Review by Amy+++ -- Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana
Posted: 28 Oct 2018, 10:08
[Following is a volunteer review of "Elastic Girl" by Olivia Rana.]
4 out of 4 stars
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"That man is spirit. That the impossible is possible; you must always remember that." This quote sums up Elastic Girl perfectly. Muthu is an eleven-year-old girl living in Ambattur, India when her life turns upside down. Her family was living on a dry lake bed when the government knocked down not only their home but thousands of others. Suddenly living on the streets her family struggles. Her parents send her older sisters away to live with an aunt so they can catch up on school work. As Muthu watches her sisters leave, she becomes sad because she wants to be like them. She wants to make something of herself. Soon, Muthu gets her chance to become something when the government lets the people down once again. At that moment Muthu's mother allows her to go to the Great Raman Circus of Chennai. When Muthu's father leaves her with Mr. Prem, the troupe master, he says that he will take care of Muthu like his own and that the money she makes will go home to her parents. Half of this promise is kept; her parents get the money, but a year later Muthu is raped by Mr. Prem. Once in Mumbai, Muthu leaves the circus with her friend, Gloria, and things only get worse for them from there. From being trapped in a brothel to facing her awful grandmother at home, Muthu, through it all finds the strength to continue on and make something of herself.
What I liked about this book was how strong Muthu became by the end of it. She went from being a young girl, who was verbally abused by her grandmother and grew into a woman who could make a better life for herself. What I didn't like was how detailed the attacks were on Muthu, but I feel that without these detailed scenes that the book would have lost some emotional quality. Also, there is a great deal of abuse not only physically but also verbally from Muthu's grandmother. During the scenes with her grandmother, I had to stop reading and take a breather.
While there were no grammar or spelling errors, I did find a random spacing between two paragraphs and a paragraph that wasn't indented. Other than those two errors, the book seems professionally edited.
Even though some awful things happen within the book, and Muthu was sometimes treated less than her sisters, the book was very powerful. So, I rate Elastic Girl, by Olivia Rana 4 out of 4 stars. The book brings attention to child performers in the circus in India, and how they are treated. Olivia Rana's first novel makes a very big impact and opens many eyes to abused children.
With this being such a strong book, I would recommend, this book to the 18 and older crowd. This book contains rape and violence that would not be suitable for younger readers. However, if you can get past the abuse and violence, you will find that Elastic Girl is a very good read and that no matter what life throws at you, never give up, the impossible becomes possible every day.
******
Elastic Girl
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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4 out of 4 stars
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"That man is spirit. That the impossible is possible; you must always remember that." This quote sums up Elastic Girl perfectly. Muthu is an eleven-year-old girl living in Ambattur, India when her life turns upside down. Her family was living on a dry lake bed when the government knocked down not only their home but thousands of others. Suddenly living on the streets her family struggles. Her parents send her older sisters away to live with an aunt so they can catch up on school work. As Muthu watches her sisters leave, she becomes sad because she wants to be like them. She wants to make something of herself. Soon, Muthu gets her chance to become something when the government lets the people down once again. At that moment Muthu's mother allows her to go to the Great Raman Circus of Chennai. When Muthu's father leaves her with Mr. Prem, the troupe master, he says that he will take care of Muthu like his own and that the money she makes will go home to her parents. Half of this promise is kept; her parents get the money, but a year later Muthu is raped by Mr. Prem. Once in Mumbai, Muthu leaves the circus with her friend, Gloria, and things only get worse for them from there. From being trapped in a brothel to facing her awful grandmother at home, Muthu, through it all finds the strength to continue on and make something of herself.
What I liked about this book was how strong Muthu became by the end of it. She went from being a young girl, who was verbally abused by her grandmother and grew into a woman who could make a better life for herself. What I didn't like was how detailed the attacks were on Muthu, but I feel that without these detailed scenes that the book would have lost some emotional quality. Also, there is a great deal of abuse not only physically but also verbally from Muthu's grandmother. During the scenes with her grandmother, I had to stop reading and take a breather.
While there were no grammar or spelling errors, I did find a random spacing between two paragraphs and a paragraph that wasn't indented. Other than those two errors, the book seems professionally edited.
Even though some awful things happen within the book, and Muthu was sometimes treated less than her sisters, the book was very powerful. So, I rate Elastic Girl, by Olivia Rana 4 out of 4 stars. The book brings attention to child performers in the circus in India, and how they are treated. Olivia Rana's first novel makes a very big impact and opens many eyes to abused children.
With this being such a strong book, I would recommend, this book to the 18 and older crowd. This book contains rape and violence that would not be suitable for younger readers. However, if you can get past the abuse and violence, you will find that Elastic Girl is a very good read and that no matter what life throws at you, never give up, the impossible becomes possible every day.
******
Elastic Girl
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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