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Indian Summer
This is a glorious evocation of India and an incisive look at the issues of class, empire and women's rights.West meets East in a mysterious and atmospheric novel in which Sarla, a Londoner, spends the summer with her mother's family in Daroga, India. She and her cousin Bina, who is quiet, studious and traditional, are very different indeed. When Sarla learns that Bina has a deep, dark secret - concerning her mother, a murder and bandits in the surrounding hills - she is determined to find out exactly what it is.
- GenresIndiaYoung Adult
288 pages
First published January 1, 2009
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Pratima Mitchell
59 books5 followersPratima Mitchell was born in India and studied in Delhi, London and the United States. She comes from a family of authors and made her debut as an author at the age of eleven. She has worked as a journalist, editor, waitress and teacher. Nowadays she lives in Oxford (UK).
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 28, 2011
I must admit that in the beginning, this book reminded me a lot of Kiran Desai's The Inheritance of Loss'. It was probably the Himalayan setting, grandparents, a young girl living among mostly older people and the presence of the 'Liberation Front' in the background. But its just a coincidence, as 'Indian Summer' veers away soon enough.
Fourteen year old Sarla finds herself in the town of Daroga, with her grandparents, after her vacation plans go awry when her mother is pulled away on account of work. Though Sarla's last trip was six years back, which ended with between her mother and grandparents, she adjusts soon enough and even manages to befriend Bina, the 15-year-old granddaughter of her grandparents' household help.
The author makes a smart move by bringing in both girls as narrators of the book and we're able to juxtapose the similarities and differences between the two girls. They're both lonely souls in their own ways, and yearning for a more 'normal' childhood, they both have a not-so-regular relationships with their respective mothers, but the sheer class difference makes each others' lives almost incomprehensible. Their friendship however, helps Sarla understand more about Bina's life and that of Bina's mother, Shobharani, Bandit queen of the hills.
Though the book covers some ground on the condition of the poor in villages, women's rights, class differences, it takes backstage when the plot moves on. Despite an attempt at a twist in the tail, the predictability of the plot and the stereotype secondary characters - despite their potential, takes a bit away from this book. But I liked it for its simple telling and the vivid description of life in a hill town. The kind of book that goes with cold nights and hot chocolate.
Fourteen year old Sarla finds herself in the town of Daroga, with her grandparents, after her vacation plans go awry when her mother is pulled away on account of work. Though Sarla's last trip was six years back, which ended with between her mother and grandparents, she adjusts soon enough and even manages to befriend Bina, the 15-year-old granddaughter of her grandparents' household help.
The author makes a smart move by bringing in both girls as narrators of the book and we're able to juxtapose the similarities and differences between the two girls. They're both lonely souls in their own ways, and yearning for a more 'normal' childhood, they both have a not-so-regular relationships with their respective mothers, but the sheer class difference makes each others' lives almost incomprehensible. Their friendship however, helps Sarla understand more about Bina's life and that of Bina's mother, Shobharani, Bandit queen of the hills.
Though the book covers some ground on the condition of the poor in villages, women's rights, class differences, it takes backstage when the plot moves on. Despite an attempt at a twist in the tail, the predictability of the plot and the stereotype secondary characters - despite their potential, takes a bit away from this book. But I liked it for its simple telling and the vivid description of life in a hill town. The kind of book that goes with cold nights and hot chocolate.
August 1, 2024
A simple story of 2 girls and the difference in looking at and facing problems of life.
Nested among the mountains is a small village of Daroga where Bina lives with her grandparents, who work for a retired military brigadier abd his wife. Bina has her own past hidden from all around her, she is shy, introvert and fearful of the future.
On the other hand there is Sarla couple of years younger to Bina. She is the daughter of Rita and studies in London. Sarla plans to spend her summer vacation with her grandparents at Daroga.
How will this vacation pan out for Sarla? What will happen when the 2 diverse girls meet?
There is past which bis hidden and goods out in the open only in the last few pages.
Overall simple story, writing is decent (would have liked it to have more Description of the locales), quick read.
Nested among the mountains is a small village of Daroga where Bina lives with her grandparents, who work for a retired military brigadier abd his wife. Bina has her own past hidden from all around her, she is shy, introvert and fearful of the future.
On the other hand there is Sarla couple of years younger to Bina. She is the daughter of Rita and studies in London. Sarla plans to spend her summer vacation with her grandparents at Daroga.
How will this vacation pan out for Sarla? What will happen when the 2 diverse girls meet?
There is past which bis hidden and goods out in the open only in the last few pages.
Overall simple story, writing is decent (would have liked it to have more Description of the locales), quick read.
January 30, 2019
An Indian fairy tale. A nice story with a nice happy ending. A bit lacking in substance and finesse and possibly grit. It was quite a powerful and eventful tale with big characters and it all turned out hunky-dory for everyone! But a nice book, maybe ideal for a teenage Goa beach read.
May 6, 2020
A breezy, old-school, Sunday afternoon/vacation read. A hills setting, characters with mild tension/little problems, and smooth writing.
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November 20, 2021An enjoyable YA read for when you don’t want to think too hard with a small side of Indian resistance politics
September 18, 2011
A blurb can be so misleading. I was suckered in by this sentence: Then Sarla hears about the bandit queen of the hills -- and knows this is going to be her most amazing summer ever. Who could resist the lure of a bandit queen? Unfortunately, said bandit queen was jailed ten years before the events of the book, and remains in prison for the rest of her life...
As if that disappointment wasn't enough, I was beaten over the head with Serious Issues. Every time Bina was meek or submissive she would make a comment along the lines of, "See! Girls in India have to do what they're told! We have no rights!" She was always harping on about women's rights, or the gap between rich and poor. Don't get me wrong -- learning about cultural issues is obviously important -- but there's such a thing as weaving it into the story.
As if that disappointment wasn't enough, I was beaten over the head with Serious Issues. Every time Bina was meek or submissive she would make a comment along the lines of, "See! Girls in India have to do what they're told! We have no rights!" She was always harping on about women's rights, or the gap between rich and poor. Don't get me wrong -- learning about cultural issues is obviously important -- but there's such a thing as weaving it into the story.
March 11, 2009
I enjoyed this book. After expecting a straightforward "East meets West" format, I thought that the author managed to make the book much more complex while keeping it interesting and very readable.
I did think that the mother/daughter relationship between Rita and Sarla was a little eratic. It didn't feature significantly throughout the book then there as an emotional scene at the end that was unexpected and didn't seem to quite work.
For a more detailed review visit Suite101.com
I did think that the mother/daughter relationship between Rita and Sarla was a little eratic. It didn't feature significantly throughout the book then there as an emotional scene at the end that was unexpected and didn't seem to quite work.
For a more detailed review visit Suite101.com
September 19, 2010
The book is about a girl who spend the summer with her grandparents in India. She meets Bina her cousin and learns about her family and decides to find out more. I did not enjoy this book. I thought it was uninteresting and confusing to read. I later realized that the book has different parts. There are chapters about the character sarla and chapter about the character Bina. I wouldn't give this book any stars.
March 6, 2009
Started promisingly then deteriorated into a series of cliches about the second generation Indian going back to discover mystery, adventure, romanticism.... and completely unrealistic one-dimensional characters. If only life back in India was quite that exciting!
October 17, 2010
I think this book is amazing because it's about two friends and 1 summer i recommend this book to my nani!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:)
January 15, 2012
Didn't like the different perspectives, which hardly had any differences in them, in spite of being the perspective of an Indian and a European girl....
did not like the story a lot.
did not like the story a lot.
July 13, 2014
Interesting characters, addressing the inequality of women in India.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews