Topic: Book Review
When Isha finds out the baby she is carrying is a girl, she fears the reaction of her in-laws. Girl children are not acceptable in their eyes, or that of the doctor, who suggests she have an abortion rather than give birth to the a second female child. When Isha refuses, she has little idea just how drastically her life is about to change. Just how far will some people go to see that Isha does not "disgrace" her in-laws name? Who all is involved and why has nothing been done to stop the selective abortions that are taking place regularly? Can Isha make it on her own? Will her efforts to expose the truth result in her losing everything she lives for? Who can she trust with her secret, life and heart?
Shobhan Bantwal takes her readers into a world most of us can't even imagine. I continually had to remind myself that this story was not taking place in some long ago dark age, but instead in modern times. It tore at my heart to know that in some parts of the world, female children are still considered unwelcome--to the point of actually being killed rather than loved and cherished as they should be.
It is obvious that Shoban Bantwal knows her subject and the country of which she writes. She doesn't pad the pages with a lot of fluff, but instead uses every word to draw her reader in--and make them care for her characters. The only thing that kept me from reading this book in one sitting was my eyes giving out--but I found myself dreaming of the characters. Before I finished, I had not only cried, but found myself angry and wishing I knew how to stop this archaic practice.
You can't read The Forbidden Daughter with no emotion. It is considered women's fiction, but I would suggest any man who cares also read it--he won't be disappointed by the depth explored by Ms. Bantwal. I can see this book being made into a movie.
