Voices in the Valley

by Suravi Sharma Kumar

Against the backdrop of a politically turbulent Assam, a young girl named Millie is determined to make her voice heard. She spends her childhood in a rural set-up with seven sisters, three anxious matriarchs and a resigned father this is what her small world is all about.

Born in a family of priests, she struggles with orthodoxy and convention, and goes on to become a student leader something which only foreshadows the bigger role she is destined to play. A flawed horoscope delays her marriage, but hastens her emancipation. Her tryst with romance is overwhelming, and sweeps her off her feet, but...

Ethnic clashes, militant activities, violent elections disturb the countryside, otherwise home to several tribal communities, lush tea gardens, exotic orchids, sundry birds, one-horned rhinos and much more.

Genres: Fiction, Historical

296 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2012

Reviews

[Jade Kerrion · Rating 4 out of 5]

Flush with color and fragrant with scents, this evocative debut novel from Dr. Suravi Kumar demands you engage all five senses as she immerses you into Millie's life in Northeastern India. Millie is a woman standing at the cusp of change, at the crossroads between old traditions and new influences. She yearns simultaneously for a well-matched marriage as she does to have her voice heard in a democratic India.

The novel has a pace and style reminiscent of other Indian authors I'd read before. It simply will not be rushed. Sentences are long, complex, and border on poetic. One could nitpick stylistic issues till the cows come home, but once you acknowledge that Voices in the Valley is not written according to the rules of genre fiction or even of western literary fiction, it will be a great deal easier to appreciate the beauty of Dr. Kumar's novel.

Recommended for literary fiction and historical fiction readers (if you're interested in the history of India.)

[Kathy Davie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fictional tale of family life in Tezpur in Upper Assam in India.

Oops, I forgot to mention that the author gave me a copy to review! Sorry...KD

My Take
This was a fascinating story that takes us inside the life of a lower middle-class Indian family---Satya Nanda, his brothers, his sister, and their families who live in Xurovi Kunj, the family compound, opening all our emotions to the drama of their family life, their concerns and their joys.

It was a toss-up whether I gave this story a "3" or a "4" primarily due to the stiff start and the grammar, sentence structure, and word issues which distracted the hell out of me—I'm a fervent proponent of commas, a comma queen, but I also like when they're used properly. I suspect there are also some translation issues, a few examples are:

"In half an hour, Yoshoda and Millie served them tea and snacks."
“she filled in some ink into it”
“without an insight and a delight in living.”
“The family now started staying chary of monkeys jumping”
“even came requesting for a strand to wear “

However, Kumar has really done a beautiful job of presenting a slice of life with the wonderful to the horrible and all from the perspective of a middle class family, specifically from the viewpoint of an intelligent Indian woman unafraid to step up.

Colorful and picturesque. I loved this dip into the everyday life for this extended family. It's primarily told from his oldest daughter's perspective, but Kumar provides an opportunity for a number of family members to "speak". There are the daily chores, the plants that beautify and perform their own useful tasks. The interaction between Millie's mother and the aunts. The tasks and duties of the men. Their home and its layout. And all performed in a backdrop that Kumar weaves for us. A backdrop of the colors of India as well as her sounds and flavors.

Nor is Kumar afraid to include the dishonorable and corrupt along with the centuries-old culture of the male mind.

I absolutely love that Kumar has not anglicized it, retaining the words, the issues that attract and repel, the food, the concerns of the women… Kumar makes poetic connections between nature and culture that both soothe and rile.

Oh, I loved the legends of the moon. A lovely way to explain its waxing and waning!

Hmmmm, very suggestive "making pastes of lentils and raw turmeric to apply on the face and hair, and…"

Interesting phrase, "waifs of gossip"…it sounds so like what my sister and I used to *ahem* "hear" when the family got together around the kitchen table with their coffee and their bits and pieces of who's doing what.

Go, Millie! I just love how she set Mrs. Tabby down!

I love the rituals that Kumar relates: what's expected of the girls when a prospective groom's parents visit to inspect them; the presentation of the wedding invitations; the reactions of the older women in regard to having to "consort" with lower castes; and, so many others.

Okay, now the issues:
It starts off rather impersonally when Kumar talks about "My heart goes out to the countrymen…", "in the hands of the enemy", and "Feeling abandoned by the country". Why not use "their" or "my"? Of course, it could well be how the Centre did feel about the people of Assam, considering how the central government treated this state for so long.
What's a "bitten moon"? I'd love it if Kumar would include a glossary to explain some of the religious events that occur and the language used.

I'm confused about "The siren would be blown at sundown once the war was over for the day." What does this mean? The war keeps civilized hours?

How is it any different burning the currency than having the military seize it? Admittedly, it does provide Anonto with a lovely opportunity.

Kumar sets beautiful scenes and she uses her words to tell us that the villagers, Millie's family in particular, are worried about the war, but I don't feel it. It takes about halfway through the story before it becomes emotional enough to pull me in. And, ooh, baby, what emotion! I cried and cried...and cried.

I'm curious as to what Omiya's sons did in the kitchen.

I love this phrase—"...a bunch of hospital staff sprang out like sudden streams of water from a fountain."---it's so evocative! And so terrifying!!

Oh, now wait just a second. It starts by suggesting that Millie and her friends hop a ride on the ox cart and then it turns into her friends following her on foot. Which is it?

Mmmm, I'm not sure I'd describe the Bengali children's fearful journey of escape as "thrilling"…

I got a little confused with the "three simpatico brothers". The paragraph in which Kumar tells of their indolence has left me wondering if the men are real people or part of a legend in the area or if they are meant to be gods?? It's an interesting step outside the story, but I don't really understand the point of it.

This paragraph is confusing:

Millie kept her rendezvous with the police lathi a secret from her family, though on some days, when the wounds were too apparent, she would be left with no other recourse but to tell her family about it in detail.

So, how is she keeping the beatings secret if some days she has to tell her family?

Kumar displays in depth the issues of finding a husband with marriages very much arranged. One's horoscope at birth is critical and must be carefully matched---and I don't really see any evidence that it works. Although, it certainly provides a useful excuse when tragedy strikes.

Ooh, Indira Ghandi does not fare well in this story with her illegitimate election of 1983. Nor do widows fare well in India. Jesus, do Indian widows get to re-marry at all? What widows go through seems like a death in life.

For all its exoticism, the family suffers the same as any other. Children who run off with the wrong person or go against the family and/or how they were raised; and, worries about the influence of the cinema. The social work Millie engages in is also a problem in this country. For all that we eat different foods and have different religious practices, we're all the same.

The Story
A "day in the life" of an extended Indian family as seen primarily through the eyes of one of the daughters of the house. Emphasis is placed on the good character of the daughters and finding them suitable husbands and Millie personally is so very hurt by her parents' attitude towards her. She's an intelligent girl who grows up to become quite the leader in college and beyond.

It's after Manosi's disgraceful marriage that Millie shakes off her own languor and enrolls in graduate school. This at a time when the students of Assam are up in arms against politicos enrolling illegal voters, which simply increases the student agitation and concerns about the Bangladeshi illegal immigrants. Hmmmm, notice any parallels here?

When tragedy strikes the family, Millie FINALLY realizes that she's holding up her sisters' marriages and breaks away from tradition. There are so many issues she is angry about and this "offer" from her cousin's widowed husband simply brings it all to a head.

Millie is a strong woman, willing to hold out for what is right and it is the work she does both officially and unofficially that gains her Noyon's, and later, the people's regard. Still, life is not done testing Millie.

The Characters
Millie is the oldest daughter. With a college education behind her, it had seemed that only her troublesome horoscope prevented her from finding a husband. Moromi, Mousimi, Monmi, and Mayuri are her sisters.

Noyonjyoti Chakroborty, a Brahmin, is an engineer Millie meets on her teachers' expedition around India. Neelav is their son. His parents are Bhovani Chakraborty, a retired college principal, and Debozani who works in a bank. In Millie's political life, Ojoy is her cook in Dehli.

Zhilmil and Boo are two of Millie's close friends. Millie is worried that she will end up like Zhilmil's sister Ojonta. In her thirties and not married! Digonto is the man Mayuri was to have married. Wealthy, he was gunned down on the road and it was discovered how he had really made his fortune.

The head of the house and Millie's father is Satya Nanda, a priest and Yoshoda is her mother. Leelaboti is Satya's mother and Millie's grandmother. Modon is one of Satya's brothers and is married to Chondona; Manosi is their only daughter. She also brings disgrace on the family. His sons, Dibakor and Otonu, have their own problems. Anonto is another of Satya's brothers. A convenient and practical sleight of hand enabled him to marry Zunaki and build his own home. As the years go by, their daughters Pakhi, Ponkhi, Parul, and his son Okonmani are born. Omiya is a widow with four children whom her brother Satya Nanda rescues from her in-laws and brings into his household; her daughter Lonnie is the first of the three to marry. Prosanto is Lonnie's new husband; Ayena is their firstborn, a daughter. Another daughter, Aador, languishes. Her sons are Proteek who marries Snigdha. He has followed in Satya Nanda's shoes, becoming a priest. And Poresh. Another disappointment.

Bibha is an elegant cousin married to Koilash, a science lecturer at a college and they have two children, Nijora and Mayank.

Xurovi Kunj is the name of the family compound.

Three neighbor women are the gauge by how we know the depth of the trouble the daughters bring down on the family: Maina Burhi has her own scandal following her around; Tejimola, a.k.a., Mrs. Kleptomaniac, has to be watched at all times; and, Tilottoma, a.k.a., "Mrs. Tabby", is a mean-spirited neighbor, always causing trouble.

Pahiram and Tihuram are two brothers who, along with their cousin Bihuram, are renowned for their laziness. Although, they were also very clever in starting up their business. They provide a human face to the corruption of the police and the army. Some of the reasons for their later choices.

The evolution of the "Robin Hoods" is human nature, sadly. A combination of power, lack of government interest, and the economy creates terrorists who prey on their own people.

Damodar Das is a wealthy politico in the area who takes Millie under his wing. Millie respects him for the respect he has always shown her father, his priest.

The Cover
The cover is perfect. There's a sense of heat and lushness that reflects the story itself. A cool, blue river winding through lush green growth and pendulous pink clusters overhanging it all.

The title is the cacophony of Voices in the Valley in Assam who are desperate to be heard, desperate for a voice in their own government as well as the desperate voices of the women of Assam who are at the mercy of their own culture.

[Allizabeth Collins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review:

I have always wanted to travel the world in order to experience the richness of other cultures. Architecture, landscapes, ethnic cuisine and historical tidbits have fascinated me my whole life; so when I get the chance to read about these places, especially countries of the Middle- and Far East, I do not hesitate to make the most of the opportunity. Voices in the Valley is the story of a middle class Indian family told from the point-of-view of their oldest daughter, Millie. Millie and her four sisters are seeking suitable husbands, but their parents are very particular about the candidates, causing unneeded family drama and inevitably pushing Millie in another direction - graduate school. Here, Millie takes on more of a leadership role and begins standing up for her politico-ethnic ideals and doing what she can to protect her country, even though she is up against seemingly insurmountable odds. Her family disapproves, more persistent about marriage, but their constant bickering hinders the situation more than it helps. Only after a tragedy does Millie discover that the only choice besides marriage is to break Indian tradition and follow her own path. This novel took me on a journey through a side of India that I had never experienced. The vivid and fully-immersive writing style transported me to the lush and colorful lands of Upper Assam, allowing me to “feel” the liveliness and emotion of such a beautiful culture/ location. My senses were enlivened by the aesthetic descriptions and artfully crafted dialogue. Even with the need for some grammatical corrections, I found Suravi Sharma Kumar’s use of metaphor and Indian language poetic and culturally stimulating - I loved the the ebb and flow of the Indian names; Leelaboti, Satya Nanda, Manosi, Zunaki, Omiya, and Bibha, etc.... I do not often hear names like these, and have an appreciation for their sounds and meanings. Speaking of characters, I was impressed by their well-developed personalities, as well as the integration of cultural/ societal norms and tradition. I enjoyed how the characters, particularly Millie and her sisters, interacted with each other and their environment(s). I could tell that Kumar was invested in each character, as was I. I learned a great many things about Indian culture and politics by reading this novel; every page held something new and exotic for me to perpend. There were a couple translation issues - to be expected - but they were only a slight deterrent from experiencing the rest of the book. That said, I admit Voices in the Valley was a challenging read - in a good way - due to the flowering prose and the use of beautiful, yet difficult to pronounce, foreign names. The book also took a few chapters to get into, but my interest in the topic kept me captive. I enjoyed the cover art as well! Recommended for readers interested in a sensory journey throughout northeast India, as well as in its ethnic and political spheres.

Rating: On the Run (4/5)

*** I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Angie Mangino · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voices in the Valley
By Suravi Sharma Kumar
2012
Reviewed by Angie Mangino
Rating: 3 stars

The story of Millie begins in the 1960s in Tezpur, Upper Assam in Northeastern India. Readers meet the little girl, her family, and begin to see the cultural aspects of their lives, as well as the risks to their area from the Chinese army.

Years pass, first with Millie in her teens, and the changes in her family life, until 1975 when the daughters were of age for matrimony. The story continues with conflict holding the reader.

Of Millie, the author states, “Without her perceiving the conflict within herself, she had two different sets of views: the beliefs of a girl brought up in an orthodox family, and the perspective of the independent woman moulded in school and college.”

The overuse of telling, without showing, took away from the power of the story, slowing movement of the reading. However, the author writes excellent descriptions, background, and dialogue that add to the well-conceived story line to capture readers into this story despite this weakness.

Thus, this reviewer believes that readers will read on, wanting to know more about Millie, and the changes she encounters.

“Maybe this is life, Millie thought. Adorned, revered, and worshipped in a canopied shrine one day, only to be abandoned to perish the next. Change is life. Change is inevitable. Values, ethics, relationships – all must change. Only the lifeless stay unchanged, disintegrate and decay. Rest all change. They adapt to live.”

Angie Mangino currently works as a freelance writer and book reviewer, additionally offering authors personalized critique service of unpublished manuscripts. http://www.angiemangino.com

[Ruth Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, this book was very difficult for me to get into. I love historical fiction, and I know virtually nothing about India. But what made this difficult is that you have to know something about India to fully appreciate this book. Some of the names were difficult to read, and even some of the Indian words were a little unusual. I wish that I could have understood everything because it is clear that the author has put her heart and soul into this tale, plus a lot of research.

What I did find interesting was the political unrest and even religious unrest that is a part of India. All I really knew about India was the caste system and Calcutta--as well as the British colonization of it. This book showed me that terrorism, Islam, violence, and much more are things that these people face regularly.

There was one sex scene--that was not detailed--and some minor profanity, but none of that ruined the story for me. I just wish I had the Indian background to truly appreciate this piece of literature. It is not an easy read, and I truly think it takes some time to delve into the meat of this novel. I would recommend that anyone who wishes to read this book should go into with the idea that this is not a light read--it is a heavy read that requires you to engage your brain.

I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. I was not financially compensated, and all opinions are 100 percent mine.

[Gaele · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book that is, above all, Indian in feel, language and sheer poetic metaphor. While to the western eye, the language seems strange, if you are able to ‘read’ with the intention of visualizing the imagery presented, the words will flow off the page and capture you. Like many stories, the author has drawn from her experience, and is sharing those experiences: so in many ways this is also a cultural immersion.

The phrasing is poetic, with a multitude of characters introduced and developed in order of their import to the overall story, and the struggles each has with their place in that story. Ultimately this is a tale of a young woman’s finding her voice and defining her place in a society that is less than welcoming her independent streak and strong minded ideals. Coincidentally, it appears as if the factions within Northern India are also displeased by her revelations, as tensions surrounding the different ethnic and political groups are all played out against the lush and colorful lands that surround them. A beautiful first novel that introduces an area of India I did not know.

I received a copy of this book from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Raksha Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a work of intricate details, the colour of flowers and the season of the year, the multitude of characters and their hundreds of emotions,there is beauty in every word because it is penned with such thoughtfulness. This only goes to show that the author has written this work of fiction with her heart. I completely enjoyed this book with Millie and her life,the plot and the scenes based on the North East part of our country seemed similar to any other Indian household, this one is a must read if you believe in good Indian fiction and want to relive your childhood. My only complaint was the pace of the story which was a little rush in the end.I am very much interested in the author's next work. Good job Suravi!

[Nikhil · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my first experience of a novel set in Northeast(Assam).
From the land of tea , floods and militants Mille,protagonist tries to make her voice hear!
Novel set right from 1962 Indo China War to present, includes social political structure, issues and events of Assam.

I loved it as the northeast always fascinated me!

[Shruti · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book highlights the government apathy towards India's heaven - north east India.