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There are currently 38 member reviews
for Honor
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Helen P. (Lynn, MA)
THOUGHT PROVOKING AND ENGROSSING
Upon opening the book there lies a newspaper headline, "HINDU WOMAN SUES BROTHERS WHO KILLED HER MUSLIM HUSBAND." HONOR is an absorbing, captivating book I could not stop reading. You will be transported to India where you will learn about the American journalist who tells the story of Meena and Abdul. As the novel unfolds, you will meet other characters that allow us to comprehend Indian culture and traditions. These pages are written with reality, tenderness and give insight into how we are more alike than different. HONOR allows the reader to truly experience the angst of these characters through their ordeals. The book has much discussion for book clubs: oppression, opportunity, hope, religious differences, familial devotion, misogyny, friendship, betrayal, love, and HONOR. I LOVED this book and I will recommend it to my book club.
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Nancy L. (Staunton, VA)
Honor
I have read many of Thrity Umrigar's earlier works and found them all to be thoughtful and rich and "Honor" is no exception. The writing is evocative as we follow Smita, an Indian American journalist, into the deep and complex world of Indian society. We see the strong currents of religious bigotry (Hindu versus Muslim) as well as the ever present role of women as second class citizens. Umrigar explores what it is to be an Indian woman as she draws us into the horrors of what could happen if one crosses the invisible line of religion, caste, or class. This novel really spoke to me and I highly recommend it.
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Elizabeth K. (Glenshaw, PA)
Honor
There is modern India and there is backward villages India. In a village where a Muslim and a Hindi would never marry...where women are treated as the property of men. Reporter Smita, who has secrets of her own as a youngster in India, reports the brutal story that takes place in such two such villages. The book mesmerized me. It is a beautiful story of love and sacrifice.
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Becky D. (Gloucester, VA)
Read it in 2 days!
This is my first Thrity Umrigar book although I have had The Space Between Us in my TBR pile for ages. I feel her talent (at least in this book) lies in delving into and describing the atrocity of India's traditional actions of misogyny, sexism, and all of these inequalities while not pushing the reader away in the process. It's very much as if she wants the reader to see what is going on, and understand why it's happening. "The reason for Abdul's death was simple, really:
It was a failure of imagination. Bearing no malice or prejudice himself, he couldn't imagine the contempt or hatred that his brothers-in-law felt for his kind, couldn't have foreseen how they seethed under the scandal and dishonor that Meena had wrought." Pg 96 Then, there is Meena's explanation for her brothers' anger at the 2 sisters working outside the home: "...the most dangerous animal in the world is a man with wounded pride." Pg 131
This is a book and author not to be forgotten, both for subject matter and for her skill in drawing the reader into a place that's not easy to be in.
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Esther L. (Newtown, PA)
Wow!
Wow! Thanks to BookBrowse for the amazing opportunity to read Honor by Thrity Umrigar.
I believe that the story takes place in the late 1990's. The abject poverty, superstition and the way women are treated are hard to read about, let alone believe. Meena, a Hindu,has married Abdul a Muslim, without her brother's permission. Smita, a journalist,has lived in America for twenty years but was born in Mumbai. When they meet, their bond is very strong, which makes their story even more heartbreaking.
The write up about Honor references Etaf Rum's "A Woman Is No Man". Neither book offers a happy story but offers a mesmerizing look into these women's lives. Thrity Umrigar is a masterful writer whose characters are well developed. I highly recommend Honor to all readers. I'm giving it to my daughter to read this evening. Book Clubs will have lots to talk about.
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Cheryl S. (Redmond, WA)
Honor by Thrity Umrigar
Once again, a big thank you to BookBrowse for the ARC of Thrity Umrigar's new novel, Honor. I was especially excited to receive this book as I am a loyal fan of her work. Ms. Umrigar did not disappoint. Honor was well written, with a compelling storyline. Heartbreaking, and anger inducing. As a reader, I was filled with admiration for the bravery, selflessness, and empathy of the main characters. The contrast between the old and modern India was well portrayed. All in all, an excellent and important book, highly recommended.
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Maribeth R. (Indianapolis, IN)
Heartbreaking and Unforgettable
Thrity Umrigar is one of the most eloquent of all storytellers. In this book, she draws us into the lives of two women whose story depicts the state of today's India with its conflicts between tradition and modernism, castes, religious beliefs, and the role of women in Indian culture. Smita, an Indian by birth who has lived in the US since she was a teenager, returns to India on a work assignment that forces her to reflect upon her cultural past and present through her connection to Meena, an Indian woman caught up in the throes of caste and religious conflict played out in the rural villages that have been her home. The book describes many difficult scenes of violence toward women through Meena's story. While it is painful to read these scenes, Umrigar also allows the reader to look into the windows of goodness in the hearts of people who attempt to make change in this world of sadness. Honor is a book worthy of your time, and you will carry the characters in your heart long into the future. Definitely a five star book!
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