Buddy Read-The Space Between Us

[Joanne]

Joy and I will be reading The Space Between Us this month. Anyone is welcome to join in!

[Book Concierge]

LOVED this book. Love her writing. I just finished another by her - The Weight of Heaven

[Joy D]

I am looking forward to this one!

[Joanne]

I read just a bit last night Joy-think I am going to enjoy it more than I thought-;)

@ BC, have never read her before, so I will have to check that one out if I do like her

[Book Concierge]

I've also read The Story Hour

3 books ..... three 5-star ratings.

[Joanne]

I made it through chapter 3 and so far so good. Although the relationship between Bhima and Sera is different than I anticipated. I had the idea in my head (possible spoiler, maybe not) (view spoiler)[Sera's household would be a very affluent one, this does not appear to be the case (hide spoiler)]

[Joy D]

I'm about the same place you are, Joanne. I am also enjoying it so far. I agree with your spoiler. (view spoiler)[Sera is better off than Bhima, but that's not saying much since Bhima lives in a slum. (hide spoiler)]

[Amy]

I remember loving this one!

[Joanne]

Up to chapter 5 (view spoiler)[ Well, Sera and her feelings about Bhima reveal quite a bit about her(Sera's) thoughts on the lower caste. I do not know a whole lot about India but I was aware of the caste system. It intrigues me that Sera could be "friends" with Bhima and have such affection for her and her granddaughter and still adhere to this social stratification (hide spoiler)].

[Joy D]

I agree.(view spoiler)[I think the book is shedding light on how the caste system is slowly changing - with emphasis on slowly. (hide spoiler)]

[Joanne]

You are probably way ahead me or finished by now Joy. I have had to take this one bits at time. Such heartbreak and sadness-I have finished through chapter 11 (view spoiler)[ I assumed this book would be about an affluent woman and a servant, but it is so much more. Such powerful writing and about more than the 2 women, but "the spaces" between us all. Such conflicting emotions as Sera rides to pick up Maya at the bus stop. Revulsion about her touching her and yet thinking of her as family... (hide spoiler)]

[Joy D]

I need to look up some of the history of India's caste system. I think this book (view spoiler)[is about how the formerly called "untouchables" are still suffering from past stereotypes and cultural conditioning. (hide spoiler)] I have been taking time with this one too. It is wonderfully written. I am at the 80 percent mark.

[Joanne]

I had forgotten (view spoiler)[ about the stigma of "untouchables" (hide spoiler)] -I have been researching a bit too, seems not much has changed.

[Joy D]

I have finished. I liked it very much. I am not sure what to think about the ending, though.

[Joanne]

I should finish up this week-end Joy, will be back to discuss

[Joy D]

Ok, no rush, Joanne. :-)

[Joy D]

I will be curious to see what you thought of the ending. For me, (view spoiler)[I thought it was more symbolic than realistic. It may also have been intended to show that people who are used to being badly treated just get used to it and try not to let it bother them too much. (hide spoiler)]

[Joanne]

I have not read your spoiler yet, Joy. I wanted to respond to your question first. After sleeping on it, I am still not sure where I stand on the ending. (view spoiler)[ to end this book on such a playful note, balloons being released? What? Not at all what I was expecting, from a book that really brought me down. So much so, It took 4 days to read the last 50 pages (hide spoiler)]

[Joanne]

To your spoiler-yes I suppose that is one way to look at it. Bhima was that person, you know-turn the other cheek, move on past the trauma and rebuild/resituate. However (view spoiler)[ The final blow of Sera's betrayal, just too much to forgive in my mind. Yet, was it a betrayal? Through out the whole book Sera bounced from being a friend, to being just another person who believed that they were better than Bhima. (hide spoiler)].

I have not written my review yet, not sure if it is a 4 star for me.

[Book Concierge]

If you've finished reading you can read My review HERE .... there are NO spoilers in the review.

[Joy D]

Joanne, I can understand it taking a while toward the end. It is just so sad. Regarding your spoilers: (view spoiler)[ I agree, Sera's betrayal is too much to forgive, unless at some point Sera is willing to apologize, hire her back and treat her as a real human, which is unlikely. Yes, I would call it a betrayal, since Bhima is a long term employee and Bhima has always been truthful. I think part of the point of the book is that they are not truly friends, even though Sera sometimes treats Bhima well. She is just one more person of higher caste looking down on a Dalit. For me, the weakest part is the ending. The balloon scene is so implausible - I still think it is supposed to be more symbolic, but it just does not sit well with the tragedies that Bhima endures on a daily basis. I also feel it has an "unfinished" aspect, like it is a setup for a sequel. I usually hate this type of ending, but in this case, I think the rest of the book is so well done that I could not hold it too much against it. I am reading the follow-up (which I rarely do) and so far it is a similar story of friendship between 2 women, though this one has more possibility of evolving into a true friendship - we shall see.(view spoiler)[ (hide spoiler)] (hide spoiler)]

[Joy D]

Book Concierge wrote: "If you've finished reading you can read My review HERE .... there are NO spoilers in the review."

BC, I love how you put this and totally agree:
"The two women at the core of the novel share one very important characteristic – blindness. The beautifully dressed, elegant and graceful Sera does not want to see the truth of her husband’s cruelty or the despair of Bhima’s life. Bhima, a stoic illiterate, does not see that her blind faith in this family she “loves” is not returned. Time and again she fails to recognize the reality of her situation until it is too late. Intimately connected over time with one another, neither one of them truly sees the yawning chasm that separates them.

[Joanne]

@ BC, I was just going to comment on the text Joy shared from your review. That really says it all. Blindness is such a great way to describe it-I was really searching my brain for something like that when I wrote my review, I just could not put a name on it. You did it well!

[Joanne]

Yes Joy, I saw there was a follow-up. I have it on my "possibles" list. I just cannot take another sad book right now, so I will wait and see what you say about it in your review.

[Joy D]

Joanne wrote: "Yes Joy, I saw there was a follow-up. I have it on my "possibles" list. I just cannot take another sad book right now, so I will wait and see what you say about it in your review."
Bhima is the main character and she is still living in the slum, so it's not cheery. So far, it is less traumatic than the first one.