 |
| Hema Macherla at Waterstones Nottingham |
When I read the cover of author Hema Macherla's novel - Blue Eyes - I instinctively knew that it was going to hook me from the first page, and it did. I found myself rushing home from work for a couple of nights just so I could bury myself in the sights, sounds and smells of India during a turbulent period in the country's history.
Set in Gandhi’s volatile India, the story opens with Anjali, aged eighteen, about to be burnt alive on her husband’s funeral pyre – the conventional widow’s fate.
After a dramatic escape, things go badly wrong and she embarks on an extraordinary, often terrifying, journey of discovery.
Saleem, Anjali’s childhood friend, is entwined in her destiny. As he searches for her, he is caught up in the violence surrounding India’s struggle for freedom.
At the heart of this fast-moving narrative is the love of two men for one woman.
Anjali's journey from innocent child to a fully aware woman, who is shocked by the injustice meted out to other women because of old beliefs, will have you cheering for her with each page turn as she forges her own path under terrifying conditions.
The two men in her life, while well meaning, are complete opposites and both highlight different aspects of Anjali's fight to be recognised.
Saleem is trying to be different but he is so rooted in his culture that it keeps pulling him back as he tries to move forward.
Meanwhile, Saleem serves a man whom he is meant to hate but who dearly loves his country as much as he does and is horrified by what's happening to it, and this adds to Saleem's sense of conflict and confusion.
Blue Eyes is a novel about courage, about following your heart and being true to yourself when everything is set against you. It's evocative, thought-provoking and enriched with unforgettable characters. I loved it!
Publisher: Linen Press Books
I bought Blue Eyes when I met Hema Macherla at a book signing in Waterstones Nottingham.
Pam, thank you for a wonderfully sensitive, insightful review of Hema's Blue Eyes. You have found its heart and like others, cheer on the courageous heroine, Anjali, from naivety to independence.
ReplyDeleteWhen I first read The Breeze From The River Manjeera, Hema's first novel, I knew that here was a born story-teller. Blue Eyes is more sophisticated, more of an epic novel but still a page-turner.
Lynn Michell
Director of Linen Press
Thank you for such a thoughtful comment, Lynn. I agree, Hema is a born story-teller and I will be investing in her first novel!
ReplyDeletePam
Pam,
ReplyDeleteI thought your title "unforgettable Blue Eyes" was so apt. I too couldn't put it down and towards the end found myself reading slower so that the book would last me a little longer! When it was over I missed Anjali and her life in 1900's India.
A very insightful review of a book that I felt tackled so many tough issues in a delicate caring way
Thamks for the great comment, Smitha. I was reluctant to leave Anjali's world too :)
ReplyDeleteI couldn't put down 'Breeze from the River Manjeera' Hema's first novel. Hema has a beautiful simplicity of style as a writer. However 'Blue Eyes' with its twists and turns, compelled me to suffer with Anjali whole sweeps of Indian history in Gandhi's politically explosive time where practices for teenage brides were barbaric and inhumane. The book was an unforgettable experience and Hema a writer of enormous talent.
ReplyDeleteYes she is! Thanks for your wonderful comment, Val!
ReplyDeleteHema Macherla’s novel ‘Blue Eyes’ was gripping even as I started to read it. Her superb style of writing was so visual and engaging, I felt as if I was watching a movie. The story line was moreish - I devoured the whole book in one sitting!
ReplyDeleteThanks for your fabulous comment, Gouri. I'm so glad that you loved Blue Eyes. You're right, it is an extraordinarily visual experience to read this novel.
ReplyDeletePam
I intend to get hold of Blue Eyes at some point soon. Having read Breeze from the River Manjeera, it's clear to me that Hema Macherla is an amazing storyteller. The first book she wrote is so beautifully crafted with a great narrative and keeps you in suspense for hours, wondering what will happen next to the protagonist!
ReplyDelete