What do you think?
Rate this book
Faces in the water
What do you do when you discover an unspeakable truth about your parents? The Diwanchand family boasted of having only sons, no daughters. The water from a magical well in their farmhouse was the reason behind this ‘good fortune’, they said.
One day, fifteen-year-old Gurmi sets out to look for the well and what he sees changes everyone’s world forever. The faces of three girls look up at him from the water, and draw him into a world of fun, games and cyber magic—and Gurmi has to face up to an unnerving truth as murky as the surreal well.
What terrible crimes have been committed behind the walls of the rambling Diwanchand family home? Will Gurmi and the ghost-girls be able to avenge the evil that has taken place and prevent yet another unspeakable atrocity from occurring?
Funny, yet sensitive and immensely powerful, Faces in the Water is the story of lives lost to appease our society’s insatiable hunger for male children, and the price families pay for its sake.
One day, fifteen-year-old Gurmi sets out to look for the well and what he sees changes everyone’s world forever. The faces of three girls look up at him from the water, and draw him into a world of fun, games and cyber magic—and Gurmi has to face up to an unnerving truth as murky as the surreal well.
What terrible crimes have been committed behind the walls of the rambling Diwanchand family home? Will Gurmi and the ghost-girls be able to avenge the evil that has taken place and prevent yet another unspeakable atrocity from occurring?
Funny, yet sensitive and immensely powerful, Faces in the Water is the story of lives lost to appease our society’s insatiable hunger for male children, and the price families pay for its sake.
- GenresFictionIndiaYoung Adult
202 pages, Paperback
First published April 12, 2010
23 people are currently reading
308 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
August 7, 2014
I both loved and hated this book, so I'm averaging it out to 3 stars. Loved, because it's such a brilliant and courageous idea to write a light-hearted book for young adults about such a terrible social evil as female infanticide. Sometimes sad and sometimes really funny, with memorable characters and a strong element of suspense, this book holds your interest throughout. I also loved the Punjabi-family attitudes, the external solidarity and internal bickering, the infectious sense of fun, and the rebellion against the patriarchal system -- all of which Bollywood has made so familiar to us.
What I didn't like was the dialogue -- to me, it just didn't ring true. That is, the slang spoken by the narrator-protagonist Gurmeet, alias Gurmi, and the other teenagers seemed to be a not very convincing mix of many generations of slang. Granted, I'm pretty dated when it comes to teen-speak, but still I find it hard to believe that teenagers still use Billy-Bunterish words like 'scoffing'. In addition, the book is a first person narrative, so there is no letting up on this. It really bothered me in the first half of the book, but once the action picked up (and I guess I got used to the voice), I was able to forget about it and concentrate on the story and characters.
What I really disliked was the resolution.
Spoilers ahead!
It is one thing for (the ghosts of) the victims of infanticide to be forgiving, but quite another for the author to let the perpetrators off the hook. Yet, that is what Ranjit Lal has done. True, the perpetrators sincerely repent and make amends. Let us even concede, great amends. But murder (and this is murder, not even the possibly-morally-confusing foeticide) cannot go unpunished. If Lal did not want to send his protagonist's parents to the gallows or to life imprisonment, he should have made the murders happen a generation ago. Dead grandparents cannot be held to account for their crimes, and everyone could then have lived happily ever after.
I wish, too, that Mohini, Nanni and Baby had not disappeared forever once their work was done -- they are really lovable and addictive characters! And, having begun at last, I shall certainly read more of Ranjit Lal's books!
What I didn't like was the dialogue -- to me, it just didn't ring true. That is, the slang spoken by the narrator-protagonist Gurmeet, alias Gurmi, and the other teenagers seemed to be a not very convincing mix of many generations of slang. Granted, I'm pretty dated when it comes to teen-speak, but still I find it hard to believe that teenagers still use Billy-Bunterish words like 'scoffing'. In addition, the book is a first person narrative, so there is no letting up on this. It really bothered me in the first half of the book, but once the action picked up (and I guess I got used to the voice), I was able to forget about it and concentrate on the story and characters.
What I really disliked was the resolution.
Spoilers ahead!
It is one thing for (the ghosts of) the victims of infanticide to be forgiving, but quite another for the author to let the perpetrators off the hook. Yet, that is what Ranjit Lal has done. True, the perpetrators sincerely repent and make amends. Let us even concede, great amends. But murder (and this is murder, not even the possibly-morally-confusing foeticide) cannot go unpunished. If Lal did not want to send his protagonist's parents to the gallows or to life imprisonment, he should have made the murders happen a generation ago. Dead grandparents cannot be held to account for their crimes, and everyone could then have lived happily ever after.
I wish, too, that Mohini, Nanni and Baby had not disappeared forever once their work was done -- they are really lovable and addictive characters! And, having begun at last, I shall certainly read more of Ranjit Lal's books!
May 27, 2013
http://booksbyrotten.blogspot.in/2013...
The ancient and rich Diwanchand family is famous for having only sons. You can sense the horrible secret behind this as you find out that all the children of this family are born in their ancestral farmhouse. Gurmeet or Gurmi, the only son of one of the Diwanchand brothers, is sent to live in the farmhouse when his house in Delhi is shut for renovations. His mother forbids him to step anywhere close to the well that is attached to the farmhouse.
Like any other 15 year old, Gurmeet does exactly what he is forbidden to and unearths the secret behind the unbroken line of Diwanchand family's sons. The beautiful girls who were lowered into the well to keep the tradition alive are now a series of ghosts, he discovers.
You could be forgiven for thinking this makes the story spooky and gruesome. It does not. With a deft and gentle touch, Ranjit Lal turns this story into a fantasy, where the girls show their brother that had they lived, everyone's life would have been much more fun and enriched.
Even as Gurmeet tries to struggle with the enormity of the crime, he is amazed at the calmness with which the girls accept the atrocity and refuse to strike back, despite having some 'ghostly' powers. Soon, Gurmeet finds he has a bigger problem in hand...
The novel is more YA (young adult) fiction, hence the story is kept simple and sweet. There are a few plot holes, for instance, if the women were pregnant so often, surely the neighbours remarked on how the women turned up without a child at the end of it. It could be explained away as a stillborn birth, but so frequently? If we set aside this, there is nothing to crib about because the story has a beautiful heart, it brings out how much a girl child enriches the lives of the family.
.
I am a fan of Ranjit Lal's writing. I loved his book The life and times of Altu Faltu. His writings on birds appear frequently in magazines.
The ancient and rich Diwanchand family is famous for having only sons. You can sense the horrible secret behind this as you find out that all the children of this family are born in their ancestral farmhouse. Gurmeet or Gurmi, the only son of one of the Diwanchand brothers, is sent to live in the farmhouse when his house in Delhi is shut for renovations. His mother forbids him to step anywhere close to the well that is attached to the farmhouse.
Like any other 15 year old, Gurmeet does exactly what he is forbidden to and unearths the secret behind the unbroken line of Diwanchand family's sons. The beautiful girls who were lowered into the well to keep the tradition alive are now a series of ghosts, he discovers.
You could be forgiven for thinking this makes the story spooky and gruesome. It does not. With a deft and gentle touch, Ranjit Lal turns this story into a fantasy, where the girls show their brother that had they lived, everyone's life would have been much more fun and enriched.
Even as Gurmeet tries to struggle with the enormity of the crime, he is amazed at the calmness with which the girls accept the atrocity and refuse to strike back, despite having some 'ghostly' powers. Soon, Gurmeet finds he has a bigger problem in hand...
The novel is more YA (young adult) fiction, hence the story is kept simple and sweet. There are a few plot holes, for instance, if the women were pregnant so often, surely the neighbours remarked on how the women turned up without a child at the end of it. It could be explained away as a stillborn birth, but so frequently? If we set aside this, there is nothing to crib about because the story has a beautiful heart, it brings out how much a girl child enriches the lives of the family.
.
I am a fan of Ranjit Lal's writing. I loved his book The life and times of Altu Faltu. His writings on birds appear frequently in magazines.
Read
August 3, 2017This book is a hard one to rate. It deals with such a quintessentially South Asian issue , that you feel bad for both liking and disliking this book. You can't possibly like a book about female infanticide. Then again if you hated it that would make you one of **them**. Now about the story, I actually **liked** the way the topic was introduced and the fun quirky ghost story that followed. BUT I absolutely hated the ending. It just didn't work for me. The author was being an apologist when he neatly tied it all up with ribbons and a bow for us. The redemption arc was so foolish it almost sounded like an apology on behalf of child murderers. They should have been punished in a HUGE way. Thus the ending ruined the book in a big way. Otherwise this book could have been a ground breaking one in Children's literature.
May 14, 2021
I wonder if I would want someone to read the book... especially children...on one hand they should read for the way the issue of female infanticide has been highlighted...but on the other hand...has it been dealt with a bit too lightly? It's a story that has been made palatable in by adding elements of fantasy. And it brings a smile in most parts, but should there not have been a more serious message about punishment for such practices?
May 30, 2010
When my 12 year old gave me Ranjit Lal's "Faces in the Water" and said "Read", I was taken aback because though she is a voracious reader, she rarely does that. I guess she assumes that what interests her may not be of interest to me though there are a lot of books that I do read once she has read them! Keeping up with the times you know :) Anyway, "Faces in the Water" was a surprise. A pleasant one. Here is a book for young adults and maybe kids who are serious readers. A book that deals with the subject of female infanticide in a gentle manner. Is that possible? Yes, Ranjit makes it possible and even puts in enough dollops of humour! Just the right mix of fun in a very serious topic, Gurmeet, the protagonist makes a discovery that not only makes him understand life, but changes his life and those of others as well.The delicateness with which the subject is handled, makes one wish that instead of dealing with such relevant topics in a gory and brash and too obvious a manner, as our television serials are wont to do, the makers would take a lesson or two from this writer on how a story and a message can be beautifully rolled into one.
February 23, 2011
Faces In The Water is a book that deals with female infanticide in India I like how the author managed to tackle a subject as sensitive as this and presented it in a way that could appeal to everyone, even young teens. It's written well, in a way that captures and holds your interest at every page. It's definitely worth reading.
November 2, 2013
WOW! Powerful, articulate and creative. What a way to empower a future generation of little boys to become men who understand and value gender equity. A really clever presentation of the gender issues in Indian families told from the perspective of an adolescent boy in a magical realism-esque novel.
June 11, 2014
dis is a v good book... dis tells us abt d social evil i.e. d female infanticide... girls r more powerful dan boys which is nt needed 2 b proved.. dis book makes us aware of d crises a family face becoz of its deeds...
August 6, 2013
An Ibsen-esque look at a social ill through a children's story. Lots of action but the end was a bit weak. It could have been tied up better.
Currently reading
August 4, 2014nothing........
November 6, 2011
Awsome! Beautifully written about Female infanticide!
September 2, 2013
IT WAS AN AMAAZING BOOK
WANT MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS
WANT MORE BOOKS LIKE THIS
October 2, 2019
truly emotional and heart whelming. Highlights the evil of girl child killing. the author focuses how the absence of sisters is felt by a boy. But when he meets their spirits they together change the rigid family.
December 22, 2024
Made me cry like a bitch. I feel like the book ends in a very irresponsible note that perpetuates forgiving heinous crimes. The main character’s parents and other culprits are never held accountable and don’t go to prison.
December 29, 2018
Really a touching story. Easy and quick read.
February 26, 2023
One of the most amazing books i have ever read
July 3, 2024
can’t believe surinder aunty got to live, only thing i’m disappointed about
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2026
A great novel, with an interesting storyline. It delivers what you expect it to - atleast for me!
February 24, 2017
In my opinion, this is one if the very best books in Indian fiction. I usually don't like fiction, I preferred real life experiences and relatable books, but when I read this, I felt like I was in the book. This is the best book which represents the problem of female infanticide in an understandable manner. I give it a 5 star on 5 because this book describes brother sister relationships with great depth. I really appreciate the author and the work he put in this book. I didn't even realise it was written by a man in his 40s I thought it was written by a teenager!
I started crying at the end, it was so beautifully written! When I was reading the book, I felt so engrossed and And I could read it forever! It was in the middle of exams that I read it but I just still couldn't stop!
I started crying at the end, it was so beautifully written! When I was reading the book, I felt so engrossed and And I could read it forever! It was in the middle of exams that I read it but I just still couldn't stop!
June 17, 2015
Just because a book deals with a serious problem doesn't excuse the fact that it's terribly written. This book is terribly written. Good fantasy/ghost stories create a world that is "real" within the bounds of their "unrealistic" premise. There was so much unrealistic and weird stuff going on in this book (and I don't mean the ghosts) that it was hard to take anything seriously. The protagonist was left for 6 months alone in a farm house by his parents because their house was being renovated. Who does that? What about the guy's school? The fact that he even went to school was weakly mentioned 3/4th of the way through the book. There are many such seemingly minor details in the book that made me feel like I would if I were watching a carelessly directed movie.
This is not even my primary complaint against the book. The thing that bothered me most was the unrealistic voice of the protagonist and all the other characters. The dialogue felt completely unreal, artificial, and forced. This pervaded the entire book and made it very difficult and annoying to read.
***Spoilers ahead.***
Finally, the story just pissed me off. The author forgave the family for murdering their own daughters just because they semi- repented and much later, made some amends. It was an all's-well-that-ends-well type of ending that this type of book simply should not have. If you're going to write a story about a serious social malady, you can't leave your readers feeling cozy and comfortable that everything has worked out more or less without any lasting harm to anyone. If I'm reading about female infanticide, I want to burn in anger and I want to see some payback. I definitely don't want to see the murderer posing as a warden of a home for abandoned girls.
This is not even my primary complaint against the book. The thing that bothered me most was the unrealistic voice of the protagonist and all the other characters. The dialogue felt completely unreal, artificial, and forced. This pervaded the entire book and made it very difficult and annoying to read.
***Spoilers ahead.***
Finally, the story just pissed me off. The author forgave the family for murdering their own daughters just because they semi- repented and much later, made some amends. It was an all's-well-that-ends-well type of ending that this type of book simply should not have. If you're going to write a story about a serious social malady, you can't leave your readers feeling cozy and comfortable that everything has worked out more or less without any lasting harm to anyone. If I'm reading about female infanticide, I want to burn in anger and I want to see some payback. I definitely don't want to see the murderer posing as a warden of a home for abandoned girls.
June 16, 2018
I know some books which are praised for their ability to discuss disturbing adult topics like racism or rape through children's eyes without taking away the innocence. An even more desired virtue is being completely unsentimental about it. Ranjit Lal book does exactly this for me. His book has all the fun elements of a children book such as imagination, jokes, curiosity in addition of a big one- it deals with female infanticide. I would say Ranjit Lal managed to do all the things I asked above and he did it so brilliantly he made me remember To Kill a Mockingbird! Although the gothic elements of Faces are direct unlike Lee's book which could make it confusing for some readers. But if you can live with that, it could truly be judged as a benchmark for contemporary Indian literature which is going nowhere for the time being.
March 25, 2016
Ranjit Lal is rapidly becoming one of my favorite YA authors. This book is an absolute treat from start to finish. Lal manages to take the heavy topic of female infanticide and treat it respectfully, but in a way that is approachable. His use of humor is a nice contrast to the deep themes, and as in the Battle for No. 19, his female characters are wickedly strong. A must read for anyone wanting to learn more about India's addiction for male offspring.
September 28, 2016
Female infanticide is such a difficult topic to introduce to kids or talk about in public. Yet Rajit Lal has beautifully discussed the topic in the most interesting manner. My husband read this book because it was a ghost story. My 8 and 12 year old kids read it because it was a mystery. I read it because it was absorbing. And we could actually have a very meaningful conversation about various tiopics that I had been meaning to introduce to the kids and yet had no idea how to do so.
April 10, 2023
The only redeeming feature of this book is that it talks about female infanticide. However I am not sure if this is the way it needs to be introduced to kids considering the recommended age is 11+. It also does a lot of disservice to the topic by harping on stereotypes and reinforcing the same patriarchal and classist notions. The language is mediocre and the assumptions simplistic.
August 23, 2013
for the review
May 17, 2015
IT IS A VERY SENSIBLE AND THOUGHT PROVOKING BOOK .THESE SHOULD BE ENCOURAGED WHICH DEALS WITH A BURNING TOPIC LIKE FEMALE INFANTICIDE.
March 13, 2016
A unique story with its original plot showing the problem of female infanticide that plagues india even in these modern times
July 29, 2018
Very nice book on girl equality
January 23, 2022
i didn't expect to like it as much as i did. worth reading once honestly
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews