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A Window To Her Dreams
Are two good people with good intentions enough to make a good marriage? Aruna, a young divorcee, marries Bhuvan, an averagely successful young man. Both make promises of ever after with preconceived expectations—hers, freedom from a judgmental society and validation of herself and his, unconditional love and partnership. Despite their best intentions, life plays rogue. On the one hand, Aruna’s learned conditioning, developed as a result of her past, keeps coming in the way of their married normalcy and on the other, Bhuvan cannot fathom the signs of her distress. Their good intentions are tried at every step until the day when Aruna’s past revisits her. Bhuvan’s silences, Aruna’s distrust and the resurrection of her troublesome past lead to a downward spiral in their life that shakes Aruna to the core. As she stands on the precipice of a second failed marriage, Aruna tries one last time to take control of her life, something she had willingly surrendered last time. Does she succeed in saving her marriage? Or is she held back by her own apprehensions, choosing to stay victim?
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Published November 6, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 17, 2017
The story revolves around much more than just Atuna and Bhuvan. Not saying that the blurb is misleading, no. Just that it covers only one facet of this story that is very human in the way it feels.
A huge part of the story deals with how Aruna and Bhuvan come to terms with each other’s expectations of the marriage. While Bhuvan is looking to have a happily-ever-after , Aruna cannot help but compare him to Rafi, her ex-husband. While Bhuvan’s patience surprises Aruna, her distance from him sabotages Bhuvan’s dreams and expectations one by one.
The story also deals with a family that struggles to come to terms with its present, and eventually manages to do this too. I loved every single character and the minor details the author has taken care of to sketch each character. As a reader, it is very easy to visualize and relate to the characters. Aruna’s siblings, her parents, Suresh uncle, and Bhuvan’s mother and sister are as much a part of the story as are Aruna and Bhuvan. Full points to the author for not relegating the secondary characters to the background and giving them their own identities.
A Window to Her Dreams is the kind of the story that engulfs you in its warmth, a warmth that a decent vocabulary and a good narrative can provide (though I think that the vocab could’ve been simpler at certain places)
While the story is decently paced throughout most of the narrative, some scenes are overly descriptive.
The end is a little filmy too, for the lack of a better word, and I thought it was louder than the rest of the story, again for the lack of a better word, which is calm but with very obvious undercurrents.
But do no let that influence your decision to read this book. This one is a story. A beautiful, deep story that subtly hints towards a lot of things that are wrong with society. But more than that, read this story for its nuances. Read it for the pleasure of reading.
A huge part of the story deals with how Aruna and Bhuvan come to terms with each other’s expectations of the marriage. While Bhuvan is looking to have a happily-ever-after , Aruna cannot help but compare him to Rafi, her ex-husband. While Bhuvan’s patience surprises Aruna, her distance from him sabotages Bhuvan’s dreams and expectations one by one.
The story also deals with a family that struggles to come to terms with its present, and eventually manages to do this too. I loved every single character and the minor details the author has taken care of to sketch each character. As a reader, it is very easy to visualize and relate to the characters. Aruna’s siblings, her parents, Suresh uncle, and Bhuvan’s mother and sister are as much a part of the story as are Aruna and Bhuvan. Full points to the author for not relegating the secondary characters to the background and giving them their own identities.
A Window to Her Dreams is the kind of the story that engulfs you in its warmth, a warmth that a decent vocabulary and a good narrative can provide (though I think that the vocab could’ve been simpler at certain places)
While the story is decently paced throughout most of the narrative, some scenes are overly descriptive.
The end is a little filmy too, for the lack of a better word, and I thought it was louder than the rest of the story, again for the lack of a better word, which is calm but with very obvious undercurrents.
But do no let that influence your decision to read this book. This one is a story. A beautiful, deep story that subtly hints towards a lot of things that are wrong with society. But more than that, read this story for its nuances. Read it for the pleasure of reading.
October 5, 2017
I have always imagined that our dwellings, just like us, have spirits too. They too can think and feel, talk and emote, just at a different frequency than us humans. The narrator of this book, is the palatial bungalow, called a Haveli and quite a narrator it is. One that has stood the test of time, witnessed many families come in and move out.
Harshali Singh’s debut novel A Window To Her Dreams talks about the life of a woman, her trials and tribulations, the dreams and hopes that keep her alive even if they get shattered in the course of life. She symbolizes many Indian women in the manner of how her life doesn’t go the way she planned, and the future course of action she picks. Whether she lets life control her or whether she meets life head on and takes the reins back into her hands, is for the reader to find out by reading the book.
A Window To Her Dreams is the story of Aruna and Bhuvan who do not come together under the best circumstances, yet try to make it work by sticking with each other. The voice of the narrator, the 150 year old Haveli comes through distinctly and helps the reader understand each character better.
The narration strikes all the right chords with the reader and we are able to identify with the story and the characters. The book is a good read and a great debut novel by the author Harshali Singh.
Harshali Singh’s debut novel A Window To Her Dreams talks about the life of a woman, her trials and tribulations, the dreams and hopes that keep her alive even if they get shattered in the course of life. She symbolizes many Indian women in the manner of how her life doesn’t go the way she planned, and the future course of action she picks. Whether she lets life control her or whether she meets life head on and takes the reins back into her hands, is for the reader to find out by reading the book.
A Window To Her Dreams is the story of Aruna and Bhuvan who do not come together under the best circumstances, yet try to make it work by sticking with each other. The voice of the narrator, the 150 year old Haveli comes through distinctly and helps the reader understand each character better.
The narration strikes all the right chords with the reader and we are able to identify with the story and the characters. The book is a good read and a great debut novel by the author Harshali Singh.
February 16, 2023
We follow the story through the eyes of a haveli and the narration is built around the eldest of the Sharma family's five children, Aruna who is the main character of the novel. Her horrific first marriage left her with emotional scarring. While she goes through the pain and ordeal, society challenges her existence as a divorcee.
Everyone in her family is in favour of her decision to enter into a second marriage. Bhuvan and Aruna make vows to one another as well as for a fresh start. She is still plagued by her former inhibitions, though.
Will this time pass as well? Has she already had the old fears permeate her life? Continue reading to become utterly engrossed in the first novel of the Haveli series.
I really enjoyed the entire book and appreciate the author's creativity to focus on realistic situations and times. However, the author's writing style, which is incredibly potent and thought-provoking, will enable you to grasp life as it really is—that is, as living in all of its shades—and help you to become empowered. It will be crucial to observe how the story develops because the scars from her past have left her feeling uncertain and fearful only to realise the projections of others.
Highly recommend it to all.
Everyone in her family is in favour of her decision to enter into a second marriage. Bhuvan and Aruna make vows to one another as well as for a fresh start. She is still plagued by her former inhibitions, though.
Will this time pass as well? Has she already had the old fears permeate her life? Continue reading to become utterly engrossed in the first novel of the Haveli series.
I really enjoyed the entire book and appreciate the author's creativity to focus on realistic situations and times. However, the author's writing style, which is incredibly potent and thought-provoking, will enable you to grasp life as it really is—that is, as living in all of its shades—and help you to become empowered. It will be crucial to observe how the story develops because the scars from her past have left her feeling uncertain and fearful only to realise the projections of others.
Highly recommend it to all.
January 31, 2019
It's an insightful story of a household., where the destiny of the residents is seen through the narrative of the haveli. The narrative is strong and the imagery vivid. Liked the book alot.
A window to her dreams is a story with stories. Its the story of a family, its also is a story of the old Haveli in a busy crammed area of old delhi. Its the story of sisters, its the story of the son. Its the story of the bond between sisters, their differences . But
Its many stories woven with one large string . But more essentially its the story of Aruna, the first born, a divorcee utvwith the scars of previous union stepping into the new world of remarriage. Her tussles with new situations while constantly been haggard by her past. Her scars strewn over her new life. A challenge not only for her, but her new and caring husband too.
Its a beautiful story of emotions, tussels and victory over self. A nice read .
A window to her dreams is a story with stories. Its the story of a family, its also is a story of the old Haveli in a busy crammed area of old delhi. Its the story of sisters, its the story of the son. Its the story of the bond between sisters, their differences . But
Its many stories woven with one large string . But more essentially its the story of Aruna, the first born, a divorcee utvwith the scars of previous union stepping into the new world of remarriage. Her tussles with new situations while constantly been haggard by her past. Her scars strewn over her new life. A challenge not only for her, but her new and caring husband too.
Its a beautiful story of emotions, tussels and victory over self. A nice read .
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews