This review pairing consists of Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal and The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. Unlike the other stories, these novels are realistic fiction. The unifying theme of these novels is the message that culture and societal expectations affect how a person acts and how to express oneself within those constraints. The two also place a heavy emphasis on family cohesion and love for others within your family. These stories tackle more adult ideas and I would recommend waiting to read them until late teens. The stories make you think about your life and your impact on others, good and bad.
Page Count: 304
Published on: June 13, 2017
Published by: William Morrow
Genre(s): Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Age Rating: adult content
Book Depository: {click here}
Goodreads synopsis:
A lively, sexy, and thought-provoking East-meets-West story about community, friendship, and women’s lives at all ages—a spicy and alluring mix of Together Tea and Calendar Girls.
Every woman has a secret life . . .
Nikki lives in cosmopolitan West London, where she tends bar at the local pub. The daughter of Indian immigrants, she’s spent most of her twenty-odd years distancing herself from the traditional Sikh community of her childhood, preferring a more independent (that is, Western) life. When her father’s death leaves the family financially strapped, Nikki, a law school dropout, impulsively takes a job teaching a "creative writing" course at the community center in the beating heart of London’s close-knit Punjabi community.
Because of a miscommunication, the proper Sikh widows who show up are expecting to learn basic English literacy, not the art of short-story writing. When one of the widows finds a book of sexy stories in English and shares it with the class, Nikki realizes that beneath their white dupattas, her students have a wealth of fantasies and memories. Eager to liberate these modest women, she teaches them how to express their untold stories, unleashing creativity of the most unexpected—and exciting—kind.
As more women are drawn to the class, Nikki warns her students to keep their work secret from the Brotherhood, a group of highly conservative young men who have appointed themselves the community’s "moral police." But when the widows’ gossip offers shocking insights into the death of a young wife—a modern woman like Nikki—and some of the class erotica is shared among friends, it sparks a scandal that threatens them all.
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Goodness, some of the stories by the widows are raunchy. After getting past the title and first impressions, I was left with a story of community and fitting in with expected social roles. It also turned into a mystery novel partway through. I can’t complain though, I was compelled to keep reading. I think I read the book in a couple long sessions. The erotic stories themselves are diverse enough to believably be from multiple writers with varying interests. The book entertaining, funny, and at times, suspenseful. The novel is obviously not for everyone, and should not be read by everyone. If the story were adapted for film, the MPAA would rate it either PG or R. Older teens and up should be mature enough to read Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows and enjoy it.
Page Count: 444
Published on: February 28, 2017
Published by: Balzer + Bray
Genre(s): YA, Contemporary, Fiction, Realistic Fiction
Age Rating: YA
Goodreads synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer. Khalil was unarmed.
Soon afterward, his death is a national headline. Some are calling him a thug, maybe even a drug dealer and a gangbanger. Protesters are taking to the streets in Khalil's name. Some cops and the local drug lord try to intimidate Starr and her family. What everyone wants to know is: what really went down that night? And the only person alive who can answer that is Starr.
But what Starr does or does not say could upend her community. It could also endanger her life.
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The family is adorable. I love their interactions. No character makes the “right” choice every time. People have to live with their actions and the actions of others. There are so many societal expectations and different situations that characters must navigate in an attempt to fit in. The idea of wearing different faces for different circumstances is prevalent in the novel. So is the idea of doing what you must to provide for yourself and family. Thomas is not afraid to shy away from the harsh realities facing POC in America right now. I look forward to seeing the movie later this year.
Other Reviews by Alex: {click here}
Keep ya head up,
Alex
