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Aunties of Vasant Kunj
Three women try Buddhist chanting, activism and fermented drinks of various kinds to make sense of their fast-changing worlds. Shailaja, abandoned but lovelorn, wistfully teaching romance in a Delhi University college; Mrs Gandhi, plump and garrulous, dedicated to providing endless cups of tea and plates of biskut to all and sundry; and firebrand Dini, ensconced in her idyllic female world; they simply cannot see eye to eye.
But suddenly, their lives take unexpected turns. A lecherous boss, a cheating husband and a completely unsuitable but irresistible lover make them seek out each other. Will Vasant Kunj, with its tight shared spaces, unlawfully occupied pathways and perennial water and electricity crises, provide intersections for unlikely friendships? Or will they continue to collide at Aunty Point, where they’ve all been cast ashore?
Fun, witty and unputdownable, Aunties of Vasant Kunj offers a hilarious peek into middle-class Delhi and how women navigate conflicting identities and desires at almost forty, while liable to be still a little naughty.
But suddenly, their lives take unexpected turns. A lecherous boss, a cheating husband and a completely unsuitable but irresistible lover make them seek out each other. Will Vasant Kunj, with its tight shared spaces, unlawfully occupied pathways and perennial water and electricity crises, provide intersections for unlikely friendships? Or will they continue to collide at Aunty Point, where they’ve all been cast ashore?
Fun, witty and unputdownable, Aunties of Vasant Kunj offers a hilarious peek into middle-class Delhi and how women navigate conflicting identities and desires at almost forty, while liable to be still a little naughty.
303 pages, Kindle Edition
Published August 5, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 27, 2024
Pretty disappointing.
I went into this fairly optimistic because I liked the sound of the setting, but this was just really hard to get through. None of these characters feel like real people. The way they talk (Dini in particular) is egregiously unrealistic and stilted. They feel like little more than caricatures of the types they're clearly meant to represent. It's hard to root for them, no matter how relatable or sympathetic their problems are, because it's just so hard to believe that these could be actual people.
Take Dini, for instance. I know that Dinis exist, I've met Dinis-she's not a character that strikes me as inherently unrealistic. In principle, I fully agree with the substance of most of what she had to say. But whenever she opens her mouth, it didn't feel like something an actual person would say in a regular conversation - it felt like every sentence from her was a point off of the Sparknotes version of Feminism TM. She'd never talk, only debate. I'm sure there wasn't any intention to make her out to be this gross caricature of the 'feminist activist' type, but that's what she reads like nonetheless. The way she's written feels more condescending than it does sympathetic, and the same goes for Shailaja and Mrs Gandhi. In all honesty, it's quite impressive to be able to write about three women with such different lives and goals and then manage to be equally patronizing with all of them.
Anyway, I liked how Vasant Kunj was written as a space. Captured its peculiar charm quite nicely, so kudos in that regard.
I went into this fairly optimistic because I liked the sound of the setting, but this was just really hard to get through. None of these characters feel like real people. The way they talk (Dini in particular) is egregiously unrealistic and stilted. They feel like little more than caricatures of the types they're clearly meant to represent. It's hard to root for them, no matter how relatable or sympathetic their problems are, because it's just so hard to believe that these could be actual people.
Take Dini, for instance. I know that Dinis exist, I've met Dinis-she's not a character that strikes me as inherently unrealistic. In principle, I fully agree with the substance of most of what she had to say. But whenever she opens her mouth, it didn't feel like something an actual person would say in a regular conversation - it felt like every sentence from her was a point off of the Sparknotes version of Feminism TM. She'd never talk, only debate. I'm sure there wasn't any intention to make her out to be this gross caricature of the 'feminist activist' type, but that's what she reads like nonetheless. The way she's written feels more condescending than it does sympathetic, and the same goes for Shailaja and Mrs Gandhi. In all honesty, it's quite impressive to be able to write about three women with such different lives and goals and then manage to be equally patronizing with all of them.
Anyway, I liked how Vasant Kunj was written as a space. Captured its peculiar charm quite nicely, so kudos in that regard.
October 5, 2024
15th Book of 2024
Fiction is my favorite yet somehow; I always get into non-fiction but I regularly miss it even when non-fiction provides me the comfort it does when the days aren’t going well. Luckily, I got my hands upon a wonderful fiction this time named “Aunties of Vasant Kunj” written by Anuradha Marwah. This 300-pages book published by Rupa Publications is author’s 4th release and her experience is evident in every paragraph. Talking about the cover page first, the way the designer has captured the essence of all the characters in the book by embedding related accessories is a witty work indeed.
Author has very nicely crafted the book which is based in a six-months’ time-frame describing the lives of three different female energies where each of them are different from the other two. Keeping Shailaja as the main protagonist, Anuradha ensures that she still gives equal importance to Nilima and Dini. Writing a book on 3 characters where each one of them have their own space is something which has been nicely handled. The way their background is provided through story-telling makes the reader understand and visualize each one of them quite clearly.
Anuradha has also based the characters in similar conditions but deriving from different types of situations. At one point, authoress makes it clear to us that all three have been derived out of her own life experiences which makes it even more interesting in terms on how she has broken down her tale in three different parallel stories. I enjoyed reading their individual lives in the beginning and the process in which all three of them meet each other.
The arc through which all the characters travel engages us throughout the story and we want to see how they move further. Definitely, most of the turns that comes in the story are predictable and old but yet the narration keeps you hooked. Not only the main characters but authoress tries to keep even the other supporting characters say something important. They are not there just to fill the spot. Either the maid, mother-in-law or daughter – everyone has something particular to say through their conversations with the main characters.
Written by a female based on all the female characters gives an impression that the book shall be pro-woke-feminism but thankfully, it is not so. The characters are flawed and even if their ego doesn’t let them believe it, authoress speaks it boldly to the reader. Even when Dini’s character is itself one of women activist’s yet you won’t get uncomfortable reading it because other characters around her makes her realize that this is not how it works in practical life. Sections of the book speaks on the role of father in children life, proper closure in relationship from both the ends, not going ahead with court cases against men just for the sake of it etc. I am glad authoress chose this path rather than making the book impressionable only to the woke generation.
We are generally habitual of reading books based on girls who are in their 20s or early 30s but here, we get an insight on how the lifestyle of women in their 40s must be. It is wonderful reading the way they have to deal with relationships, job, divorces, marriage, in-laws, kids, neighborhood, societies, judgment etc. There’s a section where two characters lose their job at the same time and the way the same scenario is treated differently and the different lessons provided with the respective cases is phenomenal. Similarly, the challenges faced by a homemaker is also given deserving prominence in the book.
There’s a large part of the book where Buddhism is discussed and even when it consists of humorous sections, Anuradha has ensured that she doesn’t end up disrespecting the religion in any manner. She has handled it with maturity. Similarly, she ensures that if she has mentioned a locale in the title of the book- Vasant Kunj, she makes it informative for the readers to understand how is the life in such areas where people fight for water issues and electricity usage every morning and night. Anuradha has used her wit and sense of humor to make it a funny and engaging read throughout. The only issue I have is with the length of the book. It could have been down by 50 pages easily.
Overall, this is an interesting read which you’ll enjoy with smile and laughs in between. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.
Thanks!
WRITING BUDDHA
Fiction is my favorite yet somehow; I always get into non-fiction but I regularly miss it even when non-fiction provides me the comfort it does when the days aren’t going well. Luckily, I got my hands upon a wonderful fiction this time named “Aunties of Vasant Kunj” written by Anuradha Marwah. This 300-pages book published by Rupa Publications is author’s 4th release and her experience is evident in every paragraph. Talking about the cover page first, the way the designer has captured the essence of all the characters in the book by embedding related accessories is a witty work indeed.
Author has very nicely crafted the book which is based in a six-months’ time-frame describing the lives of three different female energies where each of them are different from the other two. Keeping Shailaja as the main protagonist, Anuradha ensures that she still gives equal importance to Nilima and Dini. Writing a book on 3 characters where each one of them have their own space is something which has been nicely handled. The way their background is provided through story-telling makes the reader understand and visualize each one of them quite clearly.
Anuradha has also based the characters in similar conditions but deriving from different types of situations. At one point, authoress makes it clear to us that all three have been derived out of her own life experiences which makes it even more interesting in terms on how she has broken down her tale in three different parallel stories. I enjoyed reading their individual lives in the beginning and the process in which all three of them meet each other.
The arc through which all the characters travel engages us throughout the story and we want to see how they move further. Definitely, most of the turns that comes in the story are predictable and old but yet the narration keeps you hooked. Not only the main characters but authoress tries to keep even the other supporting characters say something important. They are not there just to fill the spot. Either the maid, mother-in-law or daughter – everyone has something particular to say through their conversations with the main characters.
Written by a female based on all the female characters gives an impression that the book shall be pro-woke-feminism but thankfully, it is not so. The characters are flawed and even if their ego doesn’t let them believe it, authoress speaks it boldly to the reader. Even when Dini’s character is itself one of women activist’s yet you won’t get uncomfortable reading it because other characters around her makes her realize that this is not how it works in practical life. Sections of the book speaks on the role of father in children life, proper closure in relationship from both the ends, not going ahead with court cases against men just for the sake of it etc. I am glad authoress chose this path rather than making the book impressionable only to the woke generation.
We are generally habitual of reading books based on girls who are in their 20s or early 30s but here, we get an insight on how the lifestyle of women in their 40s must be. It is wonderful reading the way they have to deal with relationships, job, divorces, marriage, in-laws, kids, neighborhood, societies, judgment etc. There’s a section where two characters lose their job at the same time and the way the same scenario is treated differently and the different lessons provided with the respective cases is phenomenal. Similarly, the challenges faced by a homemaker is also given deserving prominence in the book.
There’s a large part of the book where Buddhism is discussed and even when it consists of humorous sections, Anuradha has ensured that she doesn’t end up disrespecting the religion in any manner. She has handled it with maturity. Similarly, she ensures that if she has mentioned a locale in the title of the book- Vasant Kunj, she makes it informative for the readers to understand how is the life in such areas where people fight for water issues and electricity usage every morning and night. Anuradha has used her wit and sense of humor to make it a funny and engaging read throughout. The only issue I have is with the length of the book. It could have been down by 50 pages easily.
Overall, this is an interesting read which you’ll enjoy with smile and laughs in between. I give the book 4 stars out of 5.
Thanks!
WRITING BUDDHA
December 8, 2024
Anuradha Marwah’s "Aunties of Vasant Kunj" is a captivating novel that explores the intertwined lives of three women navigating the complexities of middle-class Delhi. Set in the bustling neighborhood of Vasant Kunj, the story follows Shailaja, a lonely college professor; Mrs. Gandhi, a hospitable homemaker; and Dini, an outspoken activist. Their distinct personalities come together in surprising ways as they confront issues ranging from infidelity and workplace harassment to unfulfilled desires and societal expectations. The book provides a rich narrative of their struggles, resilience, and the unexpected bonds they form.
The characters in “Aunties of Vasant Kunj” are vivid and multi-dimensional. Shailaja’s journey is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and identity as she tries to rebuild her life after being abandoned by her husband. Mrs. Gandhi, with her endless hospitality and traditional values, adds warmth and humour to the story, serving as a bridge between the modern and the conventional. Dini’s fiery activism offers a refreshing perspective, highlighting the clash between traditional norms and progressive ideals. Through these characters, Marwah skillfully portrays the complexities of womanhood and the diverse ways women navigate their circumstances.
Anuradha Marwah skillfully blends themes of identity, friendship, and societal expectations in “Aunties of Vasant Kunj”, exploring the inner lives of women seeking self-discovery while navigating traditional roles. The novel highlights the unexpected bonds formed through female solidarity, while humorously depicting the everyday challenges of middle-class life in Delhi. Marwah’s writing is marked by sharp wit and empathy, creating a narrative that balances humor with deeper reflections. Her authentic portrayal of characters makes them feel relatable and memorable, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.
"Aunties of Vasant Kunj" is a delightful read that offers a nuanced look at the lives of middle-aged women navigating personal challenges while seeking connection and purpose. Marwah’s empathetic storytelling, coupled with her humor and insightful observations, makes this novel a standout in contemporary Indian fiction. Whether it’s the relatability of Shailaja’s search for identity, Mrs. Gandhi’s comforting presence, or Dini’s rebellious spirit, the novel resonates with readers from all walks of life. It is a witty, warm, and thought-provoking tale that leaves a lasting impression.
The characters in “Aunties of Vasant Kunj” are vivid and multi-dimensional. Shailaja’s journey is a poignant exploration of love, loss, and identity as she tries to rebuild her life after being abandoned by her husband. Mrs. Gandhi, with her endless hospitality and traditional values, adds warmth and humour to the story, serving as a bridge between the modern and the conventional. Dini’s fiery activism offers a refreshing perspective, highlighting the clash between traditional norms and progressive ideals. Through these characters, Marwah skillfully portrays the complexities of womanhood and the diverse ways women navigate their circumstances.
Anuradha Marwah skillfully blends themes of identity, friendship, and societal expectations in “Aunties of Vasant Kunj”, exploring the inner lives of women seeking self-discovery while navigating traditional roles. The novel highlights the unexpected bonds formed through female solidarity, while humorously depicting the everyday challenges of middle-class life in Delhi. Marwah’s writing is marked by sharp wit and empathy, creating a narrative that balances humor with deeper reflections. Her authentic portrayal of characters makes them feel relatable and memorable, leaving a lasting impression on the reader.
"Aunties of Vasant Kunj" is a delightful read that offers a nuanced look at the lives of middle-aged women navigating personal challenges while seeking connection and purpose. Marwah’s empathetic storytelling, coupled with her humor and insightful observations, makes this novel a standout in contemporary Indian fiction. Whether it’s the relatability of Shailaja’s search for identity, Mrs. Gandhi’s comforting presence, or Dini’s rebellious spirit, the novel resonates with readers from all walks of life. It is a witty, warm, and thought-provoking tale that leaves a lasting impression.
September 14, 2024
Satirical, Witty, and Nuanced!
These words sum up my experience of reading the quirky tales of the Aunties of Vasant Kunj, shedding light on the idiosyncrasies of Shailaja, Dinitia, and Nilima, popularly known as Mrs Gandhi who inadvertently found themselves in close proximity within the locales of Vasant Kunj, Delhi.
What I found unconventional was the author’s ability to portray the dark realities with a tinge of humour and a matter-of-factly narrative. Shailaja is battling a debauched boss while nursing a heart break. Dinitia is dilly-dallying between her attraction towards a desirable colleague and her need to stay independent to raise her daughter.
What can we say about poor Mrs Gandhi. She is seeking solace in Buddhism to give her peace from her cheating husband and querulous MIL.
As a reader, I was on a constant barage of emotional onslaught feeling different adjectives for each character. I empathised with Shailaja who was nursing broken promises and felt enraged at her plight with her a lustful boss. Dinitia's activism empowered me and at the same time I felt like advising her to listen to her heart and not be confused about her feelings. Mrs Gandhi made me feel all sorts of things but the primary feeling was to facepalm at her stupidity. To tolerate the disrespect metted out to her by her better-half but stay under the illusion that he still loves her, is nothing but gullibility.
At the middle segment of the book I felt that the story was meandering and was going nowhere but thankfully it picked up well when the Aunties joined hands and made Vasant Kunj livelier.
Overall, it was a wonderful reading experience for me getting involved with all the characters as if personally witnessing their lives in Vasant Kunj. The author has adroitly crafted a captivating story with sophisticated literature which is apt to enjoy with a cup of Vietnamese coffee.
These words sum up my experience of reading the quirky tales of the Aunties of Vasant Kunj, shedding light on the idiosyncrasies of Shailaja, Dinitia, and Nilima, popularly known as Mrs Gandhi who inadvertently found themselves in close proximity within the locales of Vasant Kunj, Delhi.
What I found unconventional was the author’s ability to portray the dark realities with a tinge of humour and a matter-of-factly narrative. Shailaja is battling a debauched boss while nursing a heart break. Dinitia is dilly-dallying between her attraction towards a desirable colleague and her need to stay independent to raise her daughter.
What can we say about poor Mrs Gandhi. She is seeking solace in Buddhism to give her peace from her cheating husband and querulous MIL.
As a reader, I was on a constant barage of emotional onslaught feeling different adjectives for each character. I empathised with Shailaja who was nursing broken promises and felt enraged at her plight with her a lustful boss. Dinitia's activism empowered me and at the same time I felt like advising her to listen to her heart and not be confused about her feelings. Mrs Gandhi made me feel all sorts of things but the primary feeling was to facepalm at her stupidity. To tolerate the disrespect metted out to her by her better-half but stay under the illusion that he still loves her, is nothing but gullibility.
At the middle segment of the book I felt that the story was meandering and was going nowhere but thankfully it picked up well when the Aunties joined hands and made Vasant Kunj livelier.
Overall, it was a wonderful reading experience for me getting involved with all the characters as if personally witnessing their lives in Vasant Kunj. The author has adroitly crafted a captivating story with sophisticated literature which is apt to enjoy with a cup of Vietnamese coffee.
September 14, 2024
Female friendships are the silent pillars of what holds life up in a world that seems to demand so much from women.
They provide comfort, strength, and solace in a time when life may overwhelm an individual. "
Aunties of Vasant Kunj," by Anuradha Marwah, brings out a beautiful essence of these bonds-female friendship, how women, in their forties, find unexpected allies in each other amidst the chaos of urban life.
The entire backdrop of the story set in Vasant Kunj of Delhi.The middle-class families running errands, fighting for parking,electricity issues etc.
Amidst the monotony of life is where the story breathes.
Three women—Shailaja, Mrs. Gandhi, and Dini—navigate their rapidly changing lives using Buddhist chanting, activism, and fermented drinks. Shailaja, a lovelorn teacher, Mrs. Gandhi, a chatty homemaker, and Dini, a passionate activist.
It took a lecherous boss, a cheating husband, and an irresistible lover to bring them together.
And thus a journey begins.
Characters are vividly sketched, and the interplay between them both is peppered with humor and poignancy.
I loved how the author didn't mince her words while narrating issues.
The Author has unveiled a lot of human emotions that are usually hidden due to Societal constraints.
Key elements to pay attention to here are Sexual Harrasment ,Homophobics,Rigid Beliefs,Guilt, Remorse,Denial, Repressed memories and Self-discovery.
She has done a commendable job in narrating an amalgamation of all of the above.
It is a fun romp through the trials and tribulations of life in Vasant Kunj, filled with laughter, tears, and that sense of camaraderie that is heartwarming and truly inspiring.
September 19, 2024
'Aunties Of Vasant Kunj' by Anuradha Marwah is a hilarious glimpse of middle-class Delhi focusing on the lives of three womens named Shailaja a lovelorn professor, Mrs Gandhi a socialite and Dini, a fiery activist. Each one of them contemplating their fast-changing worlds. Soon, their lives takes an unexpected turn making the lanes of vasant kunj to witness some top-notch drama.
In the recent times, I haven't came across any light-hearted, funny, witty and unputdownable book that made me smile and laugh out loud. In the era of technological advancement, Marwah brings a realistic tale representing the true picture of middle-aged womens.
The distinctive personalities of three main protagonists is the biggest asset of this book. Moreover, the interaction between Shailaja, Dini & Mrs Gandhi were quite interesting to read as they all have different ways to deal with their life challenges and somehow, while reading you will end up with a bright smile on your face.
From a lecherous boss, cheating husband to irresistable lover, the challenges faced by the ladies were relatable and genuine keeping the readers interest alive till the end. Marwah's writing style is engrossing and evocative a perfect blend of rawness and brilliance that adds more depth to the plot. Her ability to keep you deeply invested in her protagonist's lives were commendable.
The usage of hinglish phrases between the conversations gives that authentic touch to the story Or I would say it teleports us into the lanes of vasant kunj.
Must read❤❤
In the recent times, I haven't came across any light-hearted, funny, witty and unputdownable book that made me smile and laugh out loud. In the era of technological advancement, Marwah brings a realistic tale representing the true picture of middle-aged womens.
The distinctive personalities of three main protagonists is the biggest asset of this book. Moreover, the interaction between Shailaja, Dini & Mrs Gandhi were quite interesting to read as they all have different ways to deal with their life challenges and somehow, while reading you will end up with a bright smile on your face.
From a lecherous boss, cheating husband to irresistable lover, the challenges faced by the ladies were relatable and genuine keeping the readers interest alive till the end. Marwah's writing style is engrossing and evocative a perfect blend of rawness and brilliance that adds more depth to the plot. Her ability to keep you deeply invested in her protagonist's lives were commendable.
The usage of hinglish phrases between the conversations gives that authentic touch to the story Or I would say it teleports us into the lanes of vasant kunj.
Must read❤❤
September 15, 2024
-A story of unlikely friendships-
Review of 'Aunties of Vasant Kunj'
With a foreword by none other than Manju Kapur, appreciating the book as brilliant and incisive, Aunties of basant kunj comes armed with a bucketload of recommendations. It renders them true.
Three women, stuck in the aunty zone, begin an unlikely friendship that takes them to try Buddhism practices as well as alcohol. Shailaja, separated from her partner; Mrs Gandhi, dedicated to providing endless cups of tea and plates of biskut to all and sundry; and firebrand Dini, ensconced in her idyllic female world. What's common in them? They simply cannot see eye to eye.
But suddenly, their lives take unexpected turns. A lecherous boss, a cheating husband, and a completely unsuitable but irresistible lover make them seek out each other. Will Vasant Kunj, with its tight shared spaces, unlawfully occupied pathways and perennial water and electricity crises, provide intersections for unlikely friendships? Or will they continue to collide at Aunty Point, where they've all been cast ashor?
Their interactions bring out the hilarity of the situation like the beginning of the book wher Shailja is shifting to her new home in Vasant kunj after her breakup and gets into an argument with a neighbour.
Read the story to find out more.
Review of 'Aunties of Vasant Kunj'
With a foreword by none other than Manju Kapur, appreciating the book as brilliant and incisive, Aunties of basant kunj comes armed with a bucketload of recommendations. It renders them true.
Three women, stuck in the aunty zone, begin an unlikely friendship that takes them to try Buddhism practices as well as alcohol. Shailaja, separated from her partner; Mrs Gandhi, dedicated to providing endless cups of tea and plates of biskut to all and sundry; and firebrand Dini, ensconced in her idyllic female world. What's common in them? They simply cannot see eye to eye.
But suddenly, their lives take unexpected turns. A lecherous boss, a cheating husband, and a completely unsuitable but irresistible lover make them seek out each other. Will Vasant Kunj, with its tight shared spaces, unlawfully occupied pathways and perennial water and electricity crises, provide intersections for unlikely friendships? Or will they continue to collide at Aunty Point, where they've all been cast ashor?
Their interactions bring out the hilarity of the situation like the beginning of the book wher Shailja is shifting to her new home in Vasant kunj after her breakup and gets into an argument with a neighbour.
Read the story to find out more.
September 29, 2024
Finally I have found the best book if anyone ever talks about feminism, female friendships , women supporting women... Or even women pulling down women🫣
This book is funny, heart warming, delightful and a very very insightful take on the lives of three middle aged aunties, who have nothing in common.. Dini, is an activist at an ngo who also happens to be a single mother.. Shailaja is a lecturer at Delhi University who has recently been through a tough breakup and has a leecherous boss and Nilima ji, or Mrs gandhi is our stereotypical upper middle class house wife.. with a house brimming with food, kids and a cheating husband.
They all judge each other ... Like anything, until they don't.. until they find.. how similar their lives are after all.. and until they find weird solace in each other's company...
Here's to the aunties of vasant kunj... And the amazing Anuradha marwah!! I am definitely going to revisit this book for years to come..!
And it is one of those books where you think you relate with one character and then suddenly you relate to what the second one is saying more.. and then the third... So towards the end... You realise , you are a mix of all these women, a weird mix, but that's who I am atleast 🫣🫣
Do read this one, for sure... And you will definitely thank me later...
Rating 5/5
Recommendation : super strong!
This book is funny, heart warming, delightful and a very very insightful take on the lives of three middle aged aunties, who have nothing in common.. Dini, is an activist at an ngo who also happens to be a single mother.. Shailaja is a lecturer at Delhi University who has recently been through a tough breakup and has a leecherous boss and Nilima ji, or Mrs gandhi is our stereotypical upper middle class house wife.. with a house brimming with food, kids and a cheating husband.
They all judge each other ... Like anything, until they don't.. until they find.. how similar their lives are after all.. and until they find weird solace in each other's company...
Here's to the aunties of vasant kunj... And the amazing Anuradha marwah!! I am definitely going to revisit this book for years to come..!
And it is one of those books where you think you relate with one character and then suddenly you relate to what the second one is saying more.. and then the third... So towards the end... You realise , you are a mix of all these women, a weird mix, but that's who I am atleast 🫣🫣
Do read this one, for sure... And you will definitely thank me later...
Rating 5/5
Recommendation : super strong!
November 5, 2024
🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
𝑨𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑽𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑲𝒖𝒏𝒋
🆀🅾🆃🅳#: Share the book name starting with the first alphabet of your name.
Author: Anuradha Marwah
Format: Paperback
Pages/Chapters: 304 pages
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
I had a smile and fondness for the characters while I was reading this book. In everyone's lives, we had a time when we prioritized self-love and questioned our choices. This was one of the things which kept my attention when I started reading this book. The book revolves around three females, Shailaja, Dini, and Mrs Gandhi, who are different but still connected. As the title suggests the story is set up majorly in the Vasant Kunj and few snippets from other places of Delhi. Despite all three characters are female but the author didn't make this heavily feminist. This indeed shows the wit of the author. The relatibility of characters made this book easily connect with the readers.
The book caught your attention from the first page of the book the way events unravel in this book. One more highlight for me this book is the word play of the book. The language of the book is top notch.
- #readwithbindu
- #reviewwithbindu
#bookwormbindz
𝑨𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑽𝒂𝒔𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝑲𝒖𝒏𝒋
🆀🅾🆃🅳#: Share the book name starting with the first alphabet of your name.
Author: Anuradha Marwah
Format: Paperback
Pages/Chapters: 304 pages
Publisher: Rupa Publications
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
I had a smile and fondness for the characters while I was reading this book. In everyone's lives, we had a time when we prioritized self-love and questioned our choices. This was one of the things which kept my attention when I started reading this book. The book revolves around three females, Shailaja, Dini, and Mrs Gandhi, who are different but still connected. As the title suggests the story is set up majorly in the Vasant Kunj and few snippets from other places of Delhi. Despite all three characters are female but the author didn't make this heavily feminist. This indeed shows the wit of the author. The relatibility of characters made this book easily connect with the readers.
The book caught your attention from the first page of the book the way events unravel in this book. One more highlight for me this book is the word play of the book. The language of the book is top notch.
- #readwithbindu
- #reviewwithbindu
#bookwormbindz
March 29, 2025
This was soo delightfully refreshing! I started reading it right after quite an engaging booker prize winner, and was skeptical about how much I would enjoy Aunties of Vasant Kunj. But this book is like a whirlwind, it sucked me in from the first chapter! It's been a couple of days since I finished it, and even though I've started a new book which is also quite nice, I still find myself missing the world of Aunties of Vasant Kunj. It was their immediacy, their relatability, their humanness, which made me feel connected to them. All of these äunties" find themselves having to make difficult choices; Marwah doesn't seem to judge any of them, treating each of them with gentleness and some delicious lemonade humor. And that's what I loved most, that she was able to make me laugh despite some very tough spots that her characters found themselves in, making me feel lighter about facing similar prospects in my own life perhaps, being able to see it with humor?
Loved it, loved it, loved it! Would 100% recommend all my friends to read it.
Loved it, loved it, loved it! Would 100% recommend all my friends to read it.
September 4, 2024
"Aunties of Vasant Kunj" is a witty and humorous tale that brings together three very different women—Shailaja, a lovelorn professor; Mrs. Gandhi, a chatty socialite; and Dini, a fiery activist—each grappling with their fast-changing worlds. Set in the chaotic yet endearing backdrop of Delhi’s Vasant Kunj, the novel explores how these women, initially clashing at every turn, find themselves navigating unexpected life twists, including a lecherous boss, a cheating husband, and an irresistible but unsuitable lover. As their lives collide, they form unlikely friendships that are as unpredictable as the neighborhood's electricity supply. This novel is a delightful exploration of middle-class Delhi life, filled with humor, heart, and a touch of naughtiness.
#auntiesofvasantkunj #readwithak #rupapublications
#auntiesofvasantkunj #readwithak #rupapublications
August 22, 2024
It’s a well-written, slice of life story about three women with very different personalities. What’s common is that they are all in their late 30s and live in Vasant Kunj, Delhi. The author says the novel is autobiographical but I think most women of my age group would find it relatable in one way or another. It’s an easy, fast-paced read, which also raises pertinent questions about women’s roles in society. Do pick it up!
June 24, 2025
While the book is female centric, but the refreshing part is that feminism is an opinion expressed in the book, it is not a feminist book. The writer allows the reader to see all sides of women's opinions on life, love and marriage, through its characters. What struct me most in the book is that Support doesn't always come from like minded people, even if people have a different opinion, they still support you by finding the compassion in their hearts.
March 11, 2025
Tried to deal with too many themes
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