Deepika Moraje

Add friend

Deepika’s Bookshelves

to-read‎ (0)

currently-reading‎ (1)

read‎ (0)

did-not-finish‎ (0)

Stats | More…

Deepika is Currently Reading

Deepika Moraje is currently reading

The Wedding

by Vandana Nair

bookshelves: currently-reading

Reading for the 2nd time

read in June 2026

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Deepika Moraje said: " Vandana Nair's 'The Wedding' left me wide-eyed and wondering, 'Wow?! Did that really happen?!'.

A delightful, short read, the book opens by plunging right into the colourful and chaotic setting of an Indian wedding. The reader is introduced to juicy Vandana Nair's 'The Wedding' left me wide-eyed and wondering, 'Wow?! Did that really happen?!'.

A delightful, short read, the book opens by plunging right into the colourful and chaotic setting of an Indian wedding. The reader is introduced to juicy family undercurrents seen through the lens of a spunky protagonist. A potential love interest on the horizon deepens curiosity, and the sudden onset of a mysterious illness imbues the book with intrigue.

Unfolding over three packed days, the plot is fast-paced, fun and filled with twists and turns. Like a vibrant hand-woven Indian textile, the book stands out for its skilful weave of storyline: the two-toned hue of love within the Indian family serves as the warp, and the implications of a puzzling disease, the weft. Still, it is the protagonist herself, Ahilya, that constitutes the very fabric of this striking weave.

Her character is refreshing, real and feisty. An endearing mix of clarity and contradiction, self-assuredness and people-pleasing, she navigates her challenges with chutzpah and frustration in equal measure. The parallel narrative running through the storyline is that of her historical namesake - the 18th century warrior queen Ahilyabai Holkar. Her circumstances and choices are juxtaposed against Ahilya's inner world, and provide a mirror for her self-reflexivity. By interweaving a heroic female voice from the annals of history with the protagonist's, Nair provides a deeper layer of cultural authenticity beyond surface-level ritual and tradition. She brings attention to the continued relevance of heritage and history even in these bells-and-whistles times of Bollywood. The intersection of gendered social expectations, Ahilya's personal agency and her professional aspirations forms the crux of the story.

Nair's prose is playful, textured and flavourful. She reclaims the oddities of transliteration almost like a forgotten spice in an Indian curry recipe. The book is liberally peppered with witticisms and Indianisms, tenderness and tension. The novel entertains, questions, befuddles and unravels, keeping the reader hooked throughout.

Ultimately, “The Wedding” heartens the reader through its charismatic protagonist, uplifts through its winking humour and astonishes through its surprising denouement. A sparkling, topsy-turvy tale somehow leaves your heart softer and bolder, simultaneously! ...more "

Jun 28, 2026 05:45PM · see review