Cage of Desires

by Shuchi Singh Kalra

There's a kind of love that makes you go down on one knee, and there's the kind that brings you down on both. You don't need the latter, because no matter what you do, you cannot make anyone love you back.'
Renu had always craved for love and security, and her boring marriage, mundane existence somehow leads her to believe that, maybe, this is what love is all about. Maya, on the other hand, is a successful author who is infamous for her bold, erotic books.
What do these two women have in common? How are their lives intertwined?
Renu's thirst for love and longing takes her on a poignant journey of self-exploration. The answers come to her when she finds the courage to stand up for herself, to fight her inner demons and free herself from the cage of desires . . .

Genres: Fiction, Indian Literature, Romance

232 pages, Paperback

Published May 21, 2018

About the author

Shuchi Singh Kalra is the author, freelance writer, editor and blogger with bylines in major Indian and international publications.

She is the owner of Pixie Dust Writing Studio, a writing and editing firm that services a global clientele, and the Indian Freelance Writers Blog. She has started dabbling in fiction only recently and her first book, Done With Men (published by Indireads), has received rave reviews from readers and reviewers alike. Her short stories have appeared in Love Across Borders, Stories For Your Valentine and NAW Anthology 2013. 'I'm Big. So What!?' is her second book.

Before she took to writing, Shuchi was an Optometrist at one of India’s leading eye hospitals. Traveling is her first love and she leads a happily nomadic life with her fauji husband and livewire toddler. Pay her a visit at www.shuchikalra.com.

Blog link: www.indianfreelancewriters.com
Professional portfolio: www.shuchikalra.com
Company website: www.pixiedustwritingstudio.com
Twitter handle: @shuchikalra

Reviews

[Reading_ Tamishly · Rating 4 out of 5]

What this book talks about :
Woman : her desires, her sacrifices, her unfulfilled dreams, what she can do, what happens when she fights for her rights, what she has to face when she gives priority to herself.
To sum it up, this book woke up the demon in me.
What kind of demon? You will find the answer when you pick up this book.
This is the kind of book that would result in two kinds of extreme views. There can be no in between.
One, that would hit you with a stark sense of reality.
And the other, that would still remain obstinate as the father-in-law & the husband who will never be able to accept a woman as a whole person who is capable of being anything she wants to be in their so called unrealistic 'family' while being hypocrites all their lives.
This book talks about a woman who gave up all her desires & dreams when she got married. Her life begins & ends with household chores & looking after each of her family member.
No appreciation, no difference whatsoever in her day to day life.
There's a grumpy ,hard-to-please father-in-law who seems to enjoy in meddling in everything she does. There's the husband who stays away in the name of working some place else.
No one cares upto the point the woman seems not to care about herself anymore. But who knows what she craves as a woman in need of care, love, attention & touch. Who are we kidding anyway smirking as if you yourself do not need any of this as a human when we bring up such issues?
This book talks about guilty pleasures, giving into desires of the moment, cheating, infidelity. It happens in real. This is not just mere fiction.
The protagonist holds a big secret, which everyone in her family would disapprove of but that would change her life in the end. Shhh...pick up this book to know what it is!
👍The characters have been portrayed so well.
👍 The plot well constructed & genuine, the language used as first of its kind!
👍I love how it clearly shows how men readily accept other women of but demeaning their own women everyday in the same breath

[Pooja Singh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Renu, a 37-year-old married woman, is the sole caretaker of her house. With two children, and her father in law to take care of, and a husband who works away from home and hardly visit, Renu's mundane life is just a humdrum affair, with nothing to quench her desires.
Maya, on the other hand, is the author of the best selling adult erotica. Everyone loves reading her books, every man craves for Maya.
But who is Maya? Who is the face behind the best-selling book? Is she real? Will she ever reveal her real identity?
And how similar or different are Renu's and Maya's life?
🌼
The author has beautifully penned down a story on a controversial and bold topic and strung it as a fast-paced and interesting plot.
The stigma around a woman in India, expecting to place everyone's need first, be the best wife, best mother, best daughter, best daughter-in-law, and always putting her needs and desires last, is what makes the theme of the novel even more profound.
🌼
Some parts of the plot were slightly dramatized and honestly, the plot would have done so much better without those parts.
🌼
Also, at times I did feel that Renu's character was portrayed as that of a weak lady, desperate for attention and always falling prey to the people who want to use her for their own benefit.
But to think that so many women in a country like India experience this every day, and maybe any person in circumstances like that, can't help but hang on to a sliver of hope and excitement, is not a far-off possibility, and that's what makes me sad.

[p ☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“If there was one person in the world with whom she could share her thoughts uninhibitedly, it was herself.”

“She wasn’t out to heal herself. She perhaps didn’t want to. She wanted her wounds to bleed until they poured out of her fingers as her words. Because what else is prose, but pain packaged beautifully?”

[Priya Arun · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Cage of Desire by Shuchi Singh Kalra is an erotic novel.

About the story:

The story whirls around protagonist "Renu" who is a home maker staying with her two children and her father-in-law (called by her as "Bauji") residing at Lucknow. She is married to Dev for over fifteen year, and he works and lives in Sitapur. Everyone would usually work in cities here in his case its vice versa.

In the little world of Renu lies a secret person named Maya. Yes, Renu's pen name is Maya, she is an author who writes erotic novels revealing passion, love, lust and secret desires. There comes a person named "Arjun" who resides at Renus's place as a tenant.

Dev's attention was less towards Renu, they hardly speak, and their conversations were too short. Gradually Renu's attention was drawn by Arjun, they started loving each other and satisfied their physical needs.

Renu neglected to reveal her identity as an author, as she is from a conservative background and more apprehensive about her family. Her only support was her friend who is a mediator between the publication house and Renu. There are so many twists and turns happens in her life which leaves in her in flood of her own tears.

Will Renu overcomes these hurdles? Will Renu's secret identity will be revealed to the world? Will her love with Arjun survives? Will Dev understand her and change himself? Will she be a successful author? Is she destined to someone else? lies the suspense of the story

About the book:

The author's writing style is too good, and the pacing is apt. You can feel more love, passion, betrayal and strong desire. All emotions are cooked up together to bring out this alluring novel. The author clearly depicted about how a woman tackled and overcame so many hindrances in her life with her will power. There are so many intense and intimate scenes but, yet the story remained on track and the flow was totally on pace.

I would rate 4/5 for this beguile novel.

[Bookishbong Moumita · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cage of Desires by Shuchi Singh Kalra

Total pages - 219

Genre - Fiction

Publishing house - Penguin Books

About The Author :

Shuchi Singh Kalra is the Amazon bestselling author of two novels-Done with Men and I'm Big. So What!? Her short stories have appeared in Love across Borders, Stories for Your Valentine and NAW Anthology 2013. In her freelancing career of over a decade, Shuchi has written for major print and online publications such as Femina, Good Housekeeping, Hotelier International, Huffington Post and Home Review, among others.

About the book :

Protagonist Renu is a married woman . Like most of other housewives her scheduled was dedicated to her family . Her husband stayed in his Work place . A distance between them was being created . Renu wasn't happy both Emotionally and physically . It fired the secret desires within in her . 'Maya' was born .The time stated to change with the entrance of Arjun . Renu found herself back . But again everything shattered . This is a story of an woman's journey from nothing to an independent lady , "Queen of Erotica " .

My views

1. The writing is easy and perfect for a beginner .

2. The plot is fast moving . Reader will not be bored .

3. The cover is really attractive .

4. Author has exposed harsh reality of our society , which is only few talked about .

I want to give this book 4/5.

[Mugdha Mahajan · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Truth and lies are like oil and water. You can shake them up all you want, but they will never mix.' 

It is the story of a 37 year old, woman - Renu who was married and had 2 children but  wasn't satisfied with her life and Maya, exactly opposite of Renu.

Renu used to live with her children and her ever complaining father-in-law. Her husband was working away from home and came to meet her and their children on weekends. Whenever she tried to talk to her husband, he used to ignore her. There was no spark left in her marriage and she would often find herself uneasy during nights. 

Renu, usually found herself sleep deprived, and used to write her thoughts and emotions on a piece of paper. She , dissatisfied with her mundane life and boring marriage found love in Arjun, her tenant. Renu's true love for Arjun made her do all the impossible things but something was fishy about Arjun. Renu had a secret - which Arjun knew about and was using her for it. What was Renu's secret? And what was the real identity of Arjun?

On the other hand, Maya, the character of the bestselling adult novel was the Queen of Erotica. Everyone used to love her boldness and sex appeal. She was secretly craved by every men- whether young or old. She lead her life on her own terms. Renu and Maya's life was intertwined. But How?  

You need to read the book, to get all your answers.

"Between happiness and sadness , there's a middle road called peace."

The author has written such a bold story about a woman Renu- who is actually the voice of 90% of the women of India who are living  dissatisfied married lives because of the so called societal rules. The author has beautifully described the struggles of  women after marriage - she has to be a perfect wife, mother, sister-in-law and a daughter-in-law after sacrificing all her needs.

I really loved the book and the plot. The author has written a  masterpiece. I was so into the story that it felt as if I was living there, feeling every emotion. I loved how the characters were sketched and developed. The language was simple and easy. The story was fast paced and the narration was crisp. I loved the cover of the book and the title is so apt - since the story is based on the fact that women keep their emotions caged because of the society.

This book will definitely keep you hooked till the very last page.  A bold and a real story that is actually needed to be read by all the women and girls out there. 

" It is rightly said, the opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference. It's not the lack of love that kills. It's the lies, the deceit, the unending mind games and the wounds inflicted on the soul that kills - a slow, painful death.And, yet we don't give up on love."

[Subrat Saurabh · Rating 4 out of 5]

A tale about a middle class disengaged house wife longing for Love and regards. How her life changed when she get into new association with a new man. It is extraordinary exercise for everybody that how it is essential to invest time with family.

Enjoyed reading the book! The author has made a connecting with world with her suggestive vocabulary and narrating.

The majority of the couplets are stunning and inconceivable.

[Surabhi Chatrapathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cage of Desire by Shuchi Singh Kalra is a women centric contemporary erotic romance. It's definitely different from any other book I've read. A story of a woman who secretly writes best sellers. Hailing from a conservative middle class background, she keeps her identity hidden as she writes erotic romance novels or popularly considered as soft porn.
The book takes us through her life as a daughter-in-law, wife and mother. The turmoils she endures watching her marriage fail, her own affair and the troubles that it brings.
What starts off as a regular romance novel slowly revels confusing plots and obsessive relationships. As engrossed as I was with the constantly unfolding plot, the bollywood-ness slipping into the story annoyed me.
She speaks of female desire, patriarchy that forces women submit to or accept certain behaviours and convoluted idea of love that men and women subscribe to.

[Gitanshi Tuteja · Rating 4 out of 5]

//
Love makes itself obvious. As does the lack of it.
//

All Renu wanted was love and security that comes with a family and she sacrificed all her dreams for the same and she got that love and security but that was for a while only, now at the age of 37 and after being married for 18 years with two kids she is not sure if her decision was right or wrong.

The story takes us on a journey with Renu, where 80% women will relate to the plight of a home maker, the challenges as a mother and a daughter-in-law, when her husband stays in another city because of his job.

Through Renu we see how the society has set so many standards and boundaries for women and there is no such thing for men. A man's word is enough while a woman spends her whole life proving her worth and then also she's judged for a choice where only she's the beneficiary, because as a wife, or a daughter or a daughter-in-law her duty is to satisfy their needs and forget about her own

And only 80% women can relate because Renu has a secret and it's becoming increasingly difficult for her to keep it that way, she has been used and abused (emotionally) and it's beautiful how she uses these essons to build a better and a bolder life, where she's unapologetic about her lifestyle and her every decision is for herself not because she's expected to decide that.

A real good story, it's bold, it's real and it's a must read for all the women out there because you my girl are amazing and for the men because you sir need to respect every woman out there.


4/5 🌟 for me

[Fayzaan Shaba · Rating 1 out of 5]

"You gave me the millions deaths and made me come alive"

It's been so long I can't recall the last time when I read or to be exact completed any book by Indian author 'cause the best selling books here are waste a complete waste no serious plot, no feeling just that same old boring love stories. This was surely different and I loved it


I was ordering few books from Amazon when i saw this title on my recommendation section the first thing that attracted me was the cover and the title of the book so I downloaded an e-book sample and read it on my Kindle, to my surprise I was so impressed by the few pages that without any hesitation I bought the paperback.


This story is about a simple woman with desires, a desire to love and being loved but this was not in her fate, so many things destroyed her in every possible way emotionally, physically and mentally. She was drowning in deep sea of emotion with so many pain and sorrow no one there to save her.
Will she rise again?

This is the truth about our so called Indian Culture where talking about love in public is sin and shameful thing, the society is not ready to accept this yet. And it destroys so many lives in different ways. Read it and you'll understand what I'm talking about.

[Ritika Chhabra · Rating 4 out of 5]

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"I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review."

'Truth and lies are like oil and water. You can shake them up all you want, but they will never mix.' - Shuchi Singh Kalra, A Cage of Desires

Like most of the books that I read, when I sat down to read this one, I had no idea what to expect. What I gathered from the blurb was that the story may be an erotica, and a romance. That the book will feature two different stories—one for Maya and one for Renu. Instead, what happened was this:

A Cage of Desires by Shuchi Singh Kalra is the story of Renu and Maya, two characters so very different from each other, yet interlinked in ways more than one.

Renu is an epitome of how an Indian housewife should be. Her husband is an asshole but she never questions him. Rarely does she say anything against him. Her father-in-law is an even bigger asshat, but she bears it all with a smile. Or maybe not a smile, but well, at least without a word in return. She is that silent submissive daughter-in-law, that stupid housewife her husband thinks her to be, who abides by every rule that is thrown down her way. But is she really that submissive? Does she have a voice that breaks out? That's a question for after you're done reading. 

On other hand, there is Maya. Maya is a best-selling author of many erotica romances. All of her books are sold within a night. People die to read her work, but who is Maya really? What does she look like? No one knows! Due to our hypocrite society, Maya has to hide her true identity behind the pages of a book. She doesn't reveal who she really is, because if the truth comes out, what will the society say? The same society that so loves to read her books. Talk of the idiocy of the situation! 

I actually pity Maya, but I dislike Renu. Renu is this woman trapped in a cage of her desires, not ready to come out of them, for the sake of her so-called family. A family that mentally abuses her day in and day out. Maya is the woman who wants to come out of her cage, who fights so hard to come out but can't, because of the society. If you ask me, then Renu should have left her husband and gone away with her children long ago! She was stupid not to. And yet, I can barely say a thing for Maya. Maya tried, but Maya couldn't.

What I loved about the book was the amazing story-line of the book. From what I wrote about it here, it might seem a stupid story but there are things about the book that I cannot write in order to remove spoilers, so you will just have to take my word for it, that the book was about much more than what is written here. 

Then there was also Kalra's beautiful writing style. Her words was pleasant to the eyes and a medicine to a reader's heart. I enjoyed knowing that I was reading an Indian author that I was rather liking.

Then there is also the pace of the novel. This was a tricky part. At times, the book is a little slow-paced. Not something that I would recommend to someone who only likes a fast pace. I liked it, although that has a lot to do with the brilliant book as it was. I mean, I rarely like romance novels, let alone erotica and yet, here it was!

And have I mentioned the cover and the title? The book has one of the prettiest titles ever! And the cover. Damn, that cover! Can anything be more pretty?

What I felt while reading the book was that Renu was voicing out thoughts of a lot of housewives present today. Women who cannot do the works of their choice, all because they are entrapped in a cage of family, bordered by the duties of the household and what the society demands. At the same time, Maya was trying to help these women go out and find something to do. She was helping others lead a better life, yet not disclosing her identity. 

In a nutshell, this was a rather brilliant book. Kalra's imagination to make it work seemed to be a boon for the book and her characters—who were ready to break the glass ceiling and get out with it. 

[Ipshita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Cage of Desires focuses on the life of a woman, her struggles and her emotions. All of which are portrayed adeptly in way that it made a huge pet peeve of mine seem unimportant and therein wins its five stars.

So that pet peeve I’m talking about is adultery, something I’ve encountered in a lot of books prior to this one, but somehow this trope never failed to bother me. I think it’s the first time that I did not see adultery as solely something to disapprove of, I could see beyond the ‘sin’ to its causes.
The lack of communication between a husband-wife, who are supposed to be life-partners, the gradual build up of secrets, so many secrets that ultimately the two become total strangers, worse than strangers even. Several elements go missing element in their relationship and that is what ultimately creates a rift between them. It is what serves as the catalyst that drives this lonely woman to succumb so easily for the smooth seducer.

Renu is a very emotional person. She is starved for an emotional connection and we recognise it from the very beginning, so much so that I could not even condemn her for her actions even when it got evident how self-destructive they were, how she was walking into an obvious trap. My usual response to heroines who act stupidly in love is very negative. But the way events unfold here, especially knowing everything Renu feels herself. I could only commiserate with her plight.

Her thoughts and her experiences made me feel so sympathetic that I found myself sending her encouraging thoughts whenever she went through any ordeals. And through her, this book delves into issues that I believe need a voice, needs to be acknowledged socially. The double standards for women, gender-based hypocrisy, the notion of a domesticated wife.

Dev, the husband’s character is somewhat sketchy. Being that the book is told from the wife, Renu’s POV, I was interested in knowing Dev’s view as well, his reasons for straying are unknown or rather trivialised unlike Renu’s. I would have liked it if a bit more was discussed about the husband-wife relation before it deteriorated into the mundane and dissatisfying family life. Arjun’s character is a lot better sketched in that respect. But ultimately it is Renu’s book and she remains the star of it.

One aspect that I could not cope with was Kamini and Arjun’s plan, some aspects of it did not make sense like why would they go that far only for Renu to unveil herself then backstab her and print her manuscript in Kamini’s name when he could get the same remuneration by selling it under Maya’s name as well? It felt too filmy for me and did not mesh with the sentimental level of the rest of the story.

My sincere thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Sayantani Sarkar · Rating 3 out of 5]

(I was sent this book for review by the author)

“Solitude brings isolation and sometimes that’s all you need to gather your pieces and put them back together.”

Renu is a middle-aged Indian woman whose life comprises of her husband, kids, and her father-in-law’s endless taunts. But beyond this veil of the ideal, devoted family woman, is a person who has several unfulfilled dreams and desires of her own. So, what happens when Renu finally decides she no longer wants to remain caged?

The narrative opens in the present-day scenario where our protagonist is in her late forties, and is being visited by her two kids, Aneisha and Avi. It is established from the very beginning that the mother and daughter share a deep, emotional bond. A scene in the prologue leads us to Renu taking the reader through her journey, back to where it all began. We’re introduced to the patriarchal atmosphere she’s subjected to: A nagging father-in-law, a distant husband, and the monotony of domestic life. Renu finds momentary peace in her kids’ laughter, but she desires so much more from life. She craves love, and wishes her husband would see her as someone more than just the woman who looks after his household. A crumbling marriage becomes the cause of the events that unfold eventually and what follows is a woman discovering her own self.

Renu is an archetype of a lot of Indian women her age. These are women you’ve met or known your entire life. The author has very carefully crafted her so as to let her audience see a glimpse of themselves in her actions and behavior. Behind the demure aura lies a feisty being who isn’t afraid of exploring her sensuality. Shuchi Singh Kalra has presented a true picture of the middle-class Indian society which is still pretty steeped in age-old traditions. Although Renu’s naïve decisions and doormat tendencies are not so prevalent these days, the representations still hold true to a certain extent. It’s clear from the onset that the author wants to portray Renu’s growth as that of a phoenix rising from her ashes, and she manages to accomplish that quite decently, albeit not without some unmistakable cringe-worthy episodes.

The novel has an abundance of serious flaws. Touted as an erotica, some of the so-called erotic scenes are absolutely unnecessary. It almost feels as if the writer was going for a mix of Danielle Steel and E. L. James, but ended up on a stranded island instead. One of the relationships in Renu’s life is way too instantaneous to be believable; not to forget the overtly cheesy lines that pervade the pages every now and then. The mystery is predictable and too convenient. Kalra truly tries her best to incorporate feminism wherever she can, be it through the endearing friendship between two women, or the unspoken understanding between Renu and Aneisha. I personally wish we got to know more about the daughter and the friend, since they were both very affable characters. The pretentious and over-the-top emotional drama is what bothered me the most about this story. But overall, I do have faith that the author will produce much better work in the future.

Rating: 2.5/5.

[Tarang Sinha]

The most important thing --- it's a quick and engrossing read. Something you would like to finish in a single sitting.

Writing is neat, emotions are beautifully expressed, however sometimes it seems too much and repetitive. Those overly emotional letters are unnecessary.

The book has been categorized as erotica, so yes there are some intimate scenes but they have been written nicely that they don't seem vulgar or unnecessary. And this is the best thing about this book. There's a proper plot, a thoughtful reflection of a woman's life who is living in a love-less marriage.

Characters: When creating Renu's husband's character, the author plays safe. There's nothing you would like about him. But, Arjun's character is disappointing. It's important that readers like this character but he didn't seem likeable, from the very first appearance. No matter how many times his charm/handsome-ness has been mentioned.

My biggest problem with this book is the prologue. It's absolutely unnecessary, and it makes the story totally predictable. Also, I didn't like the end. Again, unnecessary and stretched. Could have been used as epilogue if it was too necessary. It somehow marred the impact of actual ending.

There are some minor glitches (IMO) like a 16 year-old daughter having her 'own laptop' when they already have a computer and when Renu is struggling to manage the monthly expenses & even thinking too much to buy a remote control aeroplane for his son because her husband is not sanctioning the money. Or using a saaree palloo when she's wearing a suit. Also, surprisingly, I spotted some editing errors. But, they can be easily ignored.

Overall it was a nice and engrossing read. Pick it up if you like reading women centric stories or romance or family drama. And, don't be apprehensive about the term 'erotica'. It's nothing like that.

[Gayatri Saikia | per_fictionist · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am indebted to Shuchi Kalra Maam for sending me a review copy of this beautiful book.

As the cover suggests, A Cage of Desires is an woman centric book that revolves around the life of Renu and Maya and their journey of finding their own selves.

“You gave me million deaths and made me come alive.”

Set in the country of India, this story opens with a day of Renu’s life. Renu, the mother of two children and also a wife has never recieved unrequited love in her life. But her desire to be loved doesn’t dim.

On the other end of the story, there is Maya, an adult novelist and a bestselling author of her genre. Maya, unlike Renu is bold in her writing and her readers adore her audacity and self-confidence.

Shuchi Kalra with her impressive writing style takes us on a journey of how Renu and Maya, finally find themselves in the path of searching for true love and inner peace and how in the course their lives get intermingled.

“Urdu poets often talk about the seven stages of love : hab(attraction), uns(infatuation), ishq(love), aqueedat(reverence), ibadat(worship), junoon(obsession), maut(death). She remembered another Urdu word” fanaa”-self destruction”

Kalra focuses on the patriarchal household dominance that is evident in almost all major parts of India. Although Renu, is intimated by the misogynist society at the very first portion of the society, she gradually gets a hold of herself and fearlessly puts her needs first, as an woman.

I haven’t read much of the Indian authors lately due to the fact that they are hopelessly based on either love stories or friends turned foes vengeance.

But “A Cage of desires” is undoubtedly a masterpiece of its genre. A must read for every reader out there.

[Pari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book comes straight to the point unlike certain books that I have read where things start happening only from the last half of the book. Thus, the book keeps the readers engaged from the beginning. We come across some prominent characters who add to the narration of the story in their own way. Renu is shown as a docile housewife who runs around the house doing all the household chores as her father – in law continues to nag her in the background. She is tired of this lone struggle but it is impossible for her to give up because it will hamper the welfare of her two children. So, she goes on fulfilling her duties as a wife, daughter – in law and a mother. To make things worse for Renu, she learns that her husband is enthralled with Maya and she do not know how to make her husband disclose this secret.

However, things start changing after the arrival of a tenant, Arjun, to their home, leading to an outcome which is beyond Renu’s dreams and expectations. Will she face the outcome or try to escape from it? Will Renu and Maya ever cross paths? It is for you to read the book and find out.

A message ringing loud and clear throughout the novel is that Renu is a woman first, and then a mother. She too has needs. She too wants freedom. And it is high time people start understanding that. Rather than seeing a woman only as a sacrificing being.

The book provides an alternative perspective on a “healthy Indian Family” where it is not only about practicing traditions and social norms but also, about healthy growth of the person within the family. She discusses the hypocrisy in the society towards this compelling yet forbidden world and tastefully narrates the sensual moments.

Also, she comments on the patriarchal household and the role of women within it. I love the book because of the beautiful portrayal of the suffocating control of the society over women’s sexuality. And, also, for the reflection on the idea of “space” that is important in every relationship.


A Cage of Desires is the story of the progression in the perspective of a woman who was caged within the household, shackled by the routine of life and the norms of the society. It is a story of freedom of the mind, of the body and of the soul of the woman who have been confined in a loveless marriage. It is a story of the awakening of the desires that were never realized before. And I think it must be read for it is also a beautiful story of womanhood.

[Sanjana · Rating 4 out of 5]

In his phenomenal book, ' Scenes from Marriages,' Sudhir Kakar has analysed the psychoanalytic sphere of women's sexuality. A woman is more vibrant in terms of her sensual course than a man. He presented scenes from Indian marriages where he explains how an aroused wife is a 'danger' to the household. Then what does she do? How does she quench the thirst of her raging desire??
📚A Cage of Desires by Shuchi Singh Kalra is such a book, which tries to explore these questions, tries to tell a tale of the hopelessness of a Indian woman, who is only either a wife, a mother or a daughter-in-law but never a passionate, ravishing woman. Renu is the lonely homemaker who works hard throughout the day for her family but only gets humiliation in return from her father-in-law. Dev, her husband is ignorant about the house and her. But how long? When the night falls, her desire arises. The only way she could find solace is to write erotic fictions under the pen name 'Maya.' Gradually she becomes Maya herself, when Arjun enters into her life. Did she really find happiness or everything is illusion again? You need to read this book to know how Renu's life stepped onto a new threshold...
📚In the film, 'Ek Chadar Maili Si,' adapted from the Urdu novel of same name by Rajinder Singh Bedi, Rano was also a woman of passion, who was remarried to her brother-in-law after her husband's death. She used the passion to control over the patriarchal society. She knew her sensuality was her only weapon against the male-dominating world..
📚The author of this book has touched the core of this issue perfectly as how an Indian woman in a conservative marriage end up to, where desire is forbidden and only duties are allotted. Renu and Rano both had the igniting spark of sensuality which their men were unable to gratify, so they accused them instead, reducing them to the status of fallen woman..
📚 For Maya, she is not only Renu or Rano, but everyone who is shut up, whenever she spoke out loud about her passion, her sexual and creative desires...
Continue reading on blog(link in bio)...
Recommend- Yes.
Rating- 4/5⭐

[Vidhya Thakkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check full review here: http://www.vidhyathakkar.com/bookrevi...
A Cage of Desires, is a story of Renu, a Middle age woman, sacrificing her dreams, managing household. After a shattered childhood, Renu wished for a happy married life, will she get one? Will all her desires get fulfil? There's a lot, lot more in the story.

Firstly, I loved the title of the book. It is attractive and it made me curious to read this book. The cover is good but could have been better. I loved how the story started. one can easily connect with the story from the very first page. I fell in love with the plot. it was super amazing. There are so many twists and turns with lots of emotions. I loved the way the author narrated each and every emotion, beautifully. A woman is not meant to be inside four walls, she desires freedom, love and affection too. It's a story about loveless marriage, many desires, expectations and lots of dreams. I loved the way the author had a hold on language. The feelings portrayed were raw and straight from the heart. The language used by the author is simple, Bold, crisp and fresh. There's no drippy language but pure emotions expressed. The pace of the story is little slow, but I loved how events were happening. The flow was crisp. As the story proceeds it becomes more interesting. The characters that the author created were wonderful. Each and every character had their own importance. Along with characters, I loved how the author the author developed the story. There are many themes that you'll find in the book like Love, betrayal, desires, friendship and Secrets. The way the author explains the emotional turmoil that a woman goes through is commendable.

It's about the traditional thinking that holds another person to do something different in life. It's about a Woman who decides to break all the barriers and follow her dreams. There are so many parts, lines, which inspires, which will touch your heart.

Strong Plot, Interesting Narration, Simple language, Wonderful Characters, made this an interesting read. It's a beautiful story of womanhood. it is undoubtedly a masterpiece.

[Swati Dubey · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is a kind of love that makes you go down on one knee and there's the kind that brings you down on both.
You don't need the latter, because no matter what you do, you cannot make anyone love you back. untill they want to.
.
The plot of this story revolves around two women Renu and Maya.
Renu had always craved love and security, and her boring marriage and mundane existence somehow lead her to believe that, maybe, this is what love is all about.
Maya, on the other hand, is a successful author who is infamous for her bold, erotic books.
Renu's thirst for love and longing takes her on a poignant journey of self-exploration. The answers come to her when she finds the courage to stand up for herself, fight her inner demons and free herself from the cage of desires.
What do these two women have common? How are their lives intertwined ??
The story will give you all the reasons.
.

This book is written in a very lucid and simple manner.
The writer has pointed out many modern-day dilemmas of married Indian women which is quite commendable.
The story also shows the hollowness of the lives of those people which looks quite glittery from the distance.

[Sushma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Its a FANTASTIC book by one of my favourite writer SHUCHI SINGH KALRA... Cover illustration by SAYAN MUKHERJEE and cover design by MEENA RAJASEKARAN


About book :- It is a book about love story that makes you go down on one knee....
Its pages start from a proverb e.g. "TO EVERY PHOENIX WHO ROSE FROM THE ASHES....
A very interesting and lovable paragraph or poem is also there e.g.
**YOU ARE MY EVERY DREAM
YOU ARE MY EVERY NIGHTMARE

YOU ARE THE FIRE IN MY NIGHT SKY
YOU ARE THE DARKNESS IN MY SPARKLE

YET ARE MY DEMONS LOOK LIKE YOU..**
ITS JUST INTRO..........

[SAMVEDNA · Rating 3 out of 5]

The fruit of passion kindles the aroma of desire irrespective of your marital status. What keeps us interweaved is satisfaction, not liability.

A woman devoting her all to her husband, her kids feels incomplete. She has known loneliness all her life, always craving for caressing arms. What life offered her was social restrictions and her forlorn emotional state.

She finds a escape in her rendezvous with words, inking her desire, giving them wings, narrating exotica.
But will that secret remain for long?

But that’s not enough, she need the fire that can burn her into calmness.
She needs something real, someone real.

The plot here takes a predicted turn, yet one has to admit it won’t make you feel the plot has lightened for you.
A tenant comes into their house. A man who’s much younger to her but with their first eye contact the reader knows there’s more to come.

It’s about love, trust, social restrictions, the desire for freedom, satisfaction and betrayal.

The author isn’t new for this genre and she has mastered the art of telling her stories adding the exact amount of spice as required for it to be neither insipid nor salacious.

[wayfarersmusings · Rating 3 out of 5]

100 pages into this book and I realised it's not for me.
The characters and Renu's mind have been well written but the filmy-ness was unnecessary at times.

[Anukriti Malik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Disclaimer - The novel contains erotic content that might not be suitable for some. Please read the book only if you are comfortable with reading such stuff. The review , however , is erotic-content free.

Summary

Renu , a woman in her mid thirties , a mother to two children lives an uneventful and mundane life in Lucknow. Her husband Dev , lives in a different place thanks to his job. She was sent away to hostel after her parents separated and has ever since craved love. But her boring marriage life did no good. Dev would only come on Sundays and would either read the newspaper or be with kids. There was no spark left in her marriage and she would often find herself uneasy , specially when the sun dawned.

Maya , on the other hand is the queen of erotica. Her novels have been the best sellers. People have either loved them or hated them but just couldn't ignore her name. She turned heads but her identity has always been a secret. No one knows who Maya is and what she looks like.

Both Renu and Maya have something in common and their lives intervened.
Review

It is rightly said , the opposite of love is not hate. It is indifference.

Shuchi Singh Kalra's A Cage of Desires had been the talk of bookstagram for the erotic content and how bold it is for an Indian woman author to effortlessly pour it and be a best seller. Kalra's book truly deserves to be a bestseller, not for the erotic content but for the harsh realities of a woman's life and how she needs to take a stand against the society.

The character of Renu , our leading lady has been created to perfection. A dotting wife , a mother to two and a daughter-in-law to a cranky old male. She works throughout the day with little desires of her own. The only time she crawls out of her mundane existence is when the sun sets. She explores herself in a way every wife wants her man to but sadly her man is miles away from her. When sleepless, she pours her heart out on a peace of paper and tosses it away in to the trash. The next morning , she is back to her routine she has been following without complaints since years now.

Renu , dissatisfied with her mundane life and boring marriages finds love and that love makes her do things beyond her imagination. But this infidelity came with a price. But what is the role of Maya in Renu's life ?

Between happiness and sadness , there's a middle road called peace.

The story was quite predictable and you might have guessed the connection between the two by now. The story flows at a natural pace and nowhere was it rushed or too slow for a reader. The erotic content is perfectly placed and not thrown into the reader's face as most novels of this genre do. I liked how the character of Renu kept building and how she stood up for herself when she actually needed to. As the story progresses , you feel yourself getting hooked to the story soo much that your mind already starts racing and you think of what is going to happen next.

A quick and amazing read that showcase a woman's desire in no way you have read before. Recommended.

[Neha · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.4/5
Check full review on https://smileaturself.wordpress.com/2...

The book puts forward a very strong message that, not all women are to be caged inside the boundary community has set. It also talks about the flaws, out society has of Men can desire any Women, but Women can’t even desire to be a Woman!

The message is strong, but what I couldn’t get through were the erotic and bold contents of the book. I am not very fond of erotica, and that’s where the novel lost me. I paused 3 times to finish it up, due to the bold contents that took all the sense of the reader instead of story.

The language used is simple, but sometimes events are too descriptive. In starting the story had a mystery involved, but it too was short-lived. The cover of book and the title is such apt and I loved the cover that surely raised a curiosity about what we are going to read.

[Sulagna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read my entire review at http://www.diaryofabookgirl.in/2018/0...

The story is about a middle class married woman who is confined by the medieval Indian society. How her freedom is snatched away and how she finds solace in fulfilling her physical desires in secrecy and in doing so she explores the hidden desires of her heart.

To be honest, there's not much to be discussed about the story as the story is not particularly exceptional but I want to tell you about the raw emotions and the portrayal of Renu's inner turmoils, especially when she switches her role from Renu to her alter ego 'Maya' and back from 'Maya' to Renu, that have been beautifully depicted in the book. The book has its share of dramatic twists and turns but it is the emotions that stand out the most.

There were times when I was getting frustrated because of the stupid ways in which Renu's weak heart was working but then I realised that Renu is a perfect image of an ordinary Indian middle class married woman. But the range of character development is immense. Renu changes from a timid woman into a (in the author's words) 'a glorious bird in the sky with fire in her soul and ferocity in her heart.' THIS, is the reason why I loved this book - it is empowering.

I am really glad I got to read this book because it is beautifully written. The author's writing style is almost lyrical, very poetic and this is why I was totally absorbed in the words. I recommend it to all readers. You may hate it (because many people don't like this genre or this type of books) but the book is very endearing and Renu's philosophies will clutch on to your heart.

[shalini · Rating 3 out of 5]

"To every Phoenix that rises from the ashes" is on the beginning to the book and I was quite intrigued by it. I love the story of the Phoenix and consider myself one; in fact I believe most people go through a fire of hardships to rise again as stronger human beings. So on this exciting premise, I eagerly began to read A cage of desires and then I couldn't put it down.

Renu is a middle-aged housewife who lives a rote life between upbringing her two children, caring for a cantankerous father in law and her household chores. Her husband Dev is an absent partner as he has chosen to relocate for work in a nearby town. He comes home infrequently and when he does, his wife is last of his concerns.

Renu feels stifled and unloved but doesn't know how to escape from it. Her parents had separated during her school days and neither had time for her in their new lives. Her FIL frowned on her spending time with neighbourhood ladies; as a result Renu was quite friendless.

Night time when she could be all alone in her room is what she looked forward to after an entire day of care taking every household need. That's when she indulged in writing down her thoughts on paper- a catharsis of sorts for her. To sate her sexual urges, she indulges herself with sexual fantasies and masturbation.

The Indian literary world was being shaken by women writers who were putting sexual desires of a woman on the map by writing books in it. One such prolific writer was Maya whose books were being lapped up eagerly by one and all. But no one knew who Maya was as she preferred anonymity over stardom.

Her FIL goes ballistic when he catches his granddaughter reading this trash. Renu too has a secret stash of all the books written by Maya and seems to be quite a fan. She is majorly perplexed to see Maya being researched on her desktop as is visible from the browser history and wonders if it's her husband.

All was going well in the world when Arjun stepped into her life to rent out the spare room on the terrace. Renu finds him forward in his interactions with her. At the same time she is attracted to his masculinity and rugged good looks. As fates would have it, this leads to a serious infatuation, culminating in sexual relations between them.

And then the world takes a huge tumble for Renu who goes from being ordinary to needy to broken to glamorous and finally to healing. Her inner strength and mental sanity are tested to breaking point just like a Phoenix who moults over to burn to death, only to rise from its ashes.

The book begins well and I loved how the characters are sketched out. Renu feels so familiar as if I know her or have met her before. Her relationship with her children is very well set. Her routine life and inner desires seem so real and honest. I loved the scene where she tackles her daughter reading erotica and answers her questions so effortlessly - such a viewpoint about sex and a child's curiosity over it is much-needed in our society.

The jarring bit came for me in her husband Dev whose character is not very well etched nor is their marriage. It seems the marriage just began, had two kids and then the two drifted apart. His move from the family to a remote area is perplexing and I couldnt wrap my head around this. Especially as Renu accepts it all too calmly without any protests. She still desires him but he is not in love or lust with her anymore. Moreover his extra marital affair came across as very filmy and flimsy to me.

Second character who perplexed me is Arjun. He is the ultimate seducer at first and that bit is written well. What I got weirded out by is his bizarre mood swings and how he feels about Renu. Sometimes so much in love with her and other times so mean and ruthless. His yo-yo behaviour is what I couldnt connect with. I am unsure whether the author is portraying him as calculating, shrewd and arrogant or plain weak. Even till the end, the last meeting with Renu - were we feeling sorry for him or happy that he got his comeuppance?

Renu's fixation with him was understandable initially. But later with his changing behaviour, her letters didn't make sense to me. She seemed to understand the status quo on the surface but in the letters she takes all the blame and absolves him - I couldnt reconcile with this bit at all. Here is a woman who is not afraid of expressing her sexual desires, enough to write them into books and yet when it comes to the jerks in her life; she is back to blaming herself. Even her attempted suicide seems to meaningless and out of sync with the story line. Her rise from the ashes is a bit flawed for me - I guess I wanted to see her stronger and imagined her so in my head.

The overall story line and plot was very interesting and the first half had me gripped but the second half of the book lacked the grit and let me down in my expectations from the tale. I must confess the filmy twists in the tale were not up to the mark for me but then I have to remind myself that this is chic Lit ;-)

What I really came away from this book is Shuchi's writing style which is quite young, fresh and enthused, She writes in a no-bullshit tone and is not afraid to go where most don't dare. The sensibilities she has explored in this tale are brave and need of the hour. Her sex scenes are real, sensuous and steamy without being cheap or vulgar or contrived. Great research there ;-)

[Sanchari Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That's the thing about truth--- it doesn't flinch, it doesn't falter, it sears and burns."

Walking on the thorny strings of life, one has to face many such unbearable truths that have the power to break through our castle of illusions and leave us shattered.
But then, they also have the power to make us stronger.

And that's how it worked out for our protagonist Renu in the book "A Cage of Desires" by Shuchi Singh Kalra. A boring marriage and a mundane existence had trapped her into a cage where she always found herself craving for love and security but never seemed to find the path to her desires. But when the ugly face of the society begins to unfold before her eyes, Renu comes face to face with several truths that threatens to shatter her life.


But kudos to the strong, powerful and bold women like Maya who refuse to be the victims of their circumstance and never allows themselves to be consumed by the trials of life. She writes erotic books unafraid to express herself, fearlessly embracing the powerful desires within her. Such female characters endow women like Renu with such inner strength that they finds the courage to stand up for themselves, fight their inner demons and free themselves from the cage of desires.

"Such  is our hunger and greed for perfect love and beauty, that we chase this mirage unto the end---our end."

The book throws light on multiple themes and highlights different social evils like patriarchy, double standards, hypocrisy, gender bias, etc. It passes a great comment on the taboos attached to female sexuality, women desires and their erotic cravings. At every step, the book demonstrates how the burden of preserving the family respect falls on the shoulders of the women alone, while the men can get away with anything they please.

The book is also about unleashing the feminine power to rise above such evils and breaking the cage of desires to emerge victorious in the end. The story proves that if pain can break you, it can also strengthen you to rise above it.

And strangely enough, it's only when you lose everything that you acquire the greatest strength, for you have nothing else to lose. The protagonist of the story feels the same way, as if she died millions of times only to come alive each time stronger than before.

"The thing about scars is that you cannot make them go away---you can only learn to live with them."

Beset with multiple twists and turns, the book keeps the readers on the edge of their seats. That coupled with powerful narrative style, remarkable tone and a smooth flow renders the book unputdownable.

And as a bonus, the book offers some pure writing advice if we dive a little deeper into it. With Maya being a great writer in this novel and Shuchi Singh Kalra being a remarkable author such advices are inevitable and of great value to a writer.

"Not all stories have a beginning and an end, because they are not stories at all. They are journeys."

This book is a journey too. Not only for the characters but for the readers as well. They travel with the tale of the protagonist and in the process journeys inside their own soul to grow along with them. It's truly strange how others' stories of strength and courage can strengthen us from within. And this is one such book that will give the readers immense strength to stand up to their demons, fight their own battles and ultimately conquer them.

"There are some journeys you have to take on your own. Some paths you have to tread with no hand to hold, even if it is dark and riddled with thorns."

[Vishal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Author Shuchi Singh Kalra third and latest offering, ‘A Cage of Desire’ takes readers on an erotic trip set against a middle-class Indian background and its biggest forte is about human desires, pain, longing for love and lost emotions set against a patriarchal society. The premises lend the erotic story a soul that makes it a winner all the way and the author depicts steamy sex scenes in a unique fashion to portray the main character Renu’s ‘desperate’ attempt to wade through the labyrinth of her mind and unfetter herself from society’s shackle. In short, the author is a rule breaker, upping the quotient right from ‘Done with Men’, ‘I am Big so What’ and now ‘A Cage of Desires’ where she breaks all taboo and writes about sex, tapping into the characters to make them free minus prejudices or taboo. A Cage of Desire is the true winner for it departs from the run-of-the-mill erotic books that stand apart through the unbridled theme.

There is something gentle in the depiction of the human desire and the stillness, ‘inexplicable currents coursing through her body with each advancing step of his’, that meets the storm dripping like current to quench and consume desire. Of course, the expression, ‘he touched her in a way anyone else did’ speaks about human desire and a sexless marriage.

The main protagonist is an author who writes about sex and erotica by the pen name, ‘Maya’ and the best thing about A Cage of Desire it is a book within a book. It’s a bible on desire and Maya who complement each other beautifully.

It’s about unrequited love with Arjun and the great betrayal gains powerful expression through Urdu prose, hab, aqueedat, ibadat and junoon. I love novelty in books, particular hot erotic ones that are not routine unlike our classic idea of sex that tends to be melancholically mechanic. Kalra doesn’t fall in this trap and introduces the novel concept of love letter to express pain and angst, choking voices and soul stripped in the open. The letter is Renu’s heart torn apart yet crumpled into the bin. This sequence is gut-wrenching about losing in love and serves as an analogy to a naked soul without inhibition.


A Cage of Desire’ holds no bare unpeeling the layers about sex, identity and pain particularly when Renu makes violent love to Arjun, overpowering him during the act to satiate her hunger. The sequence is telling and blows the lid open on Renu wearing the hat of an angry Goddess and one cannot fail to see a striking resemblance to Kali in the Hindu pantheon spreading havoc on what makes her a bruised woman. Of course, Renu, the woman whose voice was stifled unleashes the beast on Bauji, placating him for his conservative and patriarchal values has an escalating effect on the character that wants to break free in a world stifling voices of women trapped in a bad marriage. Shuchi Singh Kalra’s book is not only coming of age but strives to break barriers on a woman’s legitimate right in claiming what is rightfully hers, body, sexual desires and right to love in a society infested by exploitative norms as the biggest patriarchal excuse.

Full review on:

https://vishalbheeroo.wordpress.com/2...

[That Book Nerd You Know · Rating 4 out of 5]

TITLE: A Cage of Desires (City Plans)

AUTHOR: Suchi Singh Kalra

PAGES: 232

PUBLISHER: Penguin

ISBN: 978-0143441625

GENRE: Erotic Novella

THE BLURB:

'There's a kind of love that makes you go down on one knee, and there's the kind that brings you down on both. You don't need the latter, because no matter what you do, you cannot make anyone love you back.'

Renu had always craved love and security, and her boring marriage, mundane existence somehow leads her to believe that, maybe, this is what love is all about. Maya, on the other hand, is a successful author who is infamous for her bold, erotic books.

What do these two women have in common? How are their lives intertwined?

Renu's thirst for love and longing takes her on a poignant journey of self-exploration. The answers come to her when she finds the courage to stand up for herself, to fight her inner demons and free herself from the cage of desires . . .

IF I COULD REVIEW IT IN A SINGLE LINE:

Bold, dauntless, gutsy, intrepid

THE REVIEW:

Bold, dauntless, gutsy, intrepid, unplucking, foolhardy, spunky, ablaze, lucent and thought racking, this is everything a book needs to be. Endearment, ardour, guile and revenge form the central plotline of the book as is very well observed in the title itself.

Renu the form of Indian woman, calm, dutiful and yet loving and audacious is every other 'bahu' of the household. She is the blissfully married woman soon to realise the lie her life has turned into. The distance and lack of chemistry growing between them with each day is beyond unnoticeable. Having a very calm and rather innocent outlook to the world has her forgive her nothingness of life. Dev is growing distant but the forebearing Renu is forever indebted and robbed of her sight by the illusion of home than our culture sets.

Maya is alluring, beautiful, mystic and yet tenacious, salacious and powerful. Everything Renu is not and yet they have their lives mingled into circumstances that neither foresaw. The author is famous for the bold, erotic novels with a fiery fervor and this book is nothing less of the same.

The bold content of the book was good for me but it got too predictable at times. The language is simple without big words which is never something I go for but in the end it did turn our fine. Apart from a couple here and there printing mistakes the editing was fine.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Shuchi Singh Kalra is the Amazon bestselling author of two novels-Done with Men and I'm Big. So What!? Her short stories have appeared in Love across Borders, Stories for Your Valentine and NAW Anthology 2013. In her freelancing career of over a decade, Shuchi has written for major print and online publications such as Femina, Good Housekeeping, Hotelier International, Huffington Post and Home Review, among others. She has also been listed among the top women authors to follow on Twitter.

Website: www.shuchikalra.com

Facebook: facebook.com/shuchisinghkalra/

Twitter: @shuchikalra


Cover: 4/5

Title: 4/5

Characters: 4/5

Language: 3/5

Story: 4/5

Writing and Presentation: 4/5 

Overall: 3.8/5

Disclaimer: I was sent this book by author for an honest review. The review is absolutely my own and hasn’t been influenced by anyone.

[Mansi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Firstly thanks to the author for sending across the book for review. This book is a fiction based on a woman's life as evident from the amazing cover of the book. The cover of the book summarized pictorially exactly what the book is about. The title is also apt. I generally don't read erotica, so at first I was apprehensive if I must go with it or not. But the cover was enough to attract me towards it.

I am fond of woman centric stories, and hence opted to read it. The book is of ~200 pages and hence, a breezy read. The flow of the story is straightforward, no confusions at all. Though, during initial few chapters I was suspecting it to be inspired from Indian movies. Gradually I realized it is much more than that. The plot is penned so bravely, boldly and intensely. This is highly uncommon for Indian authors. Being a woman author in India, and keeping the society and culture into consideration, it is in itself a bold step to write a book like this.

The book revolves around the protagonist Renu, a simple home maker, who takes care of her kids and a nagging father-in-law single-handedly while her husband works in another town and is least bothered about the family. She, like other Indian women is bound in the web of her duties but deprived of her rights. She longs for love and affection, the desire of loving and being loved back. Her husband never realizes her worth. She doesn't get back from him what every married women needs. But bound under the rules of Indian society, she isn't allowed to look for alternates to fulfill her desires and to keep bearing her misfortune. The book is an encounter of her with other men in her life, and the fulfillment of her desires with them. The multiple facets of an Indian woman is indeed well depicted. Through the course of the story she finds love, hatred, betrayal and keeps bouncing between all these, angry and unsatisfied. (I won't give any spoilers here :) ). The story progresses on how she combats the destiny and emerges victorious. She chooses the unconventional, something that must be a motivation for other women too.

This book is also a satire on the Indian society where people are fond of reading and watching erotica behind closed doors. But at the same time, are ashamed to know their women being involved in it. (Resisting spoiler again). Maya is a writer who writes erotica under pen name and is loved and appreciated by all, but it becomes a cause of shame if men find their women in Maya's place.
The scenes are well narrated. Love making is quite descriptive. At times, you can actually imagine what is happening, and that is the quality of a well written fiction. The usage of words and sentences for the portrayal of emotions is appropriate. It is indeed a well revised and wisely edited work.

However, at certain points you may feel that there is exaggeration of emotions, or redundancy of the same thoughts over and over.

Overall the book is a well thought over, emotional roller coaster ride.

I would recommend the book for all those who are fond of women centric Indian fiction books. I rate it 3.5 on 5.