An uneven memoir by a woman still searching for her true self.
In her new memoir, Narayan (Monsoon Diary, 2004) finds that the concept of “home” can be quite complicated.
Narayan’s memoir is, in her words, “by an immigrant for an immigrant,” but will likely resonate with other readers. She recounts her journey from a close-knit but superstitious and confining family in Madras, India, to living a life in America. Her story takes us through her many journeys—from serving as a fellow at a prestigious New England women’s college (Mount Holyoke in South Hadley, Mass.) to being an artist, writer, journalist, born-again Hindu mother and U.S. citizen. Narayan moved between the Indian social world and the competitive American urban lifestyle in Manhattan as a married mother of two. However, the successes she achieved left her questioning whether she had left behind her true self in India. She decided that she wanted the best of both worlds for her daughters—an upbringing in India and then college in America. Although she and her husband were dedicated to their career aspirations, they decided to repatriate to their native country to raise their children in a milieu where they could learn hospitality, generosity and respect for elders. The author provides details about life in both countries that are engaging, colorful and full of quirky characters. Narayan also shares her ruminations about what constitutes home, self and Indian values (Sari or pantsuit? Submissive daughter-in-law or feminist?). However, the memoir’s narrative flow is abruptly interrupted on several occasions, such as when she accepts an arranged marriage which helps reconnect her with her Indian identity, and there are gaps where events were covered in her previous memoir. The book also introduces undeveloped themes, as when the author writes that “America became every immigrant’s nightmare” after 9/11. In the end, the author’s return to India becomes a second immigrant quest in reverse. Her story comes full circle rather than evolving in a straight line.
An uneven memoir by a woman still searching for her true self.Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2012
ISBN: 978-0988415799
Page Count: 240
Publisher: Jasmine Publishing
Review Posted Online: Jan. 2, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.
A fifth-grade New Orleans girl discovers a mysterious chrysalis containing an unexpected creature in this middle-grade novel.
Jacquelyn Marie Johnson, called Jackie, is a 10-year-old African-American girl, the second oldest and the only girl of six siblings. She’s responsible, smart, and enjoys being in charge; she likes “paper dolls and long division and imagining things she had never seen.” Normally, Jackie has no trouble obeying her strict but loving parents. But when her potted snapdragon acquires a peculiar egg or maybe a chrysalis (she dubs it a chrysalegg), Jackie’s strong desire to protect it runs up against her mother’s rule against plants in the house. Jackie doesn’t exactly mean to lie, but she tells her mother she needs to keep the snapdragon in her room for a science project and gets permission. Jackie draws the chrysalegg daily, waiting for something to happen as it gets larger. When the amazing creature inside breaks free, Jackie is more determined than ever to protect it, but this leads her further into secrets and lies. The results when her parents find out are painful, and resolving the problem will take courage, honesty, and trust. Dumas (Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest: Episode 5, 2017, etc.) presents a very likable character in Jackie. At 10, she’s young enough to enjoy playing with paper dolls but has a maturity that even older kids can lack. She’s resourceful, as when she wants to measure a red spot on the chrysalegg; lacking calipers, she fashions one from her hairpin. Jackie’s inward struggle about what to obey—her dearest wishes or the parents she loves—is one many readers will understand. The book complicates this question by making Jackie’s parents, especially her mother, strict (as one might expect to keep order in a large family) but undeniably loving and protective as well—it’s not just a question of outwitting clueless adults. Jackie’s feelings about the creature (tender and responsible but also more than a little obsessive) are similarly shaded rather than black-and-white. The ending suggests that an intriguing sequel is to come.
In more ways than one, a tale about young creatures testing their wings; a moving, entertaining winner.Pub Date: Nov. 11, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943169-32-0
Page Count: 212
Publisher: Plum Street Press
Review Posted Online: Feb. 22, 2018
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 15, 2018
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.
In the ninth book in the Bluford young-adult series, a young Latino man walks away from violence—but at great personal cost.
In a large Southern California city, 16-year-old Martin Luna hangs out on the fringes of gang life. He’s disaffected, fatherless and increasingly drawn into the orbit of the older, rougher Frankie. When a stray bullet kills Martin’s adored 8-year-old brother, Huero, Martin seems to be heading into a life of crime. But Martin’s mother, determined not to lose another son, moves him to another neighborhood—the fictional town of Bluford, where he attends the racially diverse Bluford High. At his new school, the still-grieving Martin quickly makes enemies and gets into trouble. But he also makes friends with a kind English teacher and catches the eye of Vicky, a smart, pretty and outgoing Bluford student. Martin’s first-person narration supplies much of the book’s power. His dialogue is plain, but realistic and believable, and the authors wisely avoid the temptation to lard his speech with dated and potentially embarrassing slang. The author draws a vivid and affecting picture of Martin’s pain and confusion, bringing a tight-lipped teenager to life. In fact, Martin’s character is so well drawn that when he realizes the truth about his friend Frankie, readers won’t feel as if they are watching an after-school special, but as though they are observing the natural progression of Martin’s personal growth. This short novel appears to be aimed at urban teens who don’t often see their neighborhoods portrayed in young-adult fiction, but its sophisticated characters and affecting story will likely have much wider appeal.
A YA novel that treats its subject and its readers with respect while delivering an engaging story.Pub Date: Jan. 1, 2004
ISBN: 978-1591940173
Page Count: 152
Publisher: Townsend Press
Review Posted Online: Jan. 26, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
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