Official Review: 28 Years A Bachelor by Rasana Atreya

[sahmoun2778]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "28 Years A Bachelor" by Rasana Atreya.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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A delightful jewel of a story! Rasana Atreya takes you inside life in India and introduces you to the culture and characters of the country. I loved this book!

The story centers around Madhav, a 28 year old engineer, living in Hyderabad, India. His mother is desperately trying to find a wife for him but Madhav is not very interested. He is also adamant that he does not want to receive a dowry from the bride’s family. Also central to Madhav’s life are his grandparents Tataiyya and Nainamma. They are earnest in their efforts to get Madhav to move back to the village home. Madhav visits the village regularly and one day meets Shyamala, who he had known as an annoying child but now she’s all grown up and beautiful. Madhav is smitten and wants to marry Shyamala but his mother disapproves causing a rift in the family.

This book is full of delightful characters who will probably remind you of someone you know. I especially enjoyed Tataiyya, who is always up to something, because he reminded me of an elderly uncle. Madhav is a charming young man who is thoughtful and devoted to his family. He is torn between his career as an engineer and the peaceful life of the village, and the author does a wonderful job of working through the dilemma as the relationship between Madhav and Shyamala grows. Nainamma is like many grandmothers, always looking to spoil her grandchildren, but also headstrong. The gentle bickering that goes on between the grandparents is so true to life.

This book also deals quite a bit with the Indian culture as it relates to marriage. There are stories told by an elderly aunt who was married off at the age of 5, only to be widowed and abused by the husband’s family until she ran away at the age of 14. There is also much discussion of the issue of dowry, where the bride’s family pays the groom’s family a sum of money and goods at the time of the wedding. Madhav thinks this practice amounts to selling off the groom to the highest bidder. Parents of boys see dowry as a way to increase their wealth, while for parents of girls it can be a financial hardship. We also see the effect of dowry in the side story of Madhav’s sister. She also is abused by her in-laws because for 4 years she does not get pregnant.

Overall, this story is a very gentle and enjoyable read. There are, however, some moments of sadness. If you enjoy reading about other cultures or different countries, then I would highly recommend this book. There is much in this book that will make you smile and laugh. This book would be suitable for just about any age of reader. I’m giving “28 Years a Bachelor” a 4 out of 4 star rating.

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28 Years A Bachelor
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Like sahmoun2778's review? Post a comment saying so!

[Levi]

Well done sahmoun, and what an intriguing story. I've always wondered about these things and how people of these cultures feel about them in the modern day.

[bookowlie]

I almost chose this book so it's particularly enjoyable to read your viewpoint. It sounds like a great book with a mix of light-hearted moments and sadness.

[sahmoun2778]

Bookowlie, I think you would enjoy it. The characters are all so unique and fun.

[bookowlie]

I am adding this book to my crazy long reading list! I am starting to read more fiction where I can also learn something about a different culture, country, time period, etc.

[sahmoun2778]

Another good one for different culture is "The Pearl That Broke Its Shell", set in Afghanistan.

[bookowlie]

I actually read that one! It was the book pick for my in-person book club a few months ago. I didn't love it, although I learned a lot about Afghan culture.

[Nabilah_reads01]

This books sounds really interesting. I love reading about different cultures. Very nice review!

[melbuhtoast]

This book sounds great! I am adding it to my list of books to read! Your review was also very well done - thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[Lovely_Loreley]

Great review! This sounds like a wonderful story, I'll be sure to look into it

[maroki13]

It sounds like a wonderful story, I'm definitely going to add it to my list!