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Circles of Silence
512 pages, Paperback
First published November 1, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 9, 2023
First 80 pages were engaging enough. I suspect that the mother killed the daughter in law for discovering her affair with the butler but I'll never know! I made it almost halfway through but the plot was moving along so slowly and I wasn't committed enough to see what happened when the truth came out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 11, 2008
01/10/08
TITLE/AUTHOR: CIRCLES OF SILENCE by Preeti Singh
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Fiction/2001/503 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Stand Alone
TIME/PLACE: 1990's/New Delhi, India; Cairo, Egypt
CHARACTERS: Rattan/computer engineer, businessman
FIRST LINES: When Rattan was born on a cold January night in 1960, one of the first things done in celebration of his arrival was to have his janam patri made.
COMMENTS: rec 12/17 bookcrossing ring/ray. Rattan is born in 1960 w/ a birthmark on his shoulder. His grandmother predicts a tragic fate. He grows up very privileged and travels to the US to further his education. Upon his return he is happy to both work in the family business & to marry the bride his family has chosen. A very tragic event turns Rattan's life around and he leaves his home in New Delhi for Cairo. Rattan is wrongfully accused for what happened at his home in India and only silence surrounds this tragedy. Rattan tries to make a new life for himself, putting his former life behind him but the boundaries between Cairo and New Delhi soon overlap and the past must be reckoned with.
TITLE/AUTHOR: CIRCLES OF SILENCE by Preeti Singh
RATING: 4.5/B+
GENRE/PUB DATE/# OF PGS: Fiction/2001/503 pgs
SERIES/STAND ALONE: Stand Alone
TIME/PLACE: 1990's/New Delhi, India; Cairo, Egypt
CHARACTERS: Rattan/computer engineer, businessman
FIRST LINES: When Rattan was born on a cold January night in 1960, one of the first things done in celebration of his arrival was to have his janam patri made.
COMMENTS: rec 12/17 bookcrossing ring/ray. Rattan is born in 1960 w/ a birthmark on his shoulder. His grandmother predicts a tragic fate. He grows up very privileged and travels to the US to further his education. Upon his return he is happy to both work in the family business & to marry the bride his family has chosen. A very tragic event turns Rattan's life around and he leaves his home in New Delhi for Cairo. Rattan is wrongfully accused for what happened at his home in India and only silence surrounds this tragedy. Rattan tries to make a new life for himself, putting his former life behind him but the boundaries between Cairo and New Delhi soon overlap and the past must be reckoned with.
February 9, 2021
"A birth mark on the right shoulder! And one as big and as dark as that! Arre baap re! This is of some terrible significance. . ."
Despite his grandmother's gloomy prophecy, Rattan grows up leading a charmed life - first in Delhi, then at Boston University. When he returns to Delhi, and the family business, Rattan his happy to fall in with his parents' plans for an arranged marriage: his young bride is somewhat dazzled by the splendour of her new home but her husband is handsome and the prospects look good. Then tragedy strikes at the heart of his affluent family. Rattan takes a job in Cairo to put the past behind him. Here he meets Nalini, daughter of the Indian Ambassador to Egypt. Chafing under the lack of freedom while accepting diplomatic duties since the death of her mother, she is drawn towards Rattan. But Rattan's past lies in a circle of silence and when that silence is broken, Nalini must decide where her heart lies."
I liked it. It did not sweep me off my feet, but the characters were likeable. The story was sweet and interesting enough, although there were no great surprises.
Despite his grandmother's gloomy prophecy, Rattan grows up leading a charmed life - first in Delhi, then at Boston University. When he returns to Delhi, and the family business, Rattan his happy to fall in with his parents' plans for an arranged marriage: his young bride is somewhat dazzled by the splendour of her new home but her husband is handsome and the prospects look good. Then tragedy strikes at the heart of his affluent family. Rattan takes a job in Cairo to put the past behind him. Here he meets Nalini, daughter of the Indian Ambassador to Egypt. Chafing under the lack of freedom while accepting diplomatic duties since the death of her mother, she is drawn towards Rattan. But Rattan's past lies in a circle of silence and when that silence is broken, Nalini must decide where her heart lies."
I liked it. It did not sweep me off my feet, but the characters were likeable. The story was sweet and interesting enough, although there were no great surprises.
April 23, 2014
Picture perfect Bollywood novel - straight out of a Karan Johar or Yash Chopra movie! And the closest Western counterpart would be a Danielle Steele novel!
In it's defence, the book is not a bad read, but the characters, the romance, the melodrama, and even the 'ashram' and birthmark drama was too filmy!!
Story itself is pretty straightforward - the hero loses his wife, moves to Egypt and falls for the lonely daughter of the Indian Ambassador there! Love happens and the past then comes to haunt their love - till the lady love takes charge and sorts it for a happy ending! Predictable mindless trash ... What fun!!
In it's defence, the book is not a bad read, but the characters, the romance, the melodrama, and even the 'ashram' and birthmark drama was too filmy!!
Story itself is pretty straightforward - the hero loses his wife, moves to Egypt and falls for the lonely daughter of the Indian Ambassador there! Love happens and the past then comes to haunt their love - till the lady love takes charge and sorts it for a happy ending! Predictable mindless trash ... What fun!!
Currently Reading
August 23, 2008disturbing to read what a society is capable of doing to someone who does not conform
January 24, 2018
I'd first read this back in college & had a sudden urge to re-read it. Re-read - Jan 2018
*
The story is interesting, different. It's essentially a love story. Rattan, who is American returned gets into an arranged marriage. However tragedy strikes and his wife dies. To get over it all, he takes up a job in Egypt. There he meets Nalini, the daughter of the Indian Ambassador to Egypt & they start falling in love. However, there is something sinister lurking in the shadows of their relationship & Rattan’s life.
*
The narrative is loooong & borders on boring. She could have written the book with half the words used here. The long sentences & paragraphs were unnecessary and made a good enough story boring to read.
*
The story is interesting, different. It's essentially a love story. Rattan, who is American returned gets into an arranged marriage. However tragedy strikes and his wife dies. To get over it all, he takes up a job in Egypt. There he meets Nalini, the daughter of the Indian Ambassador to Egypt & they start falling in love. However, there is something sinister lurking in the shadows of their relationship & Rattan’s life.
*
The narrative is loooong & borders on boring. She could have written the book with half the words used here. The long sentences & paragraphs were unnecessary and made a good enough story boring to read.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews