Review by mlstory -- Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana
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mlstory
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- Latest Review: Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana
Review by mlstory -- Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana
[Following is a volunteer review of "Elastic Girl" by Olivia Rana.]
4 out of 4 stars
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Elastic Girl is a poignant coming-of-age story set in India. The titular “Elastic Girl” is named Muthu, and her appealing personality draws the reader in from the start. Muthu loves Bollywood films, and tends to burst into song and dance on a whim. She dreams of becoming a famous performer, both to escape the financial hardship into which she was born, and for the joy of entertaining others. Muthu discovers she is exceptionally flexible and can fold herself into tight spaces, and this ultimately results in her joining a travelling circus to train as a contortionist.
Although Muthu achieves a level of success with her “Elastic Girl” act, her journey is not an easy one. She is vulnerable to sexual predators and traffickers, and she does not receive adequate support from her family. As she trains to become more flexible physically, Muthu must also learn to become elastic in the figurative sense. She has to be resilient enough to bounce back after the traumas she experiences.
Author Olivia Rana’s writing is lovely and graceful, and as guileless as Muthu herself. Vivid descriptions bring to life both the circus setting and various locales in India. The pace of the narrative is measured until the final few chapters, at which point years of Muthu’s life are compressed into brief passages. This has the effect of making the ending feel a bit rushed; however, the conclusion of Muthu’s story is still satisfying.
I particularly enjoyed the way Elastic Girl explores the performing arts. I was fascinated by Muthu’s training, which included not only physical exercises, but mental training as well. There is also an interesting tension concerning performing as a gift both to others and oneself, versus performance as a commodity. There is a scene that occurs prior to Muthu joining the circus, in which she entertains people waiting in a long line. Her friend tells her to charge a fee, whereas Muthu feels she cannot ask people who are already destitute to give up money. He convinces her that despite having little, people will still be willing to pay for “happiness,” which they do. Further, once paid, Muthu and her friend turn around and buy the same happiness for themselves, by going to the theater to watch Bollywood films. Once a part of the circus, Muthu’s wages are sent directly to her family, so in a sense, she returns to being motivated by the thrill of performing and the immediate reaction of the audience. This aspect of Elastic Girl has remained in my thoughts long after finishing the book.
Elastic Girl contains depictions of sexual assault and abuse, so readers who may find that upsetting should be cautious about reading this. For anyone else, I heartily recommend it. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
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Elastic Girl
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4 out of 4 stars
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Elastic Girl is a poignant coming-of-age story set in India. The titular “Elastic Girl” is named Muthu, and her appealing personality draws the reader in from the start. Muthu loves Bollywood films, and tends to burst into song and dance on a whim. She dreams of becoming a famous performer, both to escape the financial hardship into which she was born, and for the joy of entertaining others. Muthu discovers she is exceptionally flexible and can fold herself into tight spaces, and this ultimately results in her joining a travelling circus to train as a contortionist.
Although Muthu achieves a level of success with her “Elastic Girl” act, her journey is not an easy one. She is vulnerable to sexual predators and traffickers, and she does not receive adequate support from her family. As she trains to become more flexible physically, Muthu must also learn to become elastic in the figurative sense. She has to be resilient enough to bounce back after the traumas she experiences.
Author Olivia Rana’s writing is lovely and graceful, and as guileless as Muthu herself. Vivid descriptions bring to life both the circus setting and various locales in India. The pace of the narrative is measured until the final few chapters, at which point years of Muthu’s life are compressed into brief passages. This has the effect of making the ending feel a bit rushed; however, the conclusion of Muthu’s story is still satisfying.
I particularly enjoyed the way Elastic Girl explores the performing arts. I was fascinated by Muthu’s training, which included not only physical exercises, but mental training as well. There is also an interesting tension concerning performing as a gift both to others and oneself, versus performance as a commodity. There is a scene that occurs prior to Muthu joining the circus, in which she entertains people waiting in a long line. Her friend tells her to charge a fee, whereas Muthu feels she cannot ask people who are already destitute to give up money. He convinces her that despite having little, people will still be willing to pay for “happiness,” which they do. Further, once paid, Muthu and her friend turn around and buy the same happiness for themselves, by going to the theater to watch Bollywood films. Once a part of the circus, Muthu’s wages are sent directly to her family, so in a sense, she returns to being motivated by the thrill of performing and the immediate reaction of the audience. This aspect of Elastic Girl has remained in my thoughts long after finishing the book.
Elastic Girl contains depictions of sexual assault and abuse, so readers who may find that upsetting should be cautious about reading this. For anyone else, I heartily recommend it. I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars.
******
Elastic Girl
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like mlstory's review? Post a comment saying so!
Latest Review: Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana
