<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
You didn\u2019t ask for it, but if you did, here is a curated list of impactful books written by women authors, highlighting their themes and reasons to read them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What is it about?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings<\/em> is the first of seven autobiographical works of Maya Angelou. It is a courageously raw memoir, tracing her journey from a traumatic childhood marked by racism, abandonment, and molestation, to the triumphant emergence of her unique voice. Angelou\u2019s prose radiates resilience, as she shares a moving account of sexual abuse as a child and how the harrowing incident silenced her for years. It\u2019s a story of how a young black girl grew up in a deeply prejudiced American world and how language and literature helped her reclaim her voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should you read it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Because Maya Angelou wrote it! Her words are placed at the start of books as epigraphs. Because some lives are lived so well, despite destiny\u2019s cruel play, that we ought to read them. Read it because it is an ageless book. Read it without bothering about its genre, only to witness Angelou\u2019s struggle for dignity and self-acceptance, ultimately inspiring women to claim their own narratives. Angelou\u2019s story is a testament to the power of radical self-acceptance and finding hope amid unimaginable adversity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0A line that stayed with me:<\/strong> \u201cOf all the needs (there are none imaginary) a lonely child has, the one that must be \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0satisfied, if there is going to be hope and a hope of wholeness, is the unshaking need for an unshakable God.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n P.S. It is a difficult book, heavy in many places. Nevertheless, it is an important book. Every young woman, every teenager should read her work.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. A Woman Is No Man by Etaf Rum:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is it about?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Etaf Rum\u2019s A Woman Is No Man<\/em> unveils the pain and courage of three generations of Arab women\u2014Isra, Deya, and Fareeda\u2014imprisoned by traditions that value obedience and sons above all. Their lives, shadowed by domestic abuse and generational trauma, echo the silent suffering of women everywhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should you read it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I picked up this book because back in 2019, a debut author\u2019s book had created quite a stir. And because I found the title to be extremely intriguing. I believe all books are meant to make you feel something. But this book shook me to the core with the disturbing reality of Islamic women in the US. Read it because this searing novel is a call to shatter misogyny, amplify women\u2019s voices, and reclaim dreams. Through heartbreak and resilience, it reminds us: changing fate begins with courage and education. Read it to know that the world isn\u2019t the same for all, and we must read about it to acknowledge it is so. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 A line that stayed with me:<\/strong> \u201cWhere I come from, we keep these stories to ourselves. To tell them to the outside world is unheard of, dangerous, the ultimate shame.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n P.S. It is not a lengthy book, but it cannot be read in two days. The book slowly grows on you. If you like historical fiction, books with a cultural backdrop, and feminist literature, then this is for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. Honour by Elif Shafak:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The dedication itself spoke volumes about why and how the book must have come into being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen I was seven years old, we lived in a greenhouse. One of our neighbours, a talented tailor, would often beat his wife. In the evenings we listened to the shouts, the cries, the swearing. In the mornings we went on with our lives as usual. The entire neighbourhood pretended not to have heard, not to have seen. This novel is dedicated to those who hear, those who see.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is it about?<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Elif Shafak’s Honour<\/em> is a poignant, gripping exploration of immigration, intergenerational trauma, and a disturbing honour killing, a result of rigid patriarchal traditions. It follows the destiny of two twin sisters born in a Kurdish family as they navigate the clash between their traditional roots and modern Western life in 1970s London. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should you read it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I picked up this book a few years ago because I had just finished reading Shafak\u2019s popular work, Forty Rules of Love<\/em>, and was obviously in awe of her writing prowess. Little did I expect such a heartbreaking story to be told with such intellectual acuity.\u00a0 It actively forces the reader to question double standards regarding gender, loyalty, and the true meaning of “honour”. Every time Shafak explores both genders, the roles that defined them, and the feelings and terms associated with them, I felt distraught. \u00a0\u2018HONOUR\u2019 is associated with men, especially in rigid patriarchal families; in many communities, it is men who must fight and protect the honour of their clans. On the other hand, \u2018SHAME\u2019 has categorically been set aside for women. Interestingly, this word is universally associated with women. Read it for Shafak\u2019s rich imagery and an emotionally shattering plot. Read it to truly understand how different the two genders are only because they have been conditioned so since birth. Again, this is a book from a different culture and yet \u2018honour killing\u2019 isn\u2019t an alien concept for our nation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A line that stayed with me:<\/strong> \u201cBlue was Iskander\u2019s favourite colour. It was the colour for boys, which meant the sky was a boy. So were the rivers and lakes. And the oceans.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n P.s. I have read all of Shafak\u2019s books. It’s hard to say which one to read first. They are all worth your time. She isn\u2019t just a writer. She\u2019s a changemaker.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. The Palace Of Illusions by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is it about?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Palace of Illusions<\/em> is not just a retelling\u2014it\u2019s a deeply personal journey through the heart of the Mahabharata, seen through Draupadi\u2019s eyes. In a world that echoes with conflict and change, The Palace of Illusions<\/em> reminds us how history, myth, and magic can shape our understanding of ourselves. Narrated by Panchaali, wife to the Pandavas, the novel invites us to re-examine the epic\u2019s events with empathy, imagination, and a sense of wonder through the lens of a woman; something that lingers long after the last page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should you read it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it for its unpredictable plot points and the creative liberty taken by the author in writing Draupadi\u2019s perspective and persona. This story felt alive to me, weaving together ancient myth and enduring truths, as Draupadi steps out of the shadows of legend to tell her own tale. Her voice is bold, vulnerable, and utterly human, breathing fresh life into familiar events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A line that stayed with me:<\/strong> \u201cUnlike him, I had no choice who I slept with, and when. Like a communal drinking cup, I would be passed from hand to hand whether I wanted it or not.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n P.s. Do not read the book if your ego and your spiritual self are too fragile. Divakaruni\u2019s books have refreshing perspectives and narratives that coax us to think and wonder and question. Not many writers can boast of that! <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. Mother Mary Comes to Me by Arundhati Roy<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What is it about?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The memoir explores the complex relationship between Arundhati Roy and her unpredictable, single mother, delving into their early hardships and the founding of a progressive school together. It illustrates how living with her mother’s volatility profoundly influenced Roy’s creativity and resilience. The narrative follows Roy’s departure to Delhi at 18, detailing her battles with poverty and her journey towards self-reliance. The book also charts her meteoric rise as a celebrated author, the controversies and trials that followed, and her unwavering commitment to activism and speaking truth to power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why should you read it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n I read it because I had to. I am an admirer of Arundhati\u2019s bold and dense prose. Those acquainted with her writing will recognise the nuance I allude to. This memoir demands to be read for its unvarnished honesty\u2014delivering those piercing, sweeping moments of anguish and joy that only an immersive literary journey can yield. It is, in many ways, an inadvertent masterclass in parenting\u2014illustrating, with searing clarity, the pitfalls one must avoid with one\u2019s own children. Though it is a memoir, the sheer density of experience, seductive power of her language, unwavering confidence of tone, and relentless narrative pace meant that, during my first reading, I scarcely paused to question what might have been embellished or omitted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For me, the most unforgettable part of the book is the raw, desperate, and devastating recount of her tumultuous relationship with her mother, and how she saw her mother as a child. Something that didn\u2019t change even as an adult.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A line that stayed with me:<\/strong> (There were many. Sharing two excerpts with you)<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhen she got angry with me, she would mimic my way of speaking. She was a good mimic and made me sound ridiculous to myself. I clearly remember everything about every instance she did that. Even when I was wearing. It felt as though she had cut me out \u2013 cut my shape out \u2013 of a picture book with a sharp pair of scissors and then torn me up.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI learned early that the safest place can be the most dangerous. And that if it isn\u2019t, then I make it so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n P.s. Adults raised in dysfunctional families will relate the most to this book. I did. I have read plenty of memoirs. This one truly stands out. Whether you are intrigued by Arundhati\u2019s meteoric rise or unsettled by it, I urge you to dive in for her unflinching narrative artistry.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Conclusion:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The common thread that binds all these books is a childhood crushed sometimes by patriarchy and sometimes by destiny. In essence, these books invite readers to reflect on their own journeys and the universal themes of resilience, self-discovery, and the enduring impact of family dynamics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I hope you love these books the way I did. More importantly, I hope you just read books.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You didn\u2019t ask for it, but if you did, here is a curated list of impactful books written by women authors, highlighting their themes and reasons to read them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3054,"parent":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-3053","book_review","type-book_review","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/book reviews\/3053","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/book reviews"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/book_review"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3053"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/book reviews\/3053\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3056,"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/book reviews\/3053\/revisions\/3056"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3054"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thelotusflowerdiary.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3053"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}