What do you think?
Rate this book
Jasoda
Paar—'mirage' country, where it is often impossible to draw the line between reality and illusion—has been suffering from a decade-long drought. Jasoda is one of the last to leave this 'arse-end of the world' with her children and mother-in-law. Since her husband claims he has important work to do for the local prince, Jasoda must make the journey to the city by the sea on her own. Meanwhile, after years of anonymity, Paar seems poised to take off. Will Jasoda return home with her children? Or stay in the city that's become home for her children? It's taken for granted that epic journeys and epics were possible only during the time of the Mahabharata, the Odyssey, or the Iliad. Even more to the point, the heroes of the epics had to, perforce, be men. The eponymous Jasoda of the novel is about to prove how wrong the assumptions are.
Kiran Nagarkar's trenchant narrative traces the journey of a woman of steely resolve and gumption, making her way through an India that is patriarchal, feudal, seldom in the news, and weighed down by dehumanizing poverty.
"Jasoda is as compelling and powerful as Nagarkar's other novels but uniquely itself in the gut-wrenching story it tells of the sordid uses of power, the suffering it causes, and the human spirit that rises above it." —Nayantara Sahgal
"Nagarkar's storytelling genius takes us into the abyss of poverty and patriarchy—source of both inspiration and shame. Jasoda's brutal but transformative journey is the foil to counterfeit historical grandeur. With empathy turned to prose of pure steel, Nagarkar paints a modern Indian heroine." —Mitali Saran
"A novel that stops your breath and doesn't let go until you get to the end. Jasoda: mother, murderer or saint? You'll want to put her down. But she won't let you." —Manjula Padmanabhan
"No one can spin a yarn with such rollicking exuberance as Kiran Nagarkar, and no one exposes contemporary India's dark underbelly, in all its casual brutality, like him. Jasoda is a tour-de-force of razor-sharp observation and profound compassion, brilliantly realized." —Ritu Menon
Kiran Nagarkar's trenchant narrative traces the journey of a woman of steely resolve and gumption, making her way through an India that is patriarchal, feudal, seldom in the news, and weighed down by dehumanizing poverty.
"Jasoda is as compelling and powerful as Nagarkar's other novels but uniquely itself in the gut-wrenching story it tells of the sordid uses of power, the suffering it causes, and the human spirit that rises above it." —Nayantara Sahgal
"Nagarkar's storytelling genius takes us into the abyss of poverty and patriarchy—source of both inspiration and shame. Jasoda's brutal but transformative journey is the foil to counterfeit historical grandeur. With empathy turned to prose of pure steel, Nagarkar paints a modern Indian heroine." —Mitali Saran
"A novel that stops your breath and doesn't let go until you get to the end. Jasoda: mother, murderer or saint? You'll want to put her down. But she won't let you." —Manjula Padmanabhan
"No one can spin a yarn with such rollicking exuberance as Kiran Nagarkar, and no one exposes contemporary India's dark underbelly, in all its casual brutality, like him. Jasoda is a tour-de-force of razor-sharp observation and profound compassion, brilliantly realized." —Ritu Menon
265 pages, Hardcover
Published November 25, 2017
10 people are currently reading
277 people want to read
About the author
Kiran Nagarkar
28 books147 followersKiran Nagarkar was born in Bombay in 1942. In addition to plays and screenplays, he has written four novels, establishing his reputation as an outstanding representative of contemporary Indian literature. His books are a target of ideological critique due to the hybrid nature of his version of postcolonialism, involving irreverence alongside seriousness.
Nagarkar studied at the Ferguson College in Bombay and then worked as an assistant professor at some colleges, as a journalist and screenplay writer, and, notably, in the advertising industry. He wrote his first book Saat Sakkam Trechalis (1974; Eng. Seven Sixes are Forty Three, 1980) in his mother tongue, Marathi. His bitter and burlesque description of the young Bombayite Kunshank – achieved by means of a fragmented form and rendered in innovative language – is considered to be a milestone in Marathi literature. In his first play Bedtime Story (1978), Nagarkar takes on the subject of modern responsibility by broaching the topic of political crises of the day (for instance the Cuban Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the State of Emergency called for by Indira Gandhi). Due to problems with state censorship as well as religiously motivated restrictions that prevailed over the cultural scene, the play was not staged until 1995. His second book Ravan and Eddie (1994) also met with a hostile response. The story of the childhood of two young boys, one Hindu, the other Christian, from families who live next door to each other yet live in completely different worlds, was criticized both as anti-Hindu and anti-Christian. The fact that Nagarakar chose to write this book and other subsequent writings in English, the language of his education, also encountered objections from his fellow countrymen.
In his subsequent novels, Nagarkar contrasts bigotry and extremism with a tolerance that feeds on doubt and is open to diversity. In Cuckold (1997), this mentality is embodied in a character who looms in Indian historiography. This is the unknown spouse of the famous princess Meera from the 16th century, whose love songs to the God Krishna have passed into popular Indian culture. In God’s Little Soldier (2006), the protagonist, who switches faiths without ever abandoning extremism, stands opposed to his questioning brother. Consistent with the underlying idea of this book as a parable without a message Nagarkar affirms in an interview that we can never stop questioning ourselves, we must bring our convictions out into the light and prove them. Nothing is more dangerous than being too much oneself, being completely sure of oneself, since such a belief will soon develop into an intolerance of others.
Nagarkar was distinguished with the H.N. Apte Award for the best first novel, the renowned Sahitya Award and the Dalmia Award for the furtherance of communicative harmony through literature. He received a Rockefeller grant and was awarded a scholarship by the city of Munich. He lives in Bombay.
Nagarkar studied at the Ferguson College in Bombay and then worked as an assistant professor at some colleges, as a journalist and screenplay writer, and, notably, in the advertising industry. He wrote his first book Saat Sakkam Trechalis (1974; Eng. Seven Sixes are Forty Three, 1980) in his mother tongue, Marathi. His bitter and burlesque description of the young Bombayite Kunshank – achieved by means of a fragmented form and rendered in innovative language – is considered to be a milestone in Marathi literature. In his first play Bedtime Story (1978), Nagarkar takes on the subject of modern responsibility by broaching the topic of political crises of the day (for instance the Cuban Crisis, the Vietnam War, and the State of Emergency called for by Indira Gandhi). Due to problems with state censorship as well as religiously motivated restrictions that prevailed over the cultural scene, the play was not staged until 1995. His second book Ravan and Eddie (1994) also met with a hostile response. The story of the childhood of two young boys, one Hindu, the other Christian, from families who live next door to each other yet live in completely different worlds, was criticized both as anti-Hindu and anti-Christian. The fact that Nagarakar chose to write this book and other subsequent writings in English, the language of his education, also encountered objections from his fellow countrymen.
In his subsequent novels, Nagarkar contrasts bigotry and extremism with a tolerance that feeds on doubt and is open to diversity. In Cuckold (1997), this mentality is embodied in a character who looms in Indian historiography. This is the unknown spouse of the famous princess Meera from the 16th century, whose love songs to the God Krishna have passed into popular Indian culture. In God’s Little Soldier (2006), the protagonist, who switches faiths without ever abandoning extremism, stands opposed to his questioning brother. Consistent with the underlying idea of this book as a parable without a message Nagarkar affirms in an interview that we can never stop questioning ourselves, we must bring our convictions out into the light and prove them. Nothing is more dangerous than being too much oneself, being completely sure of oneself, since such a belief will soon develop into an intolerance of others.
Nagarkar was distinguished with the H.N. Apte Award for the best first novel, the renowned Sahitya Award and the Dalmia Award for the furtherance of communicative harmony through literature. He received a Rockefeller grant and was awarded a scholarship by the city of Munich. He lives in Bombay.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews
June 7, 2018
★★★☆☆
A tale of a heroic lady, struck in between two parallel stories - rags to riches, and riches to rags.
Started off good (the royal family and desert background), picked pace in between (Mumbai parts) but slowly died down towards the end with lots of clichés.
The jumbled up timeline is confusing - the antique settings of the king's house and people, giving the feel of 1900's era; followed by battery operated wheelchair, TV screens and appearance of mobile phones. The 20 years gap in writing this book by the author explains all the time disruptions.
Would have loved it more if:
1. More cultural references - given the rich heritage being studied and showcased in Cuckold by the same author.
2. Editing - The odd Hindi slang in between sounded so off the mark in the otherwise pristine royal heritage descriptions.
3. The last part was like an odd man out. I would have liked it more had part 4 been omitted altogether.
Overall: A passable book.
A tale of a heroic lady, struck in between two parallel stories - rags to riches, and riches to rags.
Started off good (the royal family and desert background), picked pace in between (Mumbai parts) but slowly died down towards the end with lots of clichés.
The jumbled up timeline is confusing - the antique settings of the king's house and people, giving the feel of 1900's era; followed by battery operated wheelchair, TV screens and appearance of mobile phones. The 20 years gap in writing this book by the author explains all the time disruptions.
Would have loved it more if:
1. More cultural references - given the rich heritage being studied and showcased in Cuckold by the same author.
2. Editing - The odd Hindi slang in between sounded so off the mark in the otherwise pristine royal heritage descriptions.
3. The last part was like an odd man out. I would have liked it more had part 4 been omitted altogether.
Overall: A passable book.
May 26, 2018
I came across this book in Senior Reading Raccoons, and was attracted by the title and cover. So, lost no time in buying it in an Amazon flash sale for nearly 50% discount. Got a beautiful hard copy with a vibrant yellow cover.
Started with high hopes.
the story is fast paced and interesting, but interspersed with too many small incongruent puzzles
First of all, am unable to make out the era... initially the story read like it is set in pre independent India of the 19h century. Then modern mention crept in.. then I was sure it was post modernisation, as it is Mumbai, not Bombay which is mentioned here. In the last one fourth it took huge leaps in time and events... and the end has left me sort of dissatisfied.
Jasoda is a upper cast ? Rajput woman, who faces many difficulties and is ruthless and cruel many a time, though obesequent to her husband and mother in law.
I liked her children more. They were unique and varied .
the story spans a couple of decades or more... but the decades are nor equally distributed. The story moves forth in leaps and jerks.
All in all , a readable book- but not one which will be good enough as to warrant a repeat read.
Started with high hopes.
the story is fast paced and interesting, but interspersed with too many small incongruent puzzles
First of all, am unable to make out the era... initially the story read like it is set in pre independent India of the 19h century. Then modern mention crept in.. then I was sure it was post modernisation, as it is Mumbai, not Bombay which is mentioned here. In the last one fourth it took huge leaps in time and events... and the end has left me sort of dissatisfied.
Jasoda is a upper cast ? Rajput woman, who faces many difficulties and is ruthless and cruel many a time, though obesequent to her husband and mother in law.
I liked her children more. They were unique and varied .
the story spans a couple of decades or more... but the decades are nor equally distributed. The story moves forth in leaps and jerks.
All in all , a readable book- but not one which will be good enough as to warrant a repeat read.
June 20, 2018
2 stars - It was OK. Was it OK? I ask myself.
Several of the author's books queued in my TBR, the expectation did go up a little higher. I am not bothered about swinging timelines, I have loved many such books, but this book was just not easy to imagine. Thinking about all the props and wondering if I am right, I couldn't concentrate on the prose. Also muddled up with a slang that sounded totally out of place/time. All in all a disappointment.
Disappointment is more due to this being the second book by an Indian author that looked promising in the beginning and then went ...Humpty Dumpty had a great fall...
Several of the author's books queued in my TBR, the expectation did go up a little higher. I am not bothered about swinging timelines, I have loved many such books, but this book was just not easy to imagine. Thinking about all the props and wondering if I am right, I couldn't concentrate on the prose. Also muddled up with a slang that sounded totally out of place/time. All in all a disappointment.
Disappointment is more due to this being the second book by an Indian author that looked promising in the beginning and then went ...Humpty Dumpty had a great fall...
January 20, 2018
A brilliant start (the opening scene is devastating!) and a great first part. And then it spirals into a strange Sydney Sheldon-esque saga of a terribly disadvantaged woman beating the odds. But it's still worth a read. Especially for people like us, living in these rarefied bubbles of privilege. It gives us a peep into what destitution means... and also what it means to be a woman in so many parts of India today.
September 19, 2018
The prologue of Kiran Nagarkar’s Jasoda lets readers on into a bit of what might just say ahead in the rest of the book: there is Jasoda hard at work in a field with her eldest son Himmat and there’s a baby on the way. It is a tough birth that she manages alone, at the end of which she kills the baby because it is a girl. There! That must have got your attention! It got mine. It took me a day to recover from the prologue and then I read the entire book in one sitting.
The book has four parts with part one set in Kantagiri ruled by Prince Parbat Singh who may have likely killed his older twin brother to ascend the ‘throne’ in a post privy India wherein there is name and reputations to consider but little money in the treasury. When the rains play truant, the people of Kantagiri leave in hordes for the city by the sea and part two of the book chronicles the journey and life experiences of Jasoda and her brood. The last two parts of the book further tells the reader about Jasoda’s return to her village and her forays into making a better life. Calling Jasoda a book that only looks at a woman’s journey from poverty, domestic abuse and being left to fend on her own to one of prosperity and coming in to money would be a mistake.
I strongly recommend this one!
The book has four parts with part one set in Kantagiri ruled by Prince Parbat Singh who may have likely killed his older twin brother to ascend the ‘throne’ in a post privy India wherein there is name and reputations to consider but little money in the treasury. When the rains play truant, the people of Kantagiri leave in hordes for the city by the sea and part two of the book chronicles the journey and life experiences of Jasoda and her brood. The last two parts of the book further tells the reader about Jasoda’s return to her village and her forays into making a better life. Calling Jasoda a book that only looks at a woman’s journey from poverty, domestic abuse and being left to fend on her own to one of prosperity and coming in to money would be a mistake.
I strongly recommend this one!
December 13, 2017
Awesome book to read. Easy and quick read. This is totally a different book that I read by the author. A whole gamut of world one will find in this fiction.
April 2, 2020
Simply waste of time.. So much disconnect... Different writing styles.. Last part seems hurriedly written and ended...
July 7, 2018
This book made me fan of the author.
Quite engaging, heart wrenching storyline.
Amazing book, recommended to every avid reader.
Quite engaging, heart wrenching storyline.
Amazing book, recommended to every avid reader.
December 25, 2017
Certainly not amongst Kiran Nagarkar's best. Too many loose ends, probably the only book from KN that tries to encash on the phenomenon that KN is. According to the author, the initial draft was in cold storage for almost two decades, and then was dusted and shaped in the form that we read now. The best part about the book then is that the era of the plot becomes immaterial...but this becomes its biggest weakness too - since there is no setting, no sense of the period of the plotline.
March 27, 2018
Paar a draught stricken city is on the verge of being abandoned by its citizens. Half of the villagers have already moved out while some are still hoping for some miracle.
Jasoda is wife of Sangram Singh, the retainer for the royal highness of paar. In this difficult times, Sangram leaves his family and asks them to migrate without him. Jasoda with her three sons and a mother in law, sets out for a journey, that might change their lives forever.
Jasoda is a story of every Indian woman, the sacrifices that she will make for her family, the struggles that she will undergo, but the important question is, has she reached her limit?
.
Pros-
Himmat, the eldest son of Jasoda, never gave into begging, that was not the option for him. He worked hard, studied hard and changed his fate.
Jasoda, never was dependent on her husband, even after going to a new city, she never gave up, despite of failures, she was always looking for a job.
Madhurima, the second wife of Sangram Singh, understood her husband's evil scheme and instead of giving up, she fought against it.
.
Cons-
Jasoda was most of the times in background. I would have really liked if she was portrayed a little more stronger. All the spotlight was on her children and they proved to be quite headstrong during crisis while I expected Jasoda to take the charge.
The story of Sangram Singh and his highness was a bit stretched. Again I wanted to know more about Jasoda.
.
Overall the story had its highs and lows, a patriarchal society where girl infanticide is a common thing, women are still struggling for their voice, money is the only power and actions will define the future. Amongst the chaos, a small ray of hope is all they might need.
3.5 ⭐ Definitely give it a try!
Jasoda is wife of Sangram Singh, the retainer for the royal highness of paar. In this difficult times, Sangram leaves his family and asks them to migrate without him. Jasoda with her three sons and a mother in law, sets out for a journey, that might change their lives forever.
Jasoda is a story of every Indian woman, the sacrifices that she will make for her family, the struggles that she will undergo, but the important question is, has she reached her limit?
.
Pros-
Himmat, the eldest son of Jasoda, never gave into begging, that was not the option for him. He worked hard, studied hard and changed his fate.
Jasoda, never was dependent on her husband, even after going to a new city, she never gave up, despite of failures, she was always looking for a job.
Madhurima, the second wife of Sangram Singh, understood her husband's evil scheme and instead of giving up, she fought against it.
.
Cons-
Jasoda was most of the times in background. I would have really liked if she was portrayed a little more stronger. All the spotlight was on her children and they proved to be quite headstrong during crisis while I expected Jasoda to take the charge.
The story of Sangram Singh and his highness was a bit stretched. Again I wanted to know more about Jasoda.
.
Overall the story had its highs and lows, a patriarchal society where girl infanticide is a common thing, women are still struggling for their voice, money is the only power and actions will define the future. Amongst the chaos, a small ray of hope is all they might need.
3.5 ⭐ Definitely give it a try!
April 8, 2021
So here’s why I have mixed feelings about Kiran Nagarkar’s ‘Jasoda’... This was my second Nagarkar book and after ‘Cuckold’, I started this with high expectations. It started off well. A gut-wrenching story of a woman struggling in rural Rajasthan and later in relentless Mumbai, told in a casual, matter-of-fact manner.
There were pages when I just wanted to shut my eyes tight and not read anymore because it was so gut-wrenching. There were also parts when I couldn’t stop reading.
But as the book progressed, the story telling kept getting too casual, very disjointed in parts. For example, one moment the family returns to their village and the older son rejoins school, you turn the page, and now he’s a professor in a college in the USA and dating a white woman, who becomes his wife almost immediately.
Sure the book touches on several prevalent social evils.. patriarchy, female infanticide, abusive husband, poverty, tyranny of the ruling class... And sure, you do hurt for Jasoda, you weep for her and all the women who have to go through so much pain. But the second half of the book feels totally unnecessary, and seems like it’s been written in a hurry, with the intention of “just need to finish this already!” I guess it’s not surprising since the author started writing the book more than 20 years ago and completed it only recently. There is bound to be a disconnection with the passing of so much time.
To summarise, not one of his finest works. Now I feel like pulling out ‘Cuckold’ and reading it all over again just to remind myself why I liked Kiran Nagarkar in the first place.
There were pages when I just wanted to shut my eyes tight and not read anymore because it was so gut-wrenching. There were also parts when I couldn’t stop reading.
But as the book progressed, the story telling kept getting too casual, very disjointed in parts. For example, one moment the family returns to their village and the older son rejoins school, you turn the page, and now he’s a professor in a college in the USA and dating a white woman, who becomes his wife almost immediately.
Sure the book touches on several prevalent social evils.. patriarchy, female infanticide, abusive husband, poverty, tyranny of the ruling class... And sure, you do hurt for Jasoda, you weep for her and all the women who have to go through so much pain. But the second half of the book feels totally unnecessary, and seems like it’s been written in a hurry, with the intention of “just need to finish this already!” I guess it’s not surprising since the author started writing the book more than 20 years ago and completed it only recently. There is bound to be a disconnection with the passing of so much time.
To summarise, not one of his finest works. Now I feel like pulling out ‘Cuckold’ and reading it all over again just to remind myself why I liked Kiran Nagarkar in the first place.
August 3, 2021
8️⃣ on 🔟 for the much acclaimed 'Jasoda'
Here is a novel from a very experienced and exemplary author; which testifies for his incredible abilities in terms of words, scenes, characters, story, events, emotions, suspense and the art to bring it all alive in the eyes of a reader. Writing something so strong and catchy is still a dream for many.
However, this gem of a novel leaves you in darkness, apathy, negativity, pain, distress and hopelessness; like the state of mind of it's characters. It feels like everything wrong possible in the world, has happened to Jasoda and despite fighting it with all her undying strength, she ultimately lands nowhere. The climax takes away the meek silver lining also, which had barely emerged. A great story, with nothing to take away (other than a horrifying perspective of the world around).
#pustak_darpan #book #review #women #torture #emotions #strength #girlchild #foeticide #society #pain #hopeless #wonderful #writing #characters #story #negative #jasoda
Here is a novel from a very experienced and exemplary author; which testifies for his incredible abilities in terms of words, scenes, characters, story, events, emotions, suspense and the art to bring it all alive in the eyes of a reader. Writing something so strong and catchy is still a dream for many.
However, this gem of a novel leaves you in darkness, apathy, negativity, pain, distress and hopelessness; like the state of mind of it's characters. It feels like everything wrong possible in the world, has happened to Jasoda and despite fighting it with all her undying strength, she ultimately lands nowhere. The climax takes away the meek silver lining also, which had barely emerged. A great story, with nothing to take away (other than a horrifying perspective of the world around).
#pustak_darpan #book #review #women #torture #emotions #strength #girlchild #foeticide #society #pain #hopeless #wonderful #writing #characters #story #negative #jasoda
February 20, 2018
Had enjoyed reading his 'Ravan and Eddie'. This book somehow did not live upto my expectations. Took some time to get into the rhythm of the story that kept going back and forth and then was enjoyable till almost the end when somehow it felt as if I was reading a Hindi Movie script but then again bounced back to a lovely ending.
It is a woman-centric, hard hitting tale about patriarchal and feudal systems that have not changed till date in the rural areas and then moves seamlessly to the migration of the poor to the city of dreams, Mumbai. The woman rules. Life on the pavement is touched upon and some comparison of the urban rural divide is shown too.
Nowhere does it bore the reader. It always keeps the reader wanting to read to know if what happens next is what is guessed.
Available only in hardcover and Kindle editions. I had bought the Hardcover :)
It is a woman-centric, hard hitting tale about patriarchal and feudal systems that have not changed till date in the rural areas and then moves seamlessly to the migration of the poor to the city of dreams, Mumbai. The woman rules. Life on the pavement is touched upon and some comparison of the urban rural divide is shown too.
Nowhere does it bore the reader. It always keeps the reader wanting to read to know if what happens next is what is guessed.
Available only in hardcover and Kindle editions. I had bought the Hardcover :)
March 22, 2018
‘Jasoda’ is a believable story of a woman, living her life, one day at a time. She has to support herself and her family, after being abandoned by her husband. Her grit and courage brings her to the city and then take her back to her roots. The story is harrowing, and, shows a very sad side of patriarchical society, which undeniably still exists.
However, I was expecting much more from Kiran Nagarkar. I strongly feel that the narration lacked layers and the characters were shallow. In my opinion, he could have let the story brew for a few more years.
However, I was expecting much more from Kiran Nagarkar. I strongly feel that the narration lacked layers and the characters were shallow. In my opinion, he could have let the story brew for a few more years.
July 16, 2019
I liked earlier books by Kiran Nagarkar (Ravan and Eddie). But he is becoming more formulaic with each passing novel (example: western Indian aristocrats/royals talking in modern language).
You feel for the central character of the book, Jasoda. But there are far too many disturbing scenes for my liking in this novel (though quite possible that they represent reality of backward regions of India). I was also not quite able to make out the era explained in the book.
All in all, gave up halfway. Might revisit it again.
You feel for the central character of the book, Jasoda. But there are far too many disturbing scenes for my liking in this novel (though quite possible that they represent reality of backward regions of India). I was also not quite able to make out the era explained in the book.
All in all, gave up halfway. Might revisit it again.
August 5, 2021
Well...its kiran nagarkar's woven world and you get completely absorbed in it as soon as you turn that 1st page....Jasoda's story is of perennial struggle against patriarchy, poverty, and perception of society that hits you hard with its emotions and plain presentation of its enormity. You feel yourself growing along with every character and one finds itself frequently facing the dilemma of sorting actions in moraly right or wrong cast, and revisiting the same again for you see the situation in different perspective with story going forward.
A must read for everyone
A must read for everyone
August 23, 2025
The novel "Jasoda" is an Odyssey of the lone female amidst toxic masculinity and dehumanized poverty.
It has no centralized theme, and the writer interweaves different themes to illustrate the dark reality. The themes continuously shift from one to the other just like the plight of the characters in the novel. He is careless about the use of language, that is sometimes gender specific, making the novel age specific. The use of sexually explicit ideas and images limits the reach of the novel to some mature readers only.
It has no centralized theme, and the writer interweaves different themes to illustrate the dark reality. The themes continuously shift from one to the other just like the plight of the characters in the novel. He is careless about the use of language, that is sometimes gender specific, making the novel age specific. The use of sexually explicit ideas and images limits the reach of the novel to some mature readers only.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 25, 2018
My first book by Nagarkar and I enjoyed reading it. The things left unsaid when Jasoda gives birth to girls took my heart away. The book is well written and I love the cover and the font of the book. The book spans a few decades and it makes me wonder if a woman of Jaoda's background can suddenly become strong and astute enough to start a business and prosper too. Seems a bit of stretch. Overall a good book and I'd recommend it.
August 28, 2018
It’s always a man who is the hero of a story, event, film but Kiran Nagarkar has changed the status quo and made a WOMAN, that too a mother a hero in Jasoda.
The story is quite an interesting read about how Jasoda struggles to care for her children, her husband and is eventually ousted to fend for herself.
Though most reviews state that this isn’t Kiran’s best work in comparison to Cuckold, I’m yet to read that and find out.
The story is quite an interesting read about how Jasoda struggles to care for her children, her husband and is eventually ousted to fend for herself.
Though most reviews state that this isn’t Kiran’s best work in comparison to Cuckold, I’m yet to read that and find out.
March 4, 2018
I would say such a strong piece. This book shows the strengths of a woman and how she handles every situation with her smartness. This book is for all the women who sacrifice a lot for their families.
Such a dark piece, the way of storytelling impressed my heart, and the instances mentioned seems so real.
A must read.
Such a dark piece, the way of storytelling impressed my heart, and the instances mentioned seems so real.
A must read.
August 8, 2020
Brilliant as always! How he does his miraculous story sweeps through generations, landscapes and experiences from a small deserted village to California, I don't know but only he can do it. His reverence for everyday courage and resilience - especially in the face of abject poverty and incredible human cruelty - is simply beautiful.
December 31, 2021
Their needs were far too pressing for them to follow an orderly queue.
It is all about the harsh environment, even hasher misogynist society of rural India. It is a world where the good suffer and the bad a little bit, eventually. Where men do as they please and yet the women listen to them and take care of them. It is a stupid world really.
Unfortunately, it is very real as well.
It is all about the harsh environment, even hasher misogynist society of rural India. It is a world where the good suffer and the bad a little bit, eventually. Where men do as they please and yet the women listen to them and take care of them. It is a stupid world really.
Unfortunately, it is very real as well.
May 14, 2019
A gripping story; holds you till the very last, until it's over, and you wonder how so fast.
This book isn’t as much talked about as much it should be. Definitely underrated. Every being should read this!
This book isn’t as much talked about as much it should be. Definitely underrated. Every being should read this!
May 22, 2018
Jasoda is a hard hitting book on poverty, patriarchal society and female infanticide. Dark and thought provoking, though not one of Nagarkar's best, the book makes a compelling read.
September 1, 2019
Disappointing. The initial chapters show promise but the book falters big time mid-way.
January 9, 2020
Picked the book because I loved Cuckold. But this one is best of all. One of the very best creations. Highly recommended.
May 2, 2020
Beyond what I expected. A gripping tale.
December 9, 2022
Hits you, makes you admire her, makes you cringe, makes you respect her. It's a wow.
June 5, 2019
As racy as slumdog millionaire. But a few dark shades of intelligence punctuating each page.esp in the first half ofbthe book
Yhe second half seems.like it was put together to meet a deadline. Lots of.loose ends. Amazing read nonethelss...will read more by the author
Yhe second half seems.like it was put together to meet a deadline. Lots of.loose ends. Amazing read nonethelss...will read more by the author
May 12, 2018
The story is about the tough life of a lady, her pursuit to do the best for her family inspite of the odds against her.Kiran is one of my favourite writers so I guess was expecting more compared to his earlier books
Displaying 1 - 30 of 32 reviews