The Widows of Malabar Hill Quotes

“We worship differently, but we are not so far apart in our hearts,”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“She had been meant to die, yet she’d cut her way out of that fate and back to the world she loved.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“The boundaries communities drew around themselves seemed to narrow their lives—whether it was women and men, Hindus and Muslims, or Parsis and everyone else.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“She was taking her own liberties with him. Was this liberation?”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“She’d started out the morning hating all young men. Then she’d become so angry with her law professor that she’d quit school. Finally, she’d gone to eat rice with a man she didn’t know.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“But her sweet-tooth daughter isn’t as lucky. She drank falooda mixed with morphine.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“After leaving Calcutta, she had pledged to herself not to disrespect her father. He’d taken her back without question, paid for her to study in England, and hired her as his employee when no other law firm in Bombay would.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“You bastard! You have brought up the sorrow my family has tried so hard to put behind us!” Cyrus shouted angrily, ignoring the constables hastening toward him.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Perveen should have been happy to hear these words of release; but instead, she felt a great sorrow that the one she’d believed was her kindred spirit had turned out to be such an ordinary, closed-minded man.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“How can you speak to your father like that? He’s your hero,” Camellia said, favoring her husband with a final smile as he departed to register himself as Perveen’s advocate. “How many fathers can stand up for their daughters in such a manner?”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Secluded communities of women are a concern. Some unfair and possibly illegal things happen that the government never knows about, because the women don’t come out to tell what’s going on.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“It is many months until then. They could make my life very hard. I could lose the child or even my own life. How can I not feel endangered after the evil deed that occurred?”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“I think I can explain her feeling,” Sakina said, patting Razia’s hand. “If it’s publicly known that Amina has wandered the city, her reputation will be ruined. We will never find a groom for her.We are praying for Allah’s blessing on her travels to Oudh. After that, we would humbly request your assistance in returning her to Bombay.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“The protect-against-evil-eye mark was similar to the dots that Parsis drew on their children’s head and feet, and the thick kohl eyeliner that adorned young Hindu children.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“They believe to stay in the same bungalow with her would soil them. That is why we’ve had very few social callers in the last year. Our husband made a choice that has affected this house forever.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“But she and Cyrus had had a love for the ages. They had connected so beautifully, with both understanding and passion. But now what did she have to show for the marriage? A husband who thought she was shrewish. The gonorrhea infection”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“The Sodawallas had allowed Cyrus to marry her not because they recognized his love—but because of her family’s money.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Perveen’s voice shook at the indignity. Ever since she’d arrived in Calcutta, all kinds of sly comments had been made about decadent, rich Parsis of Bombay. Any question about her family made her react violently.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“don’t know that word you use. Your body is shedding the dirtiest blood and dead eggs. This attracts Ahriman.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“The waste!” Behnoush continued her tirade, making Perveen dizzy with shame. “How could anyone—especially a rich girl like you—think of putting good fried food on such dirty paper? Five large potatoes were wasted, and the oil.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“They ignored the fact that marriage is the most serious contract that can be undertaken. Such a union should not come about without investigation. My wife and I expected we would be well acquainted with a groom and his family.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“If a younger sister marries before an older brother, people will believe she had to marry for reasons of pregnancy. Every bead of her reputation will be sold.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“I trusted you to carry out work for me, and you have abused that by feeding the widows falsehoods. You are a devil!”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“I understand you’ve chosen to live this way.” But Perveen remained concerned about how little contact they had with others—and not even a telephone for emergencies.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Zoroastrians had ruled Persia before the Arab conquest in the middle of the seventh century, and a shared aesthetic came through in the ornate floral tiles.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Enough! I’ve known Alice for almost four years, and I would never use her for gain. Our friendship stands apart from family politics, business, and everything else.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Perveen exhaled, thinking of Alice’s many controversial causes. “The Communist meetings or the marches for women’s suffrage?”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Being the first family in the place means no breadcrumbs in drawers or stains in the bath. I absolutely adore it. We wanted a home big enough for Alice to knock around in.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“I’m so sorry,” he panted. “I shouldn’t have done such things to a girl like you before marriage. But I want every bit of you so much. And now we know that we are meant for each other. Our marriage will be blessed with this—passion.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill

“Frantically, she reminded herself how many men in Bombay might have fair skin and curly black hair: thousands of Armenians, Anglo-Indians, and Jews. And Cyrus didn’t use a cane.”
― Sujata Massey, The Widows of Malabar Hill