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Intersections: A Novel
Four friends. Four decades. And a deception that changed everything.
Twenty years ago, a stunning betrayal forced the lives of four young girls to spiral in different directions. Four girls who had taken their friendship and their place in the world for granted.
Pari, who longed to fit in; Samira, who craved a mother’s love; Roma, who pined for one boy; and Madhu, who strove to overcome her circumstances. Four friends who were inseparable, their lives enmeshed, their fates intertwined. Until a series of cataclysmic events tore them apart.
Two decades later, they are face to face again. Can they forgive and move on? Or will one person's secret vendetta destroy them all?
Emotionally layered and richly imagined, Intersections raises profound questions about love, loss, forgiveness, and the deeply complex nature of female friendships.
Twenty years ago, a stunning betrayal forced the lives of four young girls to spiral in different directions. Four girls who had taken their friendship and their place in the world for granted.
Pari, who longed to fit in; Samira, who craved a mother’s love; Roma, who pined for one boy; and Madhu, who strove to overcome her circumstances. Four friends who were inseparable, their lives enmeshed, their fates intertwined. Until a series of cataclysmic events tore them apart.
Two decades later, they are face to face again. Can they forgive and move on? Or will one person's secret vendetta destroy them all?
Emotionally layered and richly imagined, Intersections raises profound questions about love, loss, forgiveness, and the deeply complex nature of female friendships.
416 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 4, 2022
57 people are currently reading
1017 people want to read
About the author
Poornima Manco
15 books58 followersPoornima is an award-winning novelist whose short stories have been published in The Guardian and The Telegraph newspapers in the UK. Born and raised in India, she still retains a deep connection to her motherland, which reflects in all her stories and books. Poornima lives in the UK with her family.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 33 reviews
September 23, 2022
In a Nutshell: A complicated story of friendships and betrayals among four friends, beginning with their tween years and ending when they are in their early forties. Most of the elements in the book worked well.
Story Synopsis:
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Indian readers will notice the diversity in the background of the four girls. Not just their states of origin but also their financial status and family situations are different from each other. This brings in plenty of regional angles into the story, including representation of the cuisines, culture and attitudes of the regions.
NOTE: As an Indian, I had an advantage because I could distinguish between an Amma and Appa, and a Mataji and Pitaji, simply because of the geographical familiarity. I am not sure how international readers would fare with this.
✔ Unlike most Indian authors settled abroad, the author actually does justice to the representation of India and doesn’t restrict herself to the stereotypes alone, à la Alka Joshi or Thrity Umrigar. It was also a pleasure to see Hindi words spelt the right phonetic way in English. (I still haven’t recovered from the butchered Hindi of ‘The Henna Artist’ and ‘the Space Between Us’.)
✔ I loved how the author balanced the conservative as well as the modern sides of India. Doing justice to the complicated structure that is contemporary India isn’t easy and hardly any author can do justice to the country, This one came very close.
✔ MOST of the main characters are layered and don’t fit easily into either good or bad moulds. This gives them a very realistic appeal. This is a character-driven novel, and this complex characterisation works perfectly for the story.
✔ The primary theme is friendship in all its aspects – trust, dependency, betrayal, memories, bonding, forgiveness, communication,... The story covers most of these well.
✔ The plot is quite complex, with plenty of interconnections between the characters. The multi-decade unfolding adds to the intricacy. But the author keeps firm control of the story and it moves exactly where she is driving it. Hardly anything felt superfluous.
✔ Uncommonly for a story with Indian women, romance/marriage isn’t the primary goal of three of the characters. What a welcome change! (The ending did spoil this point for me, but still, it was good while it lasted.)
✔ The writing is clean and straightforward without being simplistic. There is no purple prose to jazz up the plot.
✔ Despite the length (400+) pages, the quick-paced writing ensures that the story moves ahead steadily.
⚠ There are a few “issues” worked into the plot such as drunk driving, casteism, alcoholism, marital cheating, and many more. Mixed feelings about this, though somewhat towards the positive side. Many of these work for the story; a few felt shoehorned.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ There are plenty of references to physical characteristics. Pari’s “ugliness” because of her buckteeth and tall and lanky frame, Samira’s unusual attractiveness, Roma’s weight and Madhu’s slender charm – all come up time and again. I dismissed this initially because the four characters were just little girls. But the body-shaming (and praising) continued right into their forties. This was the biggest downer for me.
❌ Four individual first-person perspectives became too much to handle. Sometimes, I got confused about which character was speaking as their voices created “intersections” in my head. A third person narration would have been easier to handle for such a complex storyline.
❌ There are hardly any time references at the start of a fresh perspective/part. I would have liked a clear year to be mentioned so that I could match the characters’ behaviour with the era.
❌ The ending was a bit OTT. It tried too hard to tie things neatly. For such an impactful story about flawed characters, a perfect ending clashes with the rest of the content.
Considering everything, I did like the story a lot because it kept me invested in the proceedings. I have read only short stories by this author (which I mostly loved), but was a bit apprehensive of picking this up as very few writers are able to do justice to varying lengths of fiction. But she ended up surprising me.
Think you might enjoy a good, medium-paced, character-driven story set in (mostly) contemporary India with multi-faceted characters? Do give this a try.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to the author Poornima Manco for a complimentary copy of “Intersections”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
Story Synopsis:
- Pari: A Tamilian staying in Delhi. Wants to fit in.
- Samira: Half Indian half English. Wants to be loved by her mum.
- Roma: Bengali. Wants to live life on her own terms.
- Madhu: Bihari. Wants to reach far beyond her financial circumstances.
The lives of these four girls first intersect when they are between 8-12 years old. Thus begins a saga that lasts four decades, and involves plenty of secrets, broken hearts, shattered trust, healing and redemption.
The book is divided in four parts, each covering a specific age (tween, teen, early thirties, early forties). Each part has 28 chapters - 7 chapters from the first person point of view of each girl.
(A part of me is highly impressed at this accurate division of the plot across each character.)
Where the book worked for me:
✔ Indian readers will notice the diversity in the background of the four girls. Not just their states of origin but also their financial status and family situations are different from each other. This brings in plenty of regional angles into the story, including representation of the cuisines, culture and attitudes of the regions.
NOTE: As an Indian, I had an advantage because I could distinguish between an Amma and Appa, and a Mataji and Pitaji, simply because of the geographical familiarity. I am not sure how international readers would fare with this.
✔ Unlike most Indian authors settled abroad, the author actually does justice to the representation of India and doesn’t restrict herself to the stereotypes alone, à la Alka Joshi or Thrity Umrigar. It was also a pleasure to see Hindi words spelt the right phonetic way in English. (I still haven’t recovered from the butchered Hindi of ‘The Henna Artist’ and ‘the Space Between Us’.)
✔ I loved how the author balanced the conservative as well as the modern sides of India. Doing justice to the complicated structure that is contemporary India isn’t easy and hardly any author can do justice to the country, This one came very close.
✔ MOST of the main characters are layered and don’t fit easily into either good or bad moulds. This gives them a very realistic appeal. This is a character-driven novel, and this complex characterisation works perfectly for the story.
✔ The primary theme is friendship in all its aspects – trust, dependency, betrayal, memories, bonding, forgiveness, communication,... The story covers most of these well.
✔ The plot is quite complex, with plenty of interconnections between the characters. The multi-decade unfolding adds to the intricacy. But the author keeps firm control of the story and it moves exactly where she is driving it. Hardly anything felt superfluous.
✔ Uncommonly for a story with Indian women, romance/marriage isn’t the primary goal of three of the characters. What a welcome change! (The ending did spoil this point for me, but still, it was good while it lasted.)
✔ The writing is clean and straightforward without being simplistic. There is no purple prose to jazz up the plot.
✔ Despite the length (400+) pages, the quick-paced writing ensures that the story moves ahead steadily.
⚠ There are a few “issues” worked into the plot such as drunk driving, casteism, alcoholism, marital cheating, and many more. Mixed feelings about this, though somewhat towards the positive side. Many of these work for the story; a few felt shoehorned.
Where the book could have worked better for me:
❌ There are plenty of references to physical characteristics. Pari’s “ugliness” because of her buckteeth and tall and lanky frame, Samira’s unusual attractiveness, Roma’s weight and Madhu’s slender charm – all come up time and again. I dismissed this initially because the four characters were just little girls. But the body-shaming (and praising) continued right into their forties. This was the biggest downer for me.
❌ Four individual first-person perspectives became too much to handle. Sometimes, I got confused about which character was speaking as their voices created “intersections” in my head. A third person narration would have been easier to handle for such a complex storyline.
❌ There are hardly any time references at the start of a fresh perspective/part. I would have liked a clear year to be mentioned so that I could match the characters’ behaviour with the era.
❌ The ending was a bit OTT. It tried too hard to tie things neatly. For such an impactful story about flawed characters, a perfect ending clashes with the rest of the content.
Considering everything, I did like the story a lot because it kept me invested in the proceedings. I have read only short stories by this author (which I mostly loved), but was a bit apprehensive of picking this up as very few writers are able to do justice to varying lengths of fiction. But she ended up surprising me.
Think you might enjoy a good, medium-paced, character-driven story set in (mostly) contemporary India with multi-faceted characters? Do give this a try.
3.75 stars.
My thanks to the author Poornima Manco for a complimentary copy of “Intersections”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
———————————————
Connect with me through:
My Blog | The StoryGraph | Facebook | Twitter
January 13, 2023
When I read a story that is another time or another place, well, that’s a huge plus to me. I like being swept into somewhere I’ve never been with a way of life that I’ve never known. This is one of those books that pulls you in and makes you absorb everything that is so different and yet the people are familiar.
Four girls from different backgrounds who all attend the same private school, the English School in Dehli. Two become close friends, Pari and Samira. Samira adopts into their friendship a third girl, Madhu who is the daugher of Samira’s family chauffeur, while a fourth girl, Roma pushes her way into their private circle of friendship.
This story starts with the girls as children and ends with them in their forties. Three of the girls have had tragedy in their lives and the fourth one creates her own tragedy. They are scattered and no longer in touch except for Pari and Madhu but there is a school reunion to celebrate the retirement of their beloved school principal who played a part in their lives and so there is also a reunion of the circle.
This was a wonderful story of friendship, tragedy, strength and sadness. Each character was described so I could easily picture them in my mind as I read. I completely enjoyed this book.
I won a copy of this book in a First Reads giveaway. Thank you to the author, Poornima Manco for the opportunity to read her book and thoroughly enjoy it.
Four girls from different backgrounds who all attend the same private school, the English School in Dehli. Two become close friends, Pari and Samira. Samira adopts into their friendship a third girl, Madhu who is the daugher of Samira’s family chauffeur, while a fourth girl, Roma pushes her way into their private circle of friendship.
This story starts with the girls as children and ends with them in their forties. Three of the girls have had tragedy in their lives and the fourth one creates her own tragedy. They are scattered and no longer in touch except for Pari and Madhu but there is a school reunion to celebrate the retirement of their beloved school principal who played a part in their lives and so there is also a reunion of the circle.
This was a wonderful story of friendship, tragedy, strength and sadness. Each character was described so I could easily picture them in my mind as I read. I completely enjoyed this book.
I won a copy of this book in a First Reads giveaway. Thank you to the author, Poornima Manco for the opportunity to read her book and thoroughly enjoy it.
July 29, 2022
Intersections is a slow burn about 4 girls whose lives are interwoven from childhood.
This novel was too drawn out, at times, I couldn't tell which POV it was.
The characters were ok, at times, it seemed to have no baring on the storyline.
All in all not my cup of tea!
This novel was too drawn out, at times, I couldn't tell which POV it was.
The characters were ok, at times, it seemed to have no baring on the storyline.
All in all not my cup of tea!
March 24, 2023
Love books set in India, how these girls lives intertwine was excellent. couldn't put down.
July 5, 2022
An exceptional storyline about four friends, their secrets, betrayal and revenge. Great characterisation with the flawless writing style. I was hugely impressed with the depth and interweaving of plot lines, how expertly the author handles the multiple threads and how well he captures the range of relationships and dynamics between family and friends. I was really impressed with the author’s clever and complex plot. Each of the four friends has things from the past – and the present - that they are trying to keep from bubbling towards the surface. Each character chooses to accept the version of reality that suits them best.
This book gripped me from the terrifying prologue and kept me hooked till the end. I liked the way it was narrated from the perspective of each character.
The story and the flow will keep you enticed until the end. There are secrets and twists at every turn of the page. The climax is unpredictable.
This book gripped me from the terrifying prologue and kept me hooked till the end. I liked the way it was narrated from the perspective of each character.
The story and the flow will keep you enticed until the end. There are secrets and twists at every turn of the page. The climax is unpredictable.
July 2, 2022
Sacha's Book Reviews Blog
I received an advance copy of this book directly from the author, for whom I have reviewed several other books prior, namely the list below. While my short story tastes by this author are a mixed bag, the first novel I read from her was a most exquisite novel, and I’m thrilled that this one was as well! You can check out my other reviews here:
A Quiet Dissonance
Parvathy’s Well & Other Stories
Damage & Other Stories
Holi Moly! & Other Stories
The Premise
Pari is thrilled to befriend the new girl Samira, who seems to have what Pari always wanted for herself. Samira's beauty and wealth evoke adoration from admirers all around, but her life at home is not quite as enviable -- her mother is frequently unwell and does not have much of a relationship with her, and her father is often away on business. Samira craves the easygoing, loving family home that Pari shares with her brother Srinivas and their parents, but she is always on the outside looking in -- even more so when Madhu's family comes to live with them, and her mother soon cozies up to the impoverished but brilliant Madhu. And then there's Roma, who sets her sights on the boy of her dreams, and whose jealousy and hatred for Samira only keep growing. Decades ago, these four young girls formed an inseparable bond -- until a shocking event ripped them apart. In the present time, there seems to be hope that they can unite as friends again -- but is it too late?
The Pros & Cons
This was an epic, gripping women's fiction that takes you through decades of friendship -- and frenemy-ship -- as it recounts the family lives of four young girls as they mature into womanhood. Opening with a tragic event, the reader is left in the dark trying to piece together why it will eventually happen and to whom.
Told from four different points of view, we get an in-depth look at the inner workings of the minds of each of these complex characters, and it was fascinating to gain that insight. I especially loved the genuine friendship that blossoms between Pari and Madhu in their later years as adults, which was a stark difference from the girlish bond between Pari and Samira. My favourite character, though, was the legendary -- and deeply misunderstood -- Samira, who bears the burden of beauty and wealth coupled with an emptiness she can never overcome. Her story is an emotional gut-punch -- as is Madhu's, whose rising stardom crumbles to ashes due to circumstances beyond her control.
The author aptly captures the nuances of the female psyche -- the uncertainty of self, the jealousy of others, the fear of rejection, the glossy thrill of first love, the underlying hatred behind a youthful giggle. The prose is eloquent and visceral, and the intricacies of their intersections of friendships are a curious blend of happenstance and fate. The story unfolds with a deep, thought-provoking insight into the most overwhelming of emotions that we all someday face: loss, grief, forgiveness, and regret. It is also an atmospheric tale that transports you to its key location of Delhi, India, with a sprinkling of authenticity in the language and the sense of community and family among its characters. I also particularly appreciated the -- often unexplored -- aspect of a woman's life (and in particular, an Indian woman's life) that achieves success, fulfillment, and peace within oneself without the necessity of a romantic relationship with a man or the societal requirement to bear children.
With so much to love here, it's hard to pick apart for flaws. Usually with stories that span decades, I find issues with pacing, and here it does admittedly start off a tad slow at the very beginning. However, this is necessary in this case, as it focuses on the initiation and blossoming of these friendships as children, before leaping to the present when the main characters reunite as middle-aged women. The leisurely unraveling of each character pulls you in, exquisitely carving them out in all their raw and flawed youthful naïveté, and it was a joy to relish in the novel's journey.
Conclusion
Overall, this is a timeless tale that will resonate with readers -- particularly, women readers -- everywhere. We can all see a little of ourselves in each of these girls, and our own painful pasts in the tragedies they face. Though we know this group's friendship is somehow doomed from the beginning, there is always a flutter of hope that something survives that impending collision at the intersection of life. I truly enjoyed this novel and am happy to recommend it to others, and I look forward to the next one from this author.
___________
This review also appears on my blog. Visit to read more of my reviews: Sacha's Book Reviews Blog
Also be sure to check out Sacha's Must Read Recommendations
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July 6, 2022
An exceptional new novel by Poornima Manco. As one of her ART team I am so privileged to have read this novel before being published and I found it an absolute joy to read and a true page turner!
Having read this author’s short stories and debut novel I can say unequivocally that this is her best yet! The story based in Delhi, of Pari and her bunch of school friends and how their families and lives are intertwined as they move forward in their lives whilst experiencing love, intrigue and loss!
A wonderful story … a great piece of writing and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future! As with all great novels I was satisfied at the ending but sad to close the last chapter on all her characters! FABULOUS!
Having read this author’s short stories and debut novel I can say unequivocally that this is her best yet! The story based in Delhi, of Pari and her bunch of school friends and how their families and lives are intertwined as they move forward in their lives whilst experiencing love, intrigue and loss!
A wonderful story … a great piece of writing and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future! As with all great novels I was satisfied at the ending but sad to close the last chapter on all her characters! FABULOUS!
July 18, 2022
I absolutely loved "Intersections:A Novel", Poornima Manco's best and most complex work. It takes us on an emotional ride through four young girls lives all the way up to adulthood. The deeply complex and complicated relationships between all four women, their social standings, the life circumstances each has, interwoven between them all. Pari, Madhu, Samira, and Roma's lives are interconnected through friendship, betrayal, love, heartbreak, jealousy, and tragedy. They need each other, but it is far from easy, hard to forgive and forget. The book took me on an a very emotional read, my heart breaking for these young women's much completely out of their control as they try and navigate both their friendships and life in general. It's a beautiful book, well written, full of emotional highs and lows.
I received and ARC, my review is completely my own thoughts on this book.
I received and ARC, my review is completely my own thoughts on this book.
June 26, 2022
Intersections
Is the newly launched novel by Poornima Manco! It follows the lives of 4 young girls from their turbulent schooldays into their adult lives. Manco achieves what she does best! Conjuring up the intricate realities of Indian life and all it entails. Four life stories that intersect beautifully with the necessary turbulent complications. Loved it!
Is the newly launched novel by Poornima Manco! It follows the lives of 4 young girls from their turbulent schooldays into their adult lives. Manco achieves what she does best! Conjuring up the intricate realities of Indian life and all it entails. Four life stories that intersect beautifully with the necessary turbulent complications. Loved it!
July 3, 2022
I absolutely loved this book. Poornima has excelled herself yet again. The story/stories of these 4 girls are compelling, I'm afraid that on my first reading I raced through to find out how they evolved! Will be re-reading on holiday this summer so I can savour the details.
July 5, 2022
this was a beautifully done emotional journey, it was what I was looking for. the concept is what drew me in and I'm glad I read this.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
June 30, 2022
well written with a gripping storyline told from 4 narratives and well developed characters - I mean seriously well developed. I couldn't put it down.
April 4, 2023
Loved this book. Read it in one day.
July 6, 2022
Four friends, Pari, Samira, Roma and Madhu are inseparable and their deeply connected friendship is what they needed in their lives. Each of them have issues and they had each other to lean on. Until a betrayal occurs that causes the once deeply connected friends to go into four different directions in life. Twenty years later, they realize the profound effect they had on each other. Can they forgive this betrayal and revitalize their friendship? Or even with time, the betrayal is too great to be forgiven? An emotional read about lost time and friendships.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
November 17, 2022
Females are complex as are their relationships
This book is rich with family traditions and cultural heritage. There are conflicts between generations in regards to same as well as between families.
I’ve enjoyed a few of the author’s short stories (A Quiet Dissonance, Abeyance, The Sins of the Father) and am now starting on some of her longer works (The Intimacy of Loss and The India Collection #’s 1-3).
And I know I’ll continue to read more…
This book is rich with family traditions and cultural heritage. There are conflicts between generations in regards to same as well as between families.
I’ve enjoyed a few of the author’s short stories (A Quiet Dissonance, Abeyance, The Sins of the Father) and am now starting on some of her longer works (The Intimacy of Loss and The India Collection #’s 1-3).
And I know I’ll continue to read more…
July 11, 2022
4.5 stars.
Summary: Pari Rajan is a Tamilian in Delhi from a typical family of four. Samira is a half-Indian whose parents don't get along. Roma is a Bengali who shifted to Delhi and never liked it. Madhu shifted from a village as her father got appointed as the driver of Samira's. The four of them study in the same school, doing what almost all of us have done at that age. However, as they enter their teens, shocking incidents rip them apart in a way that they could never reconcile.
What happens when Pari meets Madhu twenty years later? And more, she wants to talk to her? What happens when they are all invited to the farewell of their principal, Ms Margaret?
Storyline: The story has more twists and turns than a movie. Each of them had different and complicated lives, something they would never imagine as young girls. They end up hating each other. I can't say more about what exactly happened because it'll be a spoiler. It won't be anything you expect, though. The story explores complex human relationships, grief, trauma, love, crime and classism. In fact, ask me what does the story not have. OTT platforms should consider making this a TV series, maybe? I can only wonder how much thought goes into developing each character gradually, narrating their version of the story, without losing the reader's attention.
Review: The story started slowly, apparently for character development but as it progressed, it became yet another book I finished at the cost of my sleep and eyesight. There are surprises all through the story. The english is quite simple and the descriptions are clear (as you can see the page count) so the book is easy to understand and suitable for beginners. There was a point where I thought the story was ending and checked the page count. There were 50 more. That's how it is.
I deliberately didn't talk about which of these four girls I like or hate because, I want you to do that without any previous impression. I wouldn't put them into any labels. You may or may not agree with what any of them does based on how you read them. I would rather safely say Ms. Margaret, the principal, is a beautiful person and my favourite.
The only thing I didn't like was, Roma, being a fat character, is body-shamed throughout the book. I am not a fan of rje bad-fat-girl trope. Commenting on her fat even after she had biological kids isn't something I appreciate; hence the 4.5 stars.
I received a review copy on Netgalley and I am posting my review voluntarily.
Summary: Pari Rajan is a Tamilian in Delhi from a typical family of four. Samira is a half-Indian whose parents don't get along. Roma is a Bengali who shifted to Delhi and never liked it. Madhu shifted from a village as her father got appointed as the driver of Samira's. The four of them study in the same school, doing what almost all of us have done at that age. However, as they enter their teens, shocking incidents rip them apart in a way that they could never reconcile.
What happens when Pari meets Madhu twenty years later? And more, she wants to talk to her? What happens when they are all invited to the farewell of their principal, Ms Margaret?
Storyline: The story has more twists and turns than a movie. Each of them had different and complicated lives, something they would never imagine as young girls. They end up hating each other. I can't say more about what exactly happened because it'll be a spoiler. It won't be anything you expect, though. The story explores complex human relationships, grief, trauma, love, crime and classism. In fact, ask me what does the story not have. OTT platforms should consider making this a TV series, maybe? I can only wonder how much thought goes into developing each character gradually, narrating their version of the story, without losing the reader's attention.
Review: The story started slowly, apparently for character development but as it progressed, it became yet another book I finished at the cost of my sleep and eyesight. There are surprises all through the story. The english is quite simple and the descriptions are clear (as you can see the page count) so the book is easy to understand and suitable for beginners. There was a point where I thought the story was ending and checked the page count. There were 50 more. That's how it is.
I deliberately didn't talk about which of these four girls I like or hate because, I want you to do that without any previous impression. I wouldn't put them into any labels. You may or may not agree with what any of them does based on how you read them. I would rather safely say Ms. Margaret, the principal, is a beautiful person and my favourite.
The only thing I didn't like was, Roma, being a fat character, is body-shamed throughout the book. I am not a fan of rje bad-fat-girl trope. Commenting on her fat even after she had biological kids isn't something I appreciate; hence the 4.5 stars.
I received a review copy on Netgalley and I am posting my review voluntarily.
July 18, 2022
A WISHING SHELF BOOK REVIEW
17th July 2022
TITLE: INTERSECTIONS, A NOVEL
AUTHOR: POORNIMA MANCO
Star Rating: 4
‘Richly written, thought-provoking and utterly compelling. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
For me, a good book, a really good book, needs a hook. Not a complicated hook, just a simple hook pulling me into the story. And this novel by Poornima Manco has it. Can four women, destroyed by betrayal, ever forgive? I like that; it interested me. So, I curled up on the sofa with a glass of wine and read on...
From the opening – and very powerfully written – first chapter, this is a compelling narrative. The plot is cleverly constructed, the settings are splendidly described, and the pacing is, for the most part, spot on. In terms of writing style, the author's very talented. She works well with speech, and she knows when to keep a sentence short; this is not an author who's fallen into the trap of purple prose.
In this story, the author is exploring four very different characters, Pari, Samira, Roma and Madhu. And it is in this respect that she is very talented. She knows all her characters, even the secondary, very well, and this shows in the individual way they act. There is a lot of self-discovery going on and, I must say, it is very well-written. It can get a little drawn out here and there, slowing the pacing slightly. But, overall, it’s insightful and very much helps the reader to not only understand the characters, but also start to care about what happens to them. In many ways, this is a character study. And, in every way, it is a compelling read.
So now to the important bit. Who is this novel for? Well, if you enjoy a tense story with strong characterization and a little depth, Intersections is very much for you. It's the sort of book that stays with you after you finished it; the sort of book you discuss over coffee and recommend two others.
I always like to end with a ‘what struck me the most’ comment. Well, ‘what struck me the most’ about this novel was the author’s knowledge of character. She knows the ´literary novel´ genre very, VERY well and this shows in the depth of the characters she created.
Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
17th July 2022
TITLE: INTERSECTIONS, A NOVEL
AUTHOR: POORNIMA MANCO
Star Rating: 4
‘Richly written, thought-provoking and utterly compelling. Highly recommended!’ The Wishing Shelf
REVIEW
For me, a good book, a really good book, needs a hook. Not a complicated hook, just a simple hook pulling me into the story. And this novel by Poornima Manco has it. Can four women, destroyed by betrayal, ever forgive? I like that; it interested me. So, I curled up on the sofa with a glass of wine and read on...
From the opening – and very powerfully written – first chapter, this is a compelling narrative. The plot is cleverly constructed, the settings are splendidly described, and the pacing is, for the most part, spot on. In terms of writing style, the author's very talented. She works well with speech, and she knows when to keep a sentence short; this is not an author who's fallen into the trap of purple prose.
In this story, the author is exploring four very different characters, Pari, Samira, Roma and Madhu. And it is in this respect that she is very talented. She knows all her characters, even the secondary, very well, and this shows in the individual way they act. There is a lot of self-discovery going on and, I must say, it is very well-written. It can get a little drawn out here and there, slowing the pacing slightly. But, overall, it’s insightful and very much helps the reader to not only understand the characters, but also start to care about what happens to them. In many ways, this is a character study. And, in every way, it is a compelling read.
So now to the important bit. Who is this novel for? Well, if you enjoy a tense story with strong characterization and a little depth, Intersections is very much for you. It's the sort of book that stays with you after you finished it; the sort of book you discuss over coffee and recommend two others.
I always like to end with a ‘what struck me the most’ comment. Well, ‘what struck me the most’ about this novel was the author’s knowledge of character. She knows the ´literary novel´ genre very, VERY well and this shows in the depth of the characters she created.
Enjoy!
A ‘Wishing Shelf’ Book Review
www.thewsa.co.uk
July 4, 2022
This book is extremely well written. The author has a wonderful skill of flow and dialogue. She weaves this intricate plot in a forward linear motion despite a very difficult structure of four alternating viewpoints and still kept me engaged throughout. I found I read the book quickly and enjoyed it, as each of the four characters was well developed and so well written that I could find a bit of myself in each of them, despite this being largely about Indian culture and relationships. Beyond all the Indian nicknames, food, clothing and other Indian cultural references, it's just a very human story. Poornima Manco is a gifted writer who has honed her craft.
I only found two typos in the entire book.
All the nicknames for family members were very confusing in the beginning and many times I had to go back and recheck which character I was reading to figure out who they were talking about. Often I still couldn't figure it out because one character would refer to their own parents one way, but someone else's parent with a different diminutive. This would not be so hard if there was only one POV, but there were four! After a while I just started skipping over the names and hoping I'd catch on. Luckily after the first part, the family nicknames dropped off.
It was a great read because the author is so gifted in her craft. But my problem with this book, and why I'm not giving it the full five stars, is the same problem I have with a lot of contemporary novels. The book didn't seem to have a point, or a higher message or anything at all. I found the ending very jarring, I didn't understand it and the book ended feeling like well, life sucks so, yeah. It is my opinion that stories like these, no matter how well-written, will not endure. She has such a gift for writing. I just wish she knew what she was writing about.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I only found two typos in the entire book.
All the nicknames for family members were very confusing in the beginning and many times I had to go back and recheck which character I was reading to figure out who they were talking about. Often I still couldn't figure it out because one character would refer to their own parents one way, but someone else's parent with a different diminutive. This would not be so hard if there was only one POV, but there were four! After a while I just started skipping over the names and hoping I'd catch on. Luckily after the first part, the family nicknames dropped off.
It was a great read because the author is so gifted in her craft. But my problem with this book, and why I'm not giving it the full five stars, is the same problem I have with a lot of contemporary novels. The book didn't seem to have a point, or a higher message or anything at all. I found the ending very jarring, I didn't understand it and the book ended feeling like well, life sucks so, yeah. It is my opinion that stories like these, no matter how well-written, will not endure. She has such a gift for writing. I just wish she knew what she was writing about.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
November 15, 2022
I read a book of short stories by the author and was intrigued by her style of narration. When I saw a full novel come up on NetGalley, I had to try it out.
It is not often that I read a book based in India by an Indian-born author. When I do, I am extremely picky when it comes to things I feel discordant. This book had me thinking about the people and the plot line every day in the duration it took me to finish it and during the time I was not reading it.
This is a story of four women. The beginning scene is quite dramatic and sets up the finale, but it immediately jumps back in time to Delhi when our protagonists are still young children.
Our central character is Pari. She is the original inhabitant of the town and the school where everything is set to occur. She has a loving family (even if her brother loves to tease her mercilessly), but she is very conscious of her teeth and is teased brutally in school. Things are set to change when she makes a new friend who will pivot the rest of the narrative.
Samira is an interesting child. It's even better when the voice shifts to give us her side of events. This is the best mechanic which elevates an otherwise ordinary drama of friends. We see all the events through the eyes of one girl, and then suddenly, when time skips ahead a little, another picks up the plot, and we get to see a whole other side of what happened and how things are now. Samira, as the blurb suggests, is waiting for her mother to be closer to her. Samira befriends Pari, and then Roma comes into the picture. Now Roma's voice stands apart from the others mostly because of the clarity in her actions. She knows what she is doing at all times. Madhu is juggling a lot of balls, but her story is not one to be ignored. Although she is sure of the world around her and herself, she is an observer and does not meddle like Roma.
Things fracture at the tail end of their teenage years after almost a decade of following this unlikely band of four. It is then that we move far ahead in time to the present and find out where everyone is and how their lives have turned out.
The events that transpire felt true to the characters that the author introduced to us and built up over the years. It is essentially a very filmy story, but that does not make it any less potent. The dynamics between everybody and the internal struggles that we see make this an ideal plot to discuss and dissect.
My takeaway from this was that the author's writing appeals to me, and I should probably try more of her works. I would recommend this to people who like stories like these and also those who would like to see a more realistic Indian-based drama.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers. My review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
It is not often that I read a book based in India by an Indian-born author. When I do, I am extremely picky when it comes to things I feel discordant. This book had me thinking about the people and the plot line every day in the duration it took me to finish it and during the time I was not reading it.
This is a story of four women. The beginning scene is quite dramatic and sets up the finale, but it immediately jumps back in time to Delhi when our protagonists are still young children.
Our central character is Pari. She is the original inhabitant of the town and the school where everything is set to occur. She has a loving family (even if her brother loves to tease her mercilessly), but she is very conscious of her teeth and is teased brutally in school. Things are set to change when she makes a new friend who will pivot the rest of the narrative.
Samira is an interesting child. It's even better when the voice shifts to give us her side of events. This is the best mechanic which elevates an otherwise ordinary drama of friends. We see all the events through the eyes of one girl, and then suddenly, when time skips ahead a little, another picks up the plot, and we get to see a whole other side of what happened and how things are now. Samira, as the blurb suggests, is waiting for her mother to be closer to her. Samira befriends Pari, and then Roma comes into the picture. Now Roma's voice stands apart from the others mostly because of the clarity in her actions. She knows what she is doing at all times. Madhu is juggling a lot of balls, but her story is not one to be ignored. Although she is sure of the world around her and herself, she is an observer and does not meddle like Roma.
Things fracture at the tail end of their teenage years after almost a decade of following this unlikely band of four. It is then that we move far ahead in time to the present and find out where everyone is and how their lives have turned out.
The events that transpire felt true to the characters that the author introduced to us and built up over the years. It is essentially a very filmy story, but that does not make it any less potent. The dynamics between everybody and the internal struggles that we see make this an ideal plot to discuss and dissect.
My takeaway from this was that the author's writing appeals to me, and I should probably try more of her works. I would recommend this to people who like stories like these and also those who would like to see a more realistic Indian-based drama.
I received an ARC thanks to NetGalley and the publishers. My review is entirely based on my own reading experience.
September 22, 2022
Difficult to talk about in depth without spoilers!
What drew me in was the slow weaving of the character drama. It starts out as a YA coming of age story, complete with the awkward moments of childhood friendships, but unfurls into something deeper by the midway point. I wanted to know about the title's meaning, and I'm glad that I hung in there to learn it. Takes some time to get there! Characters could have used a bit of depth to me, but they work well in their given roles.
Manco's writing has always enticed me with her intricate character dialogue and snappy pacing. This one is much the same. When it came to the ending, I would've liked a little more to it. Perhaps a tad more than one chapter. Still, it was consistent with the overall pacing of the book.
Please try Intersections if you enjoy any relationship fiction. Drives into the trials of friendships, all right.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
What drew me in was the slow weaving of the character drama. It starts out as a YA coming of age story, complete with the awkward moments of childhood friendships, but unfurls into something deeper by the midway point. I wanted to know about the title's meaning, and I'm glad that I hung in there to learn it. Takes some time to get there! Characters could have used a bit of depth to me, but they work well in their given roles.
Manco's writing has always enticed me with her intricate character dialogue and snappy pacing. This one is much the same. When it came to the ending, I would've liked a little more to it. Perhaps a tad more than one chapter. Still, it was consistent with the overall pacing of the book.
Please try Intersections if you enjoy any relationship fiction. Drives into the trials of friendships, all right.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
March 30, 2023
♥️♥️♥️😰😭 Wonderful discovery!
Delhi, 1 a.m.:
A belated walker wanders through the damp streets of the city and narrowly avoids a motorist.
Then, he hears a big crash in the distance...
He runs towards the noise, praying that's not what he's thinking...
-----------------
A magnificent discovery with this surprising author who tells us a luminous, moving, sensitive story, in which each of us can recognize a minimum...
A beautiful story of life, sometimes painful, of friendships, loves, hopes and disappointments...
Very moving to read, I sometimes had my little tear.
A novel-portal to Life, to discover absolutely.
Many thanks to the author.
A wonderful discovery !♥️
Delhi, 1 a.m.:
A belated walker wanders through the damp streets of the city and narrowly avoids a motorist.
Then, he hears a big crash in the distance...
He runs towards the noise, praying that's not what he's thinking...
-----------------
A magnificent discovery with this surprising author who tells us a luminous, moving, sensitive story, in which each of us can recognize a minimum...
A beautiful story of life, sometimes painful, of friendships, loves, hopes and disappointments...
Very moving to read, I sometimes had my little tear.
A novel-portal to Life, to discover absolutely.
Many thanks to the author.
A wonderful discovery !♥️
July 18, 2022
The prologue for this novel sucked me right in and got me through the slower set-up introductory section of the novel to get to the meat of the story. Four very different school girls are friends until a shocking incident fractures their friendship and they go their separate ways. Twenty years later they meet up again in connection with a farewell for their school principal. The author really develops each character as a distinct person, both as teenagers and adults, and readers will find things to relate to with each character. Interesting and thought-provoking.
September 8, 2024
I really loved this novel.
The story revolves around four young girls whose lives become intertwined in many ways over their youth and carries on into early adulthood and even later.
The main characters are Pari, Samira, Roma (whom you will love to hate), and Madhu and is based in India. Each faces their own trials and tribulations, although one appears to the others as having life being served to her on a golden platter.
Loyalties are tested, lies are told, love happens, and tragedy effects them all.
The story revolves around four young girls whose lives become intertwined in many ways over their youth and carries on into early adulthood and even later.
The main characters are Pari, Samira, Roma (whom you will love to hate), and Madhu and is based in India. Each faces their own trials and tribulations, although one appears to the others as having life being served to her on a golden platter.
Loyalties are tested, lies are told, love happens, and tragedy effects them all.
August 31, 2022
The prologue for this novel is set up to suck you in from the beginning. The beginning is a slow burn and spends a copious amount of time on character introductions. You are then slammed into the story of four very different friends whose friendship is shattered. They are reunited 20 years later leaving you to ponder the long term effects of love and loss, female friendship and forgiveness.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Thanks to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for an eARC for my honest review.
3.5 stars rounded up.
Thanks to Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for an eARC for my honest review.
January 28, 2023
An intriguing story of the journey through life of four friends, it started somewhat slow for me, but I stuck with it because I wanted to see where it went. There were characters that were endearing, and ones that were aggravating. The ending had a couple of surprises that I hadn't seen coming. The further I got into the story, the more I enjoyed it. I received this book from a Goodreads giveaway.
August 27, 2023
I didn't know what to expect with this one, but it kept me super engaged on long flights. 4 girls in India from much different backgrounds, and we follow their paths throughout adulthood. Eloquent, devastating, hopeful. I became very frustrated with the ending, kind of wanted to bang their heads against the wall for decisions made, but overall a very good story.
June 17, 2024
Four girls start out as unlikely friends in school. They struggle with jealousy, family life, love and schoolwork. Unfortunately, their friendship is torn apart by tragedies. Later in their lives they find each other. But can they patch up their friendship after such a long time apart? I really connected with some of these characters, especially Pari. However Roma seemed very elusive to me.
July 26, 2024
Friendship
This was an interesting book set in India. It follows four women who become fri nds in school and due to some tragic incidents end up going their separate ways. They do reunite at the end. I enjoyed this because the stories seemed fleshed out with good and bad and mundane all intertwined.
This was an interesting book set in India. It follows four women who become fri nds in school and due to some tragic incidents end up going their separate ways. They do reunite at the end. I enjoyed this because the stories seemed fleshed out with good and bad and mundane all intertwined.
August 19, 2024
Intersections: A Novel
Descriptions of India - cities, architecture, culture, food, and history - interested me the most . The characters were a backdrop in comparison. I would recommend this book to readers who like the theme of complicated female relationships and have been to or want to visit India.
Descriptions of India - cities, architecture, culture, food, and history - interested me the most . The characters were a backdrop in comparison. I would recommend this book to readers who like the theme of complicated female relationships and have been to or want to visit India.
January 14, 2025
A must read
This story of the lives of four women from childhood to middle age, is one of the best books I have ever read. The characters are rich and well developed, the story intriguing and so well written. It is definitely a must read.
This story of the lives of four women from childhood to middle age, is one of the best books I have ever read. The characters are rich and well developed, the story intriguing and so well written. It is definitely a must read.
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