Honor [B1122]

2022 PB. In this riveting and immersive novel, bestselling author Thrity Umrigar tells the story of two couples and the sometimes dangerous and heartbreaking challenges of love across a cultural divide. Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meena-a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man-Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one's own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita's own past. While Meena's fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her. In this tender and evocative novel about love, hope, familial devotion, betrayal, and sacrifice, Thrity Umrigar shows us two courageous women trying to navigate how to be true to their homelands and themselves at the same time.

From recent Amazon/GoodReads reviews: "A fantastic and easy read. This book made me realize how lucky and privileged I am to live the life I am and also brings light on just how diverse India is as a country. I feel we all want to pretend that India is now a forward thinking country but the reality of it is that its a melting pot of social hybridity. It is a heartbreaking book that reflects the reality of social disparity and religious discrimination and sexism."; "Horrific and heartbreaking. The story of 2 very different women in India that become victims of violent attacks. Superb storytelling. Powerful."; "I haven't connected with a book so deeply in a while. It carefully captures the internal struggles and conflict that I feel about India as an Indian living abroad. The parts of identity that you're proud of and the parts that you at times detest, all sides of the same coin. Add in a healthy dose of guilt, with a dollop of pride, and now you have a meaty stew of confliction. All in all definitely a must read! 5 stars."