Boys Don't Cry

by Meghna Pant

When Maneka Pataudi is arrested as the prime suspect for the murder of her ex-husband, she reveals a chilling tale of marital abuse and neglect.
But is her confession the truth or a lie? Is she telling the story as a victim or a perpetrator? And, is it better for women to kill for love or be killed for it?
Based on a true story (mostly), Boys Don't Cry is a gripping, compelling and courageous novel that takes you behind the closed doors of a modern Indian marriage.

256 pages, Paperback

About the author

Meghna Pant is a multiple award-winning author, screenwriter, journalist and speaker. Her books – Boys Don't Cry (2022, Penguin), The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News (2021, Penguin), How To Get Published In India(2019, Bloomsbury), Feminist Rani (2018, Penguin), The Trouble With Women (2016, Juggernaut), Happy Birthday! (2013, Random House) and One & A Half Wife (2012, Westland) – have been published to commercial and critical acclaim. Pant has been named one of India's best writers by various publications.

She has been felicitated with various honours and shortlists for distinguished contribution to literature, gender issues and journalism, including the Frank O'Connor International Award, Commonwealth Short Story Prize, Laadli Media Award, Bharat Nirman Award, FICCI Young Achiever Award, Muse India Young Writer Award, FON South Asia Short Story Award and Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni has described Pant’s writing as ‘surprising and moving’, Ashwin Sanghi as 'provocative and inspirational', Jeet Thayil as ‘deft, merciless, expertly-tuned’ and Namita Gokhale as possessing 'intense human sensibility'.

Pant's short stories have been published in over a dozen global literary magazines, including Avatar Review, Wasafari, Eclectica, The Indian Quarterly and QLRS, along with anthologies like The Himalayan Arc.

Meghna has lived in Delhi, Singapore, Zurich, Dubai and New York City. She is currently based in Mumbai with her husband and two daughters.

Reviews

[B · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars 🌟

This was chilling, terrifying and incredible. I had not expected to be so immersed while reading it. My only complaint is the ending, which I feel diminished everything that the book had established about the MC. It seemed like a cheap 'plot twist' added for horror and shock, but it just made me very bitter. But apart from that, I'd highly recommend.

Reviewed in 2022.

DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.

How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/ was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/ was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/ was average / Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/ new favourite

[Aarti Arora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Painful. I badly wanted Suneet & his parents to suffer, but as it was, Maneka's too polite nature dawned upon author as well. This story needs to reach to all the people.

Meghna has a way to play with her words which is explicitly evident in this book, and that’s what I enjoyed the most along with the storyline. The language is very realistic and makes it easy to be inside the story.

Many women would be able to relate this story given the poignant context it touched upon.
Recommend to everyone!

Read the full review on;
https://readreactreview21.wordpress.c...

[Som · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt a lot of connection to this book but the ending made me hate this.
All through the book I felt so toxicated by the story and the behaviour of the marital abuse Maneka faced but at that same time time couldn't help but agree that it is a sad truth of Indian Families which I myself have experienced throughout my childhood watching my mother suffer such behaviour. This story felt a harsh mirror to the truth but it's not the reason I hate it for.... Not also because throughout reading I felt so bitter and was left depressed at the ending. But I hated how the author chose a lot of things for the protagonist, Maneka.

I hated how abruptly the character of protagonist shifts, even after how the starting of the story showed a revolutionary woman (which I loved) but it abruptly shifted through phases of an "Abla nari" while suffering the harrasment and abuse helplessly. I hoped while reading that the protagonist would have a character development while reading but that never happened. The stupid decisions and all the things she did kept getting worse and worse until the end. Yeah and even the ending twist lead to a bitter taste in mouth seeing the protagonist become a murderer herself. The idea of "abused becoming an abuser", I found it a little unsettling and very dramatic.
It would have lead to so much better ending even while keeping the same concept.

But all in all it was an average book that did a great job telling a story that is so complex and a harsh reality of the society. It does a great job in expressing the emotions of a victim and an abused. But it just have a weak story telling jumping through different chapters and then abruptly ending the story with such a cliché climax with not even getting into the depths of it while leaving the reader feel a sense of incompleteness and a lot of injustice to the protagonist's character arc of finding freedom.

"For that’s the beauty of a flower that never forgives even what it’s forgotten."
The beautiful floral cover of the book was just to fool us readers and attract like bees. And then get pricked by the thornes it so ruthlessly carries.
As the book ended I felt like the police guy.
An abused who was actually was on the side of the abuser.

Never thought I would hate a story so much that it actually means I love the story. That's how complex it made me feel.
I read it two years back but I still remember getting depressed after completing this and taking leave from work just to sulk in my room.

[kavya ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

fuck.
this book was so good and it pissed me off so much fuck men
also so many great quotes why are none of them on gr! some of my favs:

1) Do you know why India's billionaires are the least charitable in the world? It's because they've grown up seeing so much poverty they're immune to it. It's the same with society. We've seen so much abuse of women that we've become desensitised to it. We don't react the way we should. Silent crimes go unpunished. Do we catch women who speak up? Do we break the male code? No! Since society and the state are not protecting us women, we must protect ourselves.

2) "It's like the love never went anywhere," he whispered at the end of the night. When I was a little girl, my father would tell me on moonless nights that the moon had to go away in order to shine. It wasn't very different with love.

3) It's easy to be nice when you have nothing to lose.

4) For cheating doesn't reveal the cracks in a person, it reveals the cracks in a marriage.

5) A family without daughters is a family without love for women. Was it his fault he'd been born into a misogynistic family? Was it his fault he'd been put in a cage where he wasn't allowed to feel?

6) He was acting like the victim whom I had to tend to and console. I accepted this as some form of repentance.

7) Some people see the rain and only think of puddles.

8) His India is not everyone's India. We have to be tolerant of those who are intolerant.

9) It'll take more than a city to kill me.

10) It's a mistake. I don't care. My loss has always been someone else's gain.

This hit the nail on so much. It was so real that it was distressing to read. It got the thought process that someone in an abusive relationship goes through that makes them justify the abuse and stops them from leaving so well. I had to keep putting the book down. It's a kind of elevated horror, except all these things are all too real and happen every day. Which is the scariest part.

Also Kamini and Maneka!!! I was rooting so hard for them. BRB gonna write some fanfic for them living their best life together fuck everyone else <3

[dee ?! · Rating 4 out of 5]

stayed up till 3:30 re-reading this last night and it was just as terrifying as the first time
maneka better than me because i would NOT have trusted some bum ass guy for five years like i would’ve committed murder by the end of year one
still fucking scary that it’s mostly a true story, i remember telling my mom the story when i first read it and she told me she knew a college friend in the exact same situation :(
lowkey don’t have any complex thoughts because i think i went through the rage phase of this book when i first read it. this is probably the only book in my shelf that’s in first person pov and still quite good, though imo the pacing was a little off in the last quarter.

[ROSHNI SATHYADAS · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boys don’t cry by Meghna Pant is a fiction based on a marital abuse phase in the life of the author.  I am always intrigued and interested in stories based on real-life accounts.

The author tells the story of Maneka who endured an abusive marriage in all sense and what was thereafter. My heart went out to Maneka. The subject is always relevant. There are improvements in our society, but that came with its own challenges. When I started reading the book, I wasn’t expecting this. The author was stating the things we already knew. But everything she said was the things that made us cringe each time we hear about them and the matters that we would want to deal with ourselves and spontaneously. But then we are either not able to or choose not to do anything. This is unbelievable then this is real. The majority of the people out there are those who are well aware of the situation and still choose to stay in the abusive relationship in hope of the change, in blind belief towards their love, etc.

The book was a blow to the judgemental me, who never understood; why educated, independent, women stayed in an abusive relationship. The author tells us her story through this fiction and lets people like me realize or take a resolution to never judge people with our own perceptions. Everybody has their own side of the story. The working of the world is bizarre. How ironic is the situation, that we put our life and happiness as a whole at stake in order to portray ourselves as a good person to the society who wouldn’t bother to give a damn other than some fake consolations and more jabs when any mishap happens to us?

The author is allowing us to take a peek at many ‘always-known’ insights about women and the things when we come across, we choose to neglect most of the time. This is the reality of many women out there which shows no connection to the status/plight of the person – educated or uneducated, rich /poor, employed/unemployed. It is most dangerous when the victim thinks that the person who is wrong and needs correction is the victim itself. The situation of not recognizing the abusive situation and remaining silent to the violence even after recognizing the layout. Most of the time, forsaking our happiness for the sake of the happiness of our loved ones becomes a burden to them. That could be the last thing that our beloved people would expect out of us. How degrading is such a relationship not only to the victim but also to society as a whole?

I personally don’t prefer the sudden change of the book from a sad and then an inspiring version to the crime thriller mode towards the end.

The book is successful in showing us that silence is not the answer to any sort of abuse. It is never late to take action. Boys don’t cry is a highly recommended, inspiring emotional roller coaster ride.

[Book_withquotes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Boys Don’t Cry” by Meghna Pant is a courageous exploration of the harrowing reality of an abusive marriage, leaving readers questioning societal norms and reevaluating their perceptions. The novel, based on a true story, introduces Maneka Pataudi, who finds herself as the prime suspect in her ex-husband’s murder, unraveling a tale of domestic abuse and neglect. The story takes readers behind the closed doors of a modern Indian marriage, shedding light on the complexities and challenges faced by women. Pant’s narrative weaves through the life of Maneka, an educated and independent woman, who falls victim to an abusive relationship, challenging the stereotypical expectations imposed by society. As the protagonist endures physical and emotional violence, the author skillfully exposes the stark reality hidden behind the façade of many marriages.

The strength of “Boys Don’t Cry” lies in its ability to provoke introspection and empathy. Pant’s portrayal of Maneka’s struggles and the societal pressure surrounding marriages confronts readers with uncomfortable truths. The novel serves as an eye-opener, breaking away from conventional narratives and questioning the price women pay for societal expectations. The book’s impact is palpable, prompting a reevaluation of preconceived notions about why women might stay in abusive relationships. It challenges the reader to consider the societal pressures, fears, and psychological toll that often keep victims trapped in such situations. The author’s ability to evoke emotional responses is evident in the rollercoaster of feelings the reader experiences throughout the narrative.

The novel’s transition from a poignant exploration of marital abuse to a crime thriller might feel abrupt to some readers. However, Pant’s boldness in addressing issues like mental health, patriarchy, and societal expectations adds depth to the narrative. The prose, at times poetic, enhances the emotional resonance of the story, making it an immersive experience. “Boys Don’t Cry” succeeds in delivering a powerful message about the importance of breaking the silence surrounding abuse. The story encourages readers to reevaluate societal norms and support victims rather than perpetuating judgment. It’s a thought-provoking and emotional rollercoaster that will leave a lasting impact, challenging readers to reflect on the role they play in perpetuating or dismantling harmful stereotypes and expectations. This novel is not just a compelling read; it’s a call to action, urging society to break free from the shackles of silence and address the pervasive issue of abuse within the sacred institution of marriage.

[Jenny Writes]

Book Name : Boy's Don't Cry
Author : Meghna Pant
Living in a nation where men always grab the power and women are better off to be home-makers, the book breaks all these monotonous thoughts which prevail in the Indian society as a whole.
Standing up for what is right, facing all cruelities with all might makes a women a lady knight. Yes we women have a complete right to speak for all the atrocities we face in the sphere of our lives whether it's be at our home,workplace,society,etc.
We have the courage to break up the mythical ties which we have been bound to follow either wish to or we wont. An eye-opener for all the women who stay calm with just one meagre thought that prevails in our society ,"What people will say?"
A completely game changer and awakening appraoch by the writer.
Fell in love with the book and the way it had been expressed. Much Love :)
Keep up the good work !

[Vaj Vijaya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review

Book - " Boys Don't Cry "
Author- " Meghna Pant "
Genre - " Drama , Thriller "

Beta ( daughter ) , When are you getting married ?

This is the one question which every Indian girl would have heard atleast once in your lifetime unless you are a victim of child marriage. Well, there are questions for that too. The point is - Nothing is ever enough for the poking aunties and uncles in our society. Though even men face such questions, it's on different pedestal for women in India or anywhere in general.

All hail patriarchy which we have so carefully nurtured and made it part of our culture that we can shamelessly say that it's part of our DNA.

Coming to the story - This is the life of Maneka Choudhary. Let's reel back a decade. (2009 )Maneka was a educated, independent, jovial and strong working woman - That is till the entry of the self proclaimed knight in the shining armour- Suneet. We women tend to fall for unworthy men thinking who will fall for a strong woman and the fear of loneliness engrained in our brains since childhood. MARRIAGE MARRIAGE MARRIAGE - The penultimate goal of every woman on this planet or so we re told.

Maneka falls for his charms. Little does she imagine that her dream man will turn out to be a monster. Fast forward to thr present (2017 ). The monster is dead and Maneka is arrested for murdering her husband. Did she commit the crime or not ?
Will she ever have a new beginning ?

This book brings out several important issues which are faced by women behind the four walls where we can only see their camaflouged smiles and makeuped faces. Several incidents mentioned in this book sent shivers down by spine. I have never been so impacted by a book and being unmarried made me rethink about the entire business of marriage and I have questioned myself several times - Is it really worth it ?

May be the grass is always greener on the other side but this story is a desert which scalding hot for any creature to survive. I was battling with Maneka in my mind urging her to woman up and fight. Punch Suneet and others involved. I even wanted to pull my hair but that's the impact the story had on me. So many issues are spoken here. It's a very critical read for the society as a whole if we truly want to lead a happy and cultured life. Not just faking it in weddings or Instagram's.

Kudos to the author for this powerful read. I'm definitely going to check her other work. 🙏

[Anshika Jain · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title should've been something else.

[Raylene · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it with a mix of revulsion and horror, only to find myself at a 'hell yeah, sister!' climax. Don't mess with women. Period.

[Silpi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boys Don't Cry is a phenomenal book about women, empowerment, society, taboos, belief in oneself, standing for one and so many more that makes this book one of my top read of this year so far!
Trigger warning: the book deals with abuse and violence.
Read the book if you are okay with reading about these... The book will take the readers through the married life of Maneka and Suneet.
BDC , written in simple language but one that will make u close the books for sometime and just thimk what you read!
Yes, it is disturbing sometimes... You want Maneka to fight for her, but she need to learn for herself, to make correct decisions in her life!
The book started as Maneka is preparing her divorce party and that fun when you start reading it... And by the end the reader have gone through so much that the ending just leaves the readers staring at the pages.
Nobody should mess with a women. And this proves it surely and greatly.
I used to get so much irritated and agry and frustrated at first but with time I rooted for Maneka.
A beautiful story with an even beautiful cover! 🥺❤️

[Smita Jain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book: Boys Don’t Cry
Author: Meghana Pant
Rating: 4.4/5
A story that makes you shudder, cry, gasp and think with its brutal honesty
That marriage makes love go out of the window is an oft-repeated joke. Reading Boys Don’t Cry makes you think that a marriage without love is still the better part of the deal, and a woman can end up paying too heavy a price for getting married- notwithstanding a love marriage.

The book pits its protagonist Maneka Pataudi against the antagonists—her husband Suneet Sodhi, his parents, and Samit—Suneet’s elder half-brother. Her only unlikely ally in a foreign land is Kamini, Samit’s wife and another daughter-in-law driven to despair by the Sodhi family.

Maneka and Suneet fall in love and agree to marry each other after a quick whirlwind romance. An incident of violence three weeks before her marriage makes Maneka question her decision, but she ignores the voices inside her head to go with her heart. Plus, there was the matter of family honour. What follows is a brutal saga of abuse, physical and emotional violence and domestic workload that leads a happy Maneka to lose her confidence, self-worth, independence, money and ability to make decisions.

Maneka gets the courage to walk out of the marriage once but, wanting to avoid the ‘divorcee’ stigma, decides to give her marriage a second chance, this time in another foreign land. Only to have history repeat itself. After eight years of physical and mental abuse, she finally decides that getting divorced is a lot better than staying in a hellish marriage and even throws a lavish divorce party after it comes through. However, on the day of the party, her ex-husband dies of poisoning and Maneka is arrested as the prime suspect. Whether Maneka has a hand in the death of Suneet even though she was on another part of the globe on the day of the incident forms the crux of the story.

Boys Don’t Cry is not for the faint-hearted. It is neither one of those mushy romances where the couples kiss and make up after minor conflicts nor a feel-good book where troubled beginnings and messy middles give way to happy endings. Instead, it is an unconventional read for trudging a path where few Indian books had trod before, laying bare the secrets behind the closed-door Indian marriages. You will begin, read and end the text with a sense of shock and awe, and the story’s hangover will remain for a few days.

The beauty of the book lies in the descriptive devices employed generously across all the chapters. The reader will feel, see, hear, celebrate and cry with the protagonist—and it is here that Pant demonstrates her mastery. In some places, the prose reads like poetry, at others, you marvel at the author’s imagination in using the metaphors that she does. The author has mentioned in the acknowledgement that it took eight years for her to write the book. The effort shines in the output.

While the story of marital abuse, patriarchal systems and women’s issues worked for me, the sudden transition of the heart-wrenching tale to a crime thriller was too jarring for my taste. The ending did not answer the ‘did-she-didn’t-see’ question, making me wonder whether Pant has planned a sequel for the story. After a point, the tale of violence and abuse gets repetitive and predictable. When Maneka decided to give her marriage a second chance, I felt like pulling my hair out, knowing that it would end up in the disaster it did. I found it hard to believe that a working, educated woman could be so naïve and blind, but then I don’t know what goes on behind closed doors around me. Pant should be lauded for making us realise that all that we see from our eyes is not necessarily the truth. A passing mention of mental health issues in the book did not do full justice to the topic, making me wonder if the author got too ambitious in attempting to highlight all the ills plaguing society.

Nothing takes away from the boldness of the subject, the beauty of the narration, and calling-a-spade-a-spade-like dialogues in Boys Don’t Cry. Some of the scenes and thoughts of the protagonist resonated with me as a woman. The scene where Maneka laments about her cooking in the kitchen and serving other family members at the table when the other folks in the house watched TV and called out this behaviour (even to herself) as not normal alone made me laugh and want to whistle and clap out loud for Pant. This is the first instance of a mainstream Indian author stating that household chores are not a woman’s responsibility alone, and Pant deserves kudos for that.

A lot of phrases stood out for me, some of my favourite lines being:
\\ To brush the bloom, you have to tear the flower from its stem
\\ That’s the problem with owning something so beautiful. You have to watch it die
\\ There are only so many battles you can pick in a marriage, and mine already had much larger
ones.
\\ Because even glass has to crack before it breaks. And my time to break was still to come.
\\ You don’t crawl out of a divorce. You carry it around like a brick in your pocket, a weight you
can never lift.

I read somewhere that this book is being made into a major motion picture. After reading it, I can see why. This story needs to reach out to more people and deserves the big screen.

Boys Don’t Cry will disturb the reader for days after they finish reading its last page. And therein lies its strength.

[Arohi Khedkar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking at the blurb i was expecting it to be yet another typical murder mystery but NOOO... this is way too intriguing and nerve wrecking story of Maneka pataudi who is arrested as prime suspect for the murder of her ex-husbands. That's the opening scene and then while interrogating, she proceeds with the explanation revealing some horrifying incidents of her marriage life but is it all true? Is she telling the story as a victim or a perpetrator?

Boys Don’t Cry is all about the abusive and patriarchal behaviour of MANEKA's IN-LAWS, how they made her life a living hell and still were moving ahead with their own life as if nothing happened. All the torture both mental and physical truly was nerve wracking and i was so in urge to just dive into the book and fight for MANEKA, that's how triggering it is. Also at some point i felt everything to be a bit exaggerated and made me think how a person can tolerate all this? is it even possible to that extent? but then yes, that's how love is supposed to be, that's how it turns you into a foolish person to make you believe everything done to be justified under that tag called LOVE.

I was totally on edge all the way till the end, full of anger and feeling disgusted. That's how well the author has plotted the story line and written the characters. i wonder how these kind of people still exists supposing it to be a true story(almost). I loved the initial vibes of MANEKA being all strong, independent women full of sarcasms and finally loving her new life. But it turned all upside down the moment SUNNET comes into the picture; its when MANEKA was confessing everything to the police officer when she is been arrested. And the MANEKA we get is something totally opposite of what we see in the initial chapters. Perhaps the struggle she had, turned out to be reason she is now.

Also along with these serious issues like abuse and torture it sheds major light on mental issues and psychological aspects of a person. The amount of anger i had all transferred into sympathy towards Suneet in the end considering mental health issues and made me give it a second thought. But definitely not her mother in law, she was such a pain in ass, I'm not at all sorry for what she gets in the end she deserved that(you may call me evil).. But its also to be noted how important SELF RESPECT is, loving them and giving second chances is all fine unless it becomes a habit for someone resulting into loosing yourself in that process. It is to be thought off, How unknowingly we get involved into something we never expected. How the surrounding make us fall into a trap we never even dreamt of in our wildest dreams. People still tend to believe all these taboos' and male supremacy and yet it can be seen clearly in this 21st century. I was so frustrated and disturbed turning every single page which turned me into a devil and felt that satisfaction at the end hearing the truth, which i am definitely not gonna spoil here. (Go.. crack your head yourself like i did.)

It is such an impactful work, i wish majority of people come across it. Her writing style is so intriguing that i am definitely gonna read out her other novels too.

[Juan Jose · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is well-written, and it will captivate your attention. It is a self-growth and recognising-our-abusers story peppered with Indian culture/cuisine and a couple of murders.

I enjoyed the author's beautifully written contradictions and how the book was approached - Maneka narrates her story of abuse in the police station under investigation for the murder of her ex-husband.

Because I read this book as part of my book club's feminism-themed March book, I lack the context of the author's personal story or other publications. I hope it isn't as bad as that endured by the book's main character. Sorry - I just googled it - and it's based on her personal story, except for the murdering spree.

The book followed the story of "Maneka" between 2007-2012, when marital abuse and divorce were less visible in society.

The bits that I enjoyed the most are:
• The book is written in an organised way, with the ideas well structured, and never stays too much in the same place.
• The author doesn't tell you how to feel; she lays out the facts and lets the reader digest everything.
• The heroine of the book has flaws on her own. She is a human with desires, hopes, errors, blindspots, etc. She has a natural healthy dose of selfishness - whiskey as a worthy b-day present, wanting an expensive gift for herself, etc. All the petty beliefs and wants that make a human human and not an idealised pure virtue hero.
• The book chronicles each small step required to rationalise the abuse Maneka endured. It will be a cautionary tale of the red flags to watch out for before marrying someone.
• The story captures the wide range of colours of married life. Despite some obscurely sad episodes, it also contains moments of happiness, hope, laughter, and adventure.

The bits that I didn't like so much are:
• The ending feels like a deus ex machina. Suddenly, she emerges like a Bond villain who has orchestrated several murders. She confesses to it all because she has poisoned the detective taking her confession. Like, what?
• The abuse suffered by her and her sister-in-law, Kamini, can be broadly explained by their husbands' loveless upbringing and, specifically, her husband, a mental disorder. I believe this removed or lightened the duty of each adult to be mature and emotionally responsible for their actions.
• As I have never read a book on a similar topic, it's hard for me to untangle what comes from the misogynistic nature of her husband's family, what comes from the societal times and what comes from the Indian culture. A statistics-based discussion at the end of the book could help clarify this and educate readers.

[Manushri G · Rating 3 out of 5]

'Boys Don't Cry' by Meghna Pant tackles crucial social issues extremely relevant to our world today in an excellent manner. The novel, being based on the author's personal experience in an abusive marriage discusses the trauma it leaves on the survivor but also the strength it takes to overcome the it. Maneka is a voice for the hundreds of millions of women in our country who find themselves stuck in abusive relationships. Her story is one that echoes thousands of others and reveals the dangers of not being able to identify abuse in all of it forms whether it be physical, emotional, financial or verbal all of which the protagonist has to confront.

On a deeper level, Pant's novel is a wakeup call to society as a whole. It reveals the failings in our education system for not incorporating mental health awareness as a part of the curriculum. As Pant wrote "Silence is the biggest violence." Not talking about mental health issues further perpetuates them. Perhaps this story would never have to be written if Suneet had been taught about what it means to seek help from a young age. We often do not realise the gravity of the impact silence on these topics can have on an individual's life and it is the prime reason why so many people find themselves in abusive situations. Additionally, Pant reveals a shortcoming of society's mindset where the patriarchy predominates and women are ostracized for failed marriages in misogynistic comments where they are called homewreckers, slurs and whatnot.

At its core, 'Boys Don't Cry' sends a powerful message about mental health issues and the patriarchy. It was an absolute page turner that kept me up till 2am dissecting it. While the crime thriller aspect of the novel was interesting, I also found it unessecary, I thought that the novel was strong enough on its own. It felt like it was something just added into the novel because I felt it was not elaborated on well enough. I also feel like there could have been more time spent on establishing Maneka's character at the beginning because I spent the entire novel learning who she was not instead of who she was. Which is why, even though I loved the novel, I could never really feel like I was in her head, thinking what she thought and feeling what she felt. The book was descriptive and employed great diction but I always found myself reading it from a third person perspective as someone watching what had happened rather than being in the situation myself.

Regardless, 'Boys Don't Cry' is a must read for every single person and we need more novels tackling these social issues. Hats off to the author for her sheer bravery in writing this very much needed book.

[Ismailandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boys don't cry is a book that speaks with the reader as if the conversation is going on face-to-face; we are being taken together with Maneka Choudhary through everything she has gone through as woman. One of the best read by me so far- but the only thing that I felt was to be considered was the story from her in-laws and what is their narration; I missed the other part of the story.
It was very confusing storyline - with the see-saw nature of Suneet. This book took me on a journey of unpredictability and sent shivers down my spine from time to time. Even after the completion of the book, there are so many unanswered questions queuing in my mind. I still wonder if it was Suneet's nature or he really was a bipolar or depressed. It irritated and frustrated me that Maneka tolerated so much and took so much of time to arrive at the decision.
Although its fast-paced, it took me a few days to complete it, which is unlike my nature; I usually finish a book in a single read or couple of it. It's a gripping, compelling and courageous novel that takes you through the truth, behind the closed doors of a modern Indian marriage.
What was interesting to me was that the whole plot started and ended on the same day, in the same place, since it was narrated by Maneka herself- how can someone talk so much non stop! It funny actually, making the entire storyline sound hilariously impossible. I hope this book will have a strong impact on both, the abused and the abuser. This chilling tale inspires women to fight for their right. There are so many people in our country, forced to live with masked people, fake love, lies, anger, frustrations, helplessness, hope and conflicts; and this book serves as an eye-opener. It takes courage to live amidst all of that. A must read book irrespective of gender, age, religion or the country one is living in. Hope you found my review helpful. HAPPY READING!!!

[Bindu Bala · Rating 5 out of 5]

🅱🅾🅾🅺 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆

𝑩𝒐𝒚𝒔 𝒅𝒐𝒏'𝒕 𝒄𝒓𝒚

🆀🅾🆃🅳#: Who is your favourite female author?

#AOTD: Mine is always Elif Shafak.

ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀ: Meghna Pant
ꜰᴏʀᴍᴀᴛ: Kindle/ Paperback
ᴘᴀɢᴇꜱ/ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀꜱ: 255
𝙶𝚎𝚗𝚛𝚎: Crime Fiction
ᴘᴜʙʟɪꜱʜᴇʀ: Penguin ebury press


🔆𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚌𝚎, 𝙾 𝚆𝚊𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚛, 𝚘𝚛 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗𝚠𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚎𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗: 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚐𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚙𝚛𝚊𝚒𝚜𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚢𝚎𝚊𝚛𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜.

🗣️𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: Meghna Pant is an award-winning author, journalist, feminist and speaker.
Her books-The Terrible, Horrible, Very Bad Good News, How to Get Published in India, Feminist Rani, The Trouble with Women, Happy Birthday and One and a Half Wife-have been published to
commercial and critical acclaim.

🔆SYNOPSIS: When Maneka Pataudi is arrested as the prime suspect for the murder of her ex-husband, she reveals a chilling tale of marital abuse and neglect.
But is her confession the truth or a lie? Is she telling the story as a victim or a perpetrator? And, is it better for women to kill for love or be killed for it?

🔆NOVELTY: From the title of the book this book has turned the table for me. When I had read the tittle of the book I took it as a book centralised on Boy. But to my surprise, when I had started reading this book I was in awe that what a brilliant story has been jotted down by the author.

🔆GUESSWORK: While reading this book one may encountered many aspects coming to its way and the point of view has mostly from woman perspective. The elements in the book has been tuck tight and could not predict what is coming in our way.

🔆LANGUAGE: The language of the book is easy and beginners friendly.

🔆FINAL CALL: Though, I gauged this book from the title to be a cliche read but its actually now. Apart from the brilliant cover this book tackles many issue related to divorce, marriage abuse and other societal taboos. I would recommend this book to read


- - #readwithbindu
- #reviewwithbindu
- - #bookwormbindz









Hi

[Neerajakshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was emotional at so many levels that it literally brought tears to my eyes, quite a few times.

Going back a decade to 2009, where the story starts, Menaka's character has shown us that despite being educated, independent, she was gullible and naive believing the default rules set by society . She fell for the charms of Sumeet , whom she believed was her ideal partner.

She also fell into the trap of society and believed that "Marriage" was the ultimatum, and having kids would solve everything. This is what we are taught growing up. Isn't it high time we break such taboos. She ignored the red flags, thinking that she was in love, but was all the pain worth it, in the name of love and marriage. Doesn't incidents like these scar us for life?

Being educated, independent and strong willed Menaka tolerated physical, mental and psychological abuse, enduring it to a stage when all hell broke loose and she became nume to everything. Also her fear of ending up alone, didn't let her break free from her abusive relationship.

Coming to the point where the story kick starts... Menaka gets arrested for the death of her husband, who was in a different country when the incident happened. Was she really involved ? You have to read the book to know that. It keeps us hooked till the end.

Just because she was naive, doesn't mean she stayed that way. She left her namesake husband, got divorced, starts a new life, but this time - her life, her rules !
Did she just leave her husband and her in-laws to fate and Karma ? Well read the book to find out how the sweet innocent Menaka finally turned into a Pheonix rising from ashes.

The author walked us through many taboo topics like Mental health, divorce, the retaliation that women fear speaking up for themselves, how the abuse that they face within four walls is justified as "normal".
Meghana Pant did an amazing job telling us the do's and don'ts in life through this story.

[Anandarupa Chakrabarti · Rating 5 out of 5]

I completed Meghna Pant's 'Boys Don't Cry' as an audiobook and I realize now that it's only her writing proficiency that makes her books so hard-hitting and readers feel involved in the plot. 'Boys Don't Cry' is amongst those books that must be read and learned for families to change their outlooks.

This is a story of a young modern yet mature woman Maneka who falls in love with a bipolar man Suneet, and marries him only to face terrible consequences she never imagined. As she lives her life with her in-laws, Maneka observes her husband's change in character when in the house with his parents and on a rare occurrence of a vacay. 'Boys Don't Cry' is about the harsh patriarchy, the ones where a woman gets treated like mere slaves and servers of household chores.
'Boys Don't Cry' questions this baseless norm of a lifestyle. It's a big reveal of the emotional and mental trauma of a woman that none talk about freely and that only women take the burden of these incidents politely. Marriage is a fond companionship structured with love, maturity, and understanding and perhaps shouldn't be misled for a helping hand or nurses for their family. Both should be honest in their skin and take stands if anything or anyone opinionates wrongly.
Unfortunately, Maneka feels the oppression of in-laws for all her married life of 5 years, but why did she bare all of this just for the sake of love to her partner?

'Boys Don't Cry' was my impulsive purchase though I was gripped by the book cover and unfortunately I have only "heard" Pant's writing and not read it. This book stands apart and crosses all bounds of expectations. I also realized how Pant's words hav e been always beginners friendly in terms of plot, characterization, and storytelling. It remains and clings to you. Recommend it totally to men, their families, and to women to understand not to take up the burden of false oppression.

[Manish Raj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boys don't cry book by Meghna pant is about a female protagonist who undergoes marital abuse, it's about men and depression and the societal pressure a woman has in her marriage. At a glance the book title made me ponder over the fact that the book is written about emotions of men at the same time it made me wonder if it is entirely a different story the book is going to present. Menka Choudhary is the character that once again made me believe women is much more than a women when she is determined and courageous about her self respect.
The book is plotted on the set of norms the society has set about marriages, where a girl has to take care of her home and the men has to earn. The problems and and harrasment some women goes under an abusive marriage.
This was thrilling courageous novel I've read so far. It has interesting plot which kept me on it turning pages and find what happens with Menka and Suneet. Is Suneet really suffering from depression and why did Menka took so long, even being an educated girl to act upon her situation.
This was one of the best read so far I read this year. This book is the point of view of Menka when she was arrested at her divorce party as she was the prime suspect of her ex- husband murder. This was an intensely spine chilling and mind gripping novel. Menka and Suneet marry after falling in love but this doesn't go so well for so long, her marriage took turn when she was getting abused and thrashed by her her husband.
The book is a thrilling read. It get more intense when the author decide to create an unbinding suspense by adding a murder in it. It is a great work of fiction but a lot of it show an almost true image of the society. Its keeps the reader curious after each page.
I would totally recommended. It is totally worth to read .
Thank you ✨
Happy Reading 📖❣️

[Sakshi Nair · Rating 4 out of 5]

Our society has established ground rules for everyone. Men will work, earn, carry the family name and Women on the other hand will take care of the house, kids, in-laws, husbands along with their careers. In addition, the unspoken rule of being adjusting, compromising and forgiving in marriage is only applicable to women. Why??

“Boys don’t cry” By Meghna Pant will surely make you question these rules about our society.

Our protagonist Maneka Pataudi, gets arrested for “Murder of her Ex-Husband”, while she was enjoying her divorce party. She reveals all the marital abuse and the atrocities she went through. Maneka was taught to follow the so-called rules of our society and she tried to save her toxic marriage with Sunnet. Who was an abuser, a monster, a narcissist to put it bluntly. She got divorced after years of mental, physical and financial torment.Cut to Sunnets Murder investigation. Is Meneka telling the truth? Is she a victim or perpetrator? Well, I leave it up to you to unravel this mystery.

There were a lot of cringe-worthy incidents with Manekas in-laws. The way author has written Sunnet's character, I felt nothing but hate and anger towards him. The incidents were so well articulated that I thought I was in this with Maneka and I wanted to pull her out of the hell hole.

The author has boldly touched on the taboo subjects like Patriarchy, Mental Health, Self-Love, Self-Respect and being career-driven. Kudos on trying to break the stigma's and the known laws which we as women are expected to follow.
*It's definitely given me alot to think about how I need to raise my kids. *

 Hope you find my review helpful 😃
Happy Reading 😊

[Shreya Srivastava · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beginning with the first beautiful line that touched my heart, "That's the problem with owning something so beautiful. You have to watch it die."

A rollercoaster I would say it was. I read it under 4 hours, stuck to it bawling my eyes out. Every next chapter looked like what more could go wrong and it proved it so wrong. The struggles, the sacrifices, the compromises the protangnist has gone through is terrible, and it's a sad reality of Indian woman. I love my India but I'm ashamed to say, this is the reality. Not that other countries don't do it, but I can sense this story in every third house in Indian Household, how a women no matter how much intelligent, independent or not, working or not, caring or not, housewife or not struggles due to a guy's family. It's heartbreaking, I wish nobody gets such a life but only if wishes came true like that. But I'm proud of this character who back a decade ago fought for everything, her life, herself, her career which his so called soulmate and Sodhi family ruined from the day she got married.
Her opinions matter, her emotions matter. She is important, an equal member of the family. This book is a must read for every women, to get inspired to spot to red flags of a guy and his family, and for boys to understand what a woman goes through.
Dear Author, I salute you for this wonderful book, it was my first book of yours and I know for sure I would love your other works too. Thankyou for writing this book

[Rudra Maheshwari · Rating 4 out of 5]

The narrative centres on Maneka Pataudi, a woman who was arrested while enjoying her divorce party. Her in-laws accused her of killing their son and accused her of being a murderer. She further recounts the experience of her, with ex-husband Sunnet, from the moment she met him to the part of divorce. The story is strictly women centred for the majority of sections.
I agree with the few parts that Megha penned about the treatment of women in the society, but it would have been more appreciable to learn the other side of the story.
The theme was designed to focus on social issues like patriarchy, financial abuse, so-called masculinity centred society. To an honest perspective, I believe that oppressive culture does exist in mere divisions of the society but doesn't always imply the victimisation of women. The story somewhat seemed biased account to be, and should have equally focused on the account of men being the victim of pseudo feminism. But yes, to cope with the biased attitude towards women in villages and small sections of the society, I'd recommend readers to read this book once.
I neither support any aspects of supremacy, be it women or men, and to maintain the decorum of the society and make it a better surrounding, I appeal everyone to be cordial to one and the all abandoning the mask of supremacy.

[Abhishek Pathak · Rating 5 out of 5]

The story has been centred on abusive relationship between Menaka Patudi
And sunnet. The story sets here have depicted and It based on a true event. They get into the relationship, and it was forwarded very smoothly. Gradually suneet started changing his colour and specially her mother started demoralizing her and then further resulted into Domestic violence. After Fifteen years of struggle somehow she managed and couraged to step out of this toxic relation but unfortunately Suneet strongly willed refused to give divorce rather he was still trying to hamper her mental health. What will happen next? Read the book to unfold the complete plot of the story.

Now a day Domestic violence has been affecting people from all walks of life. An abusive relationship, there is a cycle of violence and abuse, which is committed by the abuser, and they may use different forms of abuse.

The cover has been kept simple yet attractive. The author has used Simple and easy language that can be easily understandable.The author through her this endeavor not only highlighted the substantial role of societies, family towards any women but also how someone can cope up and boost the sprit to defend themselves. Woman deserves to have a happy and safe life for themselves and most importantly she should be respected from her partner.

[Vanshika Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read the backcover summary of the book and mistook it to be a thriller and a cat and mouse chase between the accused protagonist and the cops. It is not that.

Boys Don’t Cry is the story of Maneka, a recent divorcee celebrating her divorce in Mumbai when she is arrested for the alleged murder of her ex-husband mid party. Turns out her ex was a toxic, gas lighting and abusive partner and it took Maneka years to free herself of him. But would she go so far as to kill him?

To me the summary made it look like there would be a lot more to the interaction between the cop and Maneka. Probably a misinterpretation on my part. The book actually documents Maneka’s journey of suffering through abuse. The toxcity and gas lighting are mentioned in great detail. If anything, this book is an eye opener for anyone who is probably ignoring similar signs.

Good read on marital abuse. It gives a lot of perspective on what women go through in such relationships and how difficult it is to actually get out. You empathise with Maneka and in places you want to knock some sense into her. This book does try to bust the ‘i can change him’ discourse and narrative. And it does so successfully.

This book is a sobering reminder of reality and I believe more people should read this. Just don’t mistake it for a vengeful thriller like I did.

[Neha Parmar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maneka throws a divorce party to celebrate her freedom just when she thought she could enjoy her freedom, she finds police at her doorstep; apparently her ex husband was found dead in Dubai and Maneka is the prime suspect. who killed Suneet? and What role does Maneka has to play in his death? A heart wrenching tale of modern Indian Marriage.

The thin line between domestic violence and possessive love is very well defined by the author. The author has very well explored how most of the women in abusive relationship are buried under the weight of living up to the society's image of and ideal wife, daughter - in - law. even though the major theme of the book was marital abuse and violence, the author has broken each elements of a marital abuse be it verbal, over the top expectations, constant criticism leading to mental torture are the key elements which play vital role in a ruining a marriage. The narration of the book is so vivid, its very hard not to feel the pain of the characters. I really loved the plot of story and especially the end left me speechless. There is a part in in the book where the author has beautifully shown how for a married working women, 1 Hour or 1Night of alone time in the house; just staying in bed, eating leftover dal chawal is a priceless moment of relief and Independence

[Gayathiri Rajendran · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boys Don’t Cry by Meghna Pant was a terrifying and painful read which touched upon topics many women could relate to.

Maneka is a jovial,young working woman who has a great life. She falls in love with Suneet and decides to get married after a whirlwind romance. There is some violence three weeks prior to the marriage and Maneka feels uneasy but still proceeds for fear of judgement by family and society. Little does she know the steep price she’ll pay for it later.

This book puts Maneka against the antagonists,Suneet her husband and her in laws and her brother in law Samit. The only person that gives her a little bit of support is Kamini,Samit’s wife.

What follows after marriage is a terrible cycle of physical and mental abuse which strips her of her confidence and Maneka loses her ability to make decisions,her job,money and dignity. The writing is so good that you are transported directly to the setting. The descriptions given by the author are so good that you undertake this journey along with our female main character. Many of the incidents in this book are very relatable to us and at least a few women would have experienced this at least once in their lives. This was a very shocking book to read as well as a thought provoking one. I’m still thinking about this book long after I’ve finished reading. I felt the ending was a bit filmy but other than this small issue,it was a great read.

[Akshay Patil]

'Boys Don't Cry' book by award-winning author Meghna Pant. The book is based on a murder mystery thriller and based on a true story. The story of the book revolves around Maneka Pataudi who is an independent & strong woman. And she was arrested for killing her ex-husband which she had taken divorced because of an abusive and toxic relationship. so Maneka killed her husband??,
So who is behind the murder?? why do strong independent women get abused?? to know more go for the book ...

The book is a combination of love, marriage, Relationship, divorce, abuse murder, etc. The book talks about most of the important topics from the society like Mental health, Domestic violence, Marital abuse & tell the real truth behind modern Indian marriages, etc. The makes you emotional at some point. The plot of the book is interesting and glued to you till the end. The character in the book is described and developed well. The cover of the book is catchy and attractive. And the title of the book is impressive, enjoyed the read...

[Sofia · Rating 5 out of 5]

AUTHOR - Meghna Pant

INSIGHT - When Maneka Pataudi is arrested as the prime suspect for the murder of her ex-husband,she reveals a chilling tale of marital abuse and neglect. But is her confession truth or a lie? Is she telling the story as a victim or a perpetrator? And, is it better for women to kill for or be killed for it? Based on true story (almost).

REVIEW - This is the most courageous and powerful book I've read so far 🔥🔥. There are favourite lines in every chapter making you fall in love with the book. It's sad how always women are burdened with the responsibility to save the marriage and make efforts to fit into the family, sacrifice everything for the sake of their spouse and in-laws. Yet her efforts are left unnoticed. It's true being too optimistic is poisonous and this book proved it. Simple language . Its a gripping, compelling and courageous novel that takes you behind the closed doors of a modern Indian marriage.

SILENCE TOWARDS VIOLENCE IS THE BIGGEST CRIME.

HAPPY READING FOLKS 😊✨