother to show the cultural differences and difficulties. I think it gave the story more substance, rather than just allowing for a story of conflict between husband and wife only. There were a few areas that I thought could have flowed better as I was reading about the couple being in India and suddenly they were in America without any transitions and it left me confused in spots. I think that perhaps it was also because I am not familiar with Indian customs and they weren't explained in the detail I would have liked to have seen. The book does contain a short glossary of terms for the reader and also some recipes for food items that are mentioned in the book. I think that someone who is familiar with Indian customs will really enjoy this book and I think if I had known more about the customs, I would have enjoyed this book more. However, it really opened my eyes to a different culture that I knew nothing about and the differences that occur between families of different cultures when they become intertwined.
January 10, 2020
This is a fine story of the cosmic clash of cultures. It is layered and nuanced, with meanings that extend beyond words. For instance, character is revealed by physical expression rather than spelling it out, and the type of movement from scene to scene underscores where the characters are emotionally - fragmented and unsettled at first, smoothing into an uneasy truce, only to be plunged into a more authentic recognition of what "family" means. Shiva's Arms is a beautiful book in every sense, and bears repeated readings.
August 12, 2010
Shiva's Arms is a blending of American and Indian culture and also the diversities of the two cultures. There is Alice who marries Ramesh, and his mother Amma and huge family in India. Nela is Ramesh's sister and then there is Sam, son of Alice and Ramesh. Alice and Ram meet while in college and fall in love and marry. Alice is apprehensive meeting his family and rightly so as she knows absolutely nothing of the Indian culture. She tries very hard to be a good wife and do what a good Indian wife should do and follow the ideals and requirements of a wife in the Indian culture. I think that Alice had a hard time with trying to blend in, she tries so hard that she makes herself physically ill and spends days in bed battling depression. Amma is the matriarch in this huge family and spends a lot of time each year in America with her son. At times I feel that Alice is self centered in that sometimes it appears that she does not want anything to do with her husbands family and she seems to not care and then at other times she strikes me as being a very loving wife and daughter-in-law. Alice and Amma seem to always be having a silent tug of war that the son does not see, but I also think that there is a lot of affection there between the two women. Sam, who is the son of Alice and Ram is brought up in both cultures but he can be rebellious. The author was very descriptive in the story as to the telling of wedding customs and India in particular. At the end of the book there are a few Indian recipes that looked interesting. I enjoyed the story for the culture aspect as I had not read anything pertaining to India. If you like to read books that have such a diverse culture, than this is a book for you.
June 21, 2010
Shiva’s Arms is really a book with two different main characters, if you ask me. On one hand, you have Alice…The sometimes-lovable wife of poor Ramesh. Throughout the book, the reader is led to love Alice and then, just as strongly, pushed to hate her. She is a strong-willed woman with a venomous streak.
On the other hand, there is Amma (or Shiva). Amma is a traditional woman. Indian through and through. She follows all of the oldest traditions from her homeland of India, prepares traditional Indian meals, fulfills all of her religious duties…and expects the same of her daughter-in-law. Again, the reader is pushed to and pulled away from Amma throughout the story.
I still can’t decide who the book is really about, but I do know that I was engaged in this book from the very beginning. At times, it was like I could feel what Alice felt in her heart and I could see what Amma saw. Cheryl Snell has done an amazing job bringing Indian culture and Western realities together in Shiva’s Arms.
This book would be a great read for anyone. Period. Married…Single…Male….Female…Love your mother-in-law….Hate your mother-in-law….Everyone can enjoy this story. Plus, Ms. Snell has even included some recipes “straight from Amma’s kitchen” if you feel like eating traditional Indian food while reading. Enjoy.
Win a copy of the book on my blog: http://www.lindsayblogs.com/reviews/2...
On the other hand, there is Amma (or Shiva). Amma is a traditional woman. Indian through and through. She follows all of the oldest traditions from her homeland of India, prepares traditional Indian meals, fulfills all of her religious duties…and expects the same of her daughter-in-law. Again, the reader is pushed to and pulled away from Amma throughout the story.
I still can’t decide who the book is really about, but I do know that I was engaged in this book from the very beginning. At times, it was like I could feel what Alice felt in her heart and I could see what Amma saw. Cheryl Snell has done an amazing job bringing Indian culture and Western realities together in Shiva’s Arms.
This book would be a great read for anyone. Period. Married…Single…Male….Female…Love your mother-in-law….Hate your mother-in-law….Everyone can enjoy this story. Plus, Ms. Snell has even included some recipes “straight from Amma’s kitchen” if you feel like eating traditional Indian food while reading. Enjoy.
Win a copy of the book on my blog: http://www.lindsayblogs.com/reviews/2...
September 15, 2012
Enjoyable reading giving insight into difficulties with cross cultural marraiges. Writing is simple. Well told story.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews