Review- The Elephant Chaser's Daughter by Shilpa Raj

The Elephant Chaser's Daughter on Goodreads

 BOOK SUMMARY:

Saved by her grandmother from being killed at birth for having been born a female, Shilpa’s life took many unexpected turns and twists through her early years. She faced abandonment by her mother, the formidable constraints placed on her by her family, and the barbs of village elders bound by hundreds of years of oppressive practices and customs that subjugate women. Shilpa is torn between the contrasting lives she leads: one of servitude and injustice experienced by her family; the other of opportunity and empowerment offered by a good education in a school started by a philanthropist.

Just when all seems settled, an unforeseen death under mysterious circumstances shatters whatever stability remains in her life. Pulled in opposite directions, and torn between despair and dreams, Shilpa finally makes a choice for her future. Is she strong enough to stand up to the people she loves, and pursue what she wants?

At its heart The Elephant Chaser’s Daughter is about hope, when all seems lost. Written with raw honesty and grit, this is a deeply moving memoir of a young girl confronting her ‘untouchable’ status in a caste-based society, and her aspirations for modernity.

Release date: July 10th 2017

Published by: Rupa Publications India

Page numbers: 260

REVIEW: 

The reasons I decided to pick up The Elephant Chaser's Daughter are the simple facts that it's the story of a village girl and it's the real story of the author. Without even knowing her, I'm able to say that Shilpa Raj is a very brave woman for sharing her story, which she has penned down in a manner so interesting that I wish she never stops writing. I want to know more about her life.

Any book set in rural India piques my curiosity because the condition and situation of women in Indian villages is a topic I've been interested in since a few years now. Set in Thattaguppe, Kerala, The Elephant Chaser's Daughter is about Shilpa, her family, her village and the one institute that saves her life- Shanti Bhavan, a school started by an American that takes village children into its arms and gives them wings to fly.

Shilpa's family and alma mater were two points that help make her into who she becomes. Shilpa is truly someone to admire and respect for whatever she has been through. I found it so difficult to even imagine some of the stuff that happens in her village. But the girl's courage, determination and strength make her stand on her own two feet. I really liked how Shilpa was, because her story was so real and raw that it's hard not to relate to her at some point or the other.

This book is so well done and so emotionally piercing that it just makes for a very great read. A true memoir of the author's life as a child stepping into adulthood with ups and downs, The Elephant Chaser's Daughter is one brilliant book that talks about the life of people in Indian villages with a focus on women, family and the kindness of strangers. But above all, this book is the voice of the voiceless. 

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by Rupa Publications in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

Buy the book: AMAZON/ FLIPKART

DNF Review- Twelve Years A Slave by Solomon Northup

Goodreads Summary:

This unforgettable memoir was the basis for the Academy Award-winning film 12 Years a Slave. This is the true story of Solomon Northup, who was born and raised as a freeman in New York. He lived the American dream, with a house and a loving family - a wife and two kids. Then one day he was drugged, kidnapped, and sold into slavery in the deep south. These are the true accounts of his twelve hard years as a slave - many believe this memoir is even more graphic and disturbing than the film. His extraordinary journey proves the resiliency of hope and the human spirit despite the most grueling and formidable of circumstances.

REVIEW:

*NOTE: We (The Readdicts) received a copy of Twelve Years A Slave by Solomon Northup from Pirates in exchange for an honest review. We thank the publishing house for the book! 

When we first received an email about Twelve Years A Slave, I was extremely intrigued by the book since at that time, I was reading Edward Said's Orientalism for my literature class and studying the theory as well. So this book seemed like the perfect way to apply the theory to a literary work that isn't fiction. For some reason or the other- and the reason being studies mostly- I kept putting the book aside although ideally, I would have loved to read it while doing orientalism. When I finally picked up the book to read, it was too late, I guess. 

When I went to Quebec for an exchange programme, the in-flight services provided by our airlines had the movie Twelve Years A Slave and I decided to watch it after having watched actors from the film go receive their Oscars for the same. I didn't like the movie much but I did find it interesting. It was sad and devastating, and I wouldn't really know how much of the book was taken to the big screen. I had the book with me at that time as well, but I already said, I never got to it since I had other stuff to do. 

ANYWAY. I guess I've gone off topic enough and it's time I finally get to the review instead of just blabbering about random stuff that no one even cares about. 

So, the book. Well, first off, I did not like the pace of it. It was way too slow for my liking without much happening. I understand why there was a lack of dialogue and a heavy dose of description, but for me, it was too boring. I admit that the binary opposition of master/ slave has been the most interesting relationship since it's nothing but a human thinking another human as savage and using him for his own benefit. But all that aside, the problem I have is not with the story. I don't want to talk about it since I'm not really sure I am capable of doing it. 

I was under the impression that I was reading Twelve Years A Slave when I received an email from Goodreads asking me to update my progress on the book and telling me that it's been 50 days since I started reading it. 50 days. Can you imagine that? 50 days is almost a month and a half. And I read only 90 pages of the book. And in that time, I didn't even read any other paperback since I knew I was reading Twelve Years A Slave and it's better to finish one book before getting on to the next. Honestly, it's not the book's fault. It is mine. I did not read it on time and when I was in the mood for it. So if anyone is to be blamed, it's me. I would have liked to just sit down one day and finish off the book, but somewhere, I know it's not going to happen and I don't want to waste time reading something that I won't exactly prefer to read otherwise. What should be noted is that whatever I read, I found alright. It was profound and I learnt a lot of stuff here and there. But it's taking too long and I've lost interest, honestly.  

I know there are people who will love this book, and I would have as well, but no. It's too time consuming (as if my current pile of books doesn't haunt me enough) and I must close one door to open the next. Sorry, book. 

RATING: