Mirror City

by Chitrita Banerji

It is 1973. A newly independent Bangladesh is collapsing under the weight of impending famine, unemployment and political corruption. In the midst of this upheaval, Uma, a Bengali from Calcutta, moves to Dhaka with her husband Iqbal. As the young woman learns to make the new city her home, she faces upheavals of her own. Iqbal is a changed man; their mixed marriage raises too many eyebrows; and the charged atmosphere in Dhaka makes it impossible to trust anyone. Uma has never felt so utterly alone in her life, until she finds herself unexpectedly falling in love.
Mirror City brilliantly captures the turbulent early days of Bangladesh, the slow breakdown of a marriage, and a woman’s search to find herself. Nuanced, atmospheric and full of drama, this is an utterly compelling novel.

Genres: Asia, Indian Literature, Bangladesh, India

408 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Aditi · Rating 5 out of 5]

an amazing story set in the backdrop of post-war Bangladesh. Uma takes you through her journey of marriage, living in dhaka, memories of famine and so many other things that made her know herself even better. it's story of knowing oneself and loving oneself. also it tells you how a woman can play so many different roles in her lifetime and also how a woman takes so much pain without saying why.A wonderful story that will definately grip you through the pages of this book. A really wonderful work done by Chitrita Banerji. A must-read for everyone.

[Vinod Joseph · Rating 4 out of 5]

http://winnowed.blogspot.in/2014/02/b...

[Noshu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am really grateful that this was the first book I read this year. Put's me off to a great start.

From the get go, I knew that I would like this book. Very similar to The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy this entrapped me to think about the political, cultural and above all fear that drives so much of many people's lives. I always thought that infidelity was cursed, you must break off your marriage instead of causing so much harm but this book changed my view upon that. Alim gave me a whirlpool of emotions in those final chapters where I wanted to slap him yet love him.

As soon as Benson mentioned the option of Uma being able to go to Delhi, I knew that is how the book is going to end. I was so happy that she could free herself of that suffocating place be it due to religion or her marriage. Iqbal made me want to strangle him so many times. I wish she gave him the guilt he deserved.

Such books are rare to come by. I am desperately envisioning what must be of Uma right now. Is she having drinks with good company in a small two bedroom apartment? Does she often make tea for herself and have it in her potted balcony? Has she found herself a lover, who is hers and truly hers? Oh and please do tell me she and Suyanani have met in god room and made amends with her family...

[Arsha Deepakom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Set against the tumultuous background of Bangladesh Liberation War, Chitrita Banerji clearly depicts the society which was on a trembling edge. The novel is also very much about the journey of self exploration of a woman who is torn apart between being free and chained both at the same time.The novel also probes into the layers and intricacies of human relations.Mirror city is the perfect expression of people and societies that are superficially close and yet irreconcilably distant as well as the expression of desires that produces an illusion of connection while being thousand miles apart.

[Nidhi Kapoor · Rating 4 out of 5]

A gripping, beautifully written story about the life of a couple who moved from US to Dhaka in the 1970s. There are so many layers in the story and once you start reading it, you will find yourself rooting for the characters, sharing their fear, distaste and daily struggles. The descriptions of the most mundane things like sarees, bathroom tiles etc are outstanding.

[leenbeanz · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 :-)

[Shweta Ganesh Kumar · Rating 1 out of 5]

The tentative steps of Bangladesh to carve out its own identity, the alliances, occasional prosperity and eventual dissolution are mirrored in the protagonist's journey - from the crumbling of her inter-religious marriage and banishment from her homeland to the love she finds outside. Yet it becomes hard to sympathize with the protagonist. While one's own troubles always seem humongous compared to other's there is an element of selfishness in this story - especially when compared to the depth of the tragedy that has wrapped the nation, at the point of this story's telling.

[Manu Noatay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very poignant love story- which deals with situations and people without being judgemental- a woman's perspective where she undergoes lots of emotional turmoils and upheavals and a man who lets fear for his and her safety ruin the love they have for each other... she has been very kind to all the characters , even the wily Nasreen..who betrays her - has not been maligned at all... wonderful story and very lovely narration, it seeps in side the souls like a fragrance..never to leave it again...

[Kenneth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Banerji's first novel proved for me that she is a great writer in fiction or nonfiction and someone to be followed. She knows the Bengalis culture East and West, India and Bangladesh, and introduces the reader to the lives and personalities of a group of friends who are impacted by their times in post revolutionary Bangladesh. Political intrigue, friendship, inter-faith marriage, infidelity and more are explored in this want-to-keep-reading tale!

[Aruna Kumar Gadepalli · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy and quick read. Pours out the heart of a woman torn between various issues that life brings about.

[Tripat Gulsin]

Easy Read

[Anne-Trine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wouldn't spend time in this............