What do you think the future has in store for Geeta and the book's other characters?

What do you think the future has in store for Geeta and the book's other characters? How do you see their lives progressing?

I don't see how their lives can progress much until their society changes its value of women. And I don't see that happening.

What a great question. I would love to say they will see their quality of life improve. The reality is positive change seems to take so very long to occur. It can be disheartening and a little overwhelming.

I was curious where Geeta and Kareems relationship would go. As in another book to follow up.

I agree with PKH in that women, regardless of their caste, will always be at a disadvantage in this very male-centric society. However, although the laws, customs and attitudes regarding women won't change much if at all in the foreseeable future, I do believe that this particular group of women have been changed & will be sustained by each other. In the early part of the book, each woman was very distrustful & negative toward each other. They gossiped maliciously behind every one's back and even were comfortable blackmailing individuals of their loan group to get their way. By the end of the book, however, alliances had been formed and past friendships had been genuinely reestablished. The women had been pulled from their sense of individual isolation to a more accepting community willing to work with each other. They were developing confidence in their own abilities as well as the realization that these women would be there for each other in future times of need.

In the future I see the relationship between Geeta and Kareem deepening. The women in the community become a more cohesive and responsive bonobo group working together to build community and help one another deal with the challenges they face in a severely patriarchal society. I hope that the honor killings and caste system will continue to be challenged and chipped away as India becomes a more democratic country.

The book focuses on the areas in which the women in India are not able to act freely--it really ignores those areas in which women are already the managers--between those traditional areas of strength and perhaps, with the added knowledge that with female community and cooperation steps can be taken to expand those areas, these women will continue to reach beyond the walls of their homes to establish independent exploration of their interests and abilities.

What a great response tsquared! I agree with her that society and their culture may not change, but they as people have changed. Which in turn will dictate how they treat one another and respond to situations. Building strong bonds with one another and feeling empowered individually; will help them as indivuals as well as the community.

I think their lives will improve but they will still have many obstacles. They can’t do much to change their society but can support each other and therefore make things a little easier.

I await the sequel. It would be interesting to see how the women grow, change, and hopefully, nudge change in the children some of them are raising. I do wonder what will become of Geeta's and Karem's relationship. How honest will she be with him about what has transpired? Would that be a betrayal of the other women? Will they use microloans to achieve even more independence?

Completely agree with tsquared! Although the society the women live in is unchanged in the attitudes toward women and caste, the women’s community among themselves has changed and will help lift them while they fight as best they can for social changes. I also hope Greta gets the partner in life she deserves!

I think their futures are tied to how satisfied were you with the ending. I was satisfied with the ending and I think the women were satisfied with their lives at the end. Each character gained so much throughout the story. They were definitely changed internally. Their cultural reality could not change as much as much as their internal reality did change. Each woman achieved what they set out to achieve - but not necessarily in the way they originally wanted. The women also gained each other as friends which was more than loan partners. In my mind I thought about sequels and more books that could come from this story but decided that it was not a perfect ending but a satisfying ending. Adding more to the story would change or disrupt what had been achieved. I am satisfied thinking that the women will continue to be friends, support each other and enjoy what they have. The women know they share a bond of protection that will keep them from harm in the future. I thought about a continuation of the relationship between Kareem and Geeta but the cultural reality would be difficult. Again, I am satisfied with them caring & protecting each other and being friends. I would conclude that their future is as good as they want it to be. They a learned how to control their own lives.

I think the future is bright, but not without its challenges. The village will not change overnight, but the women will be catalysts of change.

Perhaps, the greatest change will be in how they perceive themselves. They have seen they are strong and that they are more powerful when united. But, and it is big but, I don't see anything changing externally. The treatment of women and the caste system are so entrenched in India that even laws giving women more rights and outlawing the caste system have had little or no effect, especially in rural areas.

Their support of each other will help them a lot - which is needed - because their society is not likely to change much. Over time - meaning years and years - they will see change and hopefully that will be for the better as the women continue to bond and insist on those changes. As far as Geeta and the other characters in this book - sadly they will not see much change. They are at an age that will deny them a life lived long enough to actually see much change. The bond they have developed will be their only support towards change for them. But maybe they can help their children change - and bring the changes forward they would like to see through the changing lives of their children.