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‘A Good Indian wife’ A Novel by Anne Cherian W.W. Norton & Co. New York 320 pages Hard Cover Reviewed by Mahadev Desai India born and raised author Anne Cherian’s stunning, eloquent debut novel ‘A Good Indian Wife’ exhibits deep insights and empathy for her finely etched character’s cultural and  emotional
dilemmas and efforts of adjustment in far-away adoptive land. In
his laudatory advance praise for the novel, Antonya Nelson
writes, “Anne Cherian appears to be channeling Jane Austen in
her wonderful novel A Good Indian Wife. Set in contemporary
America and India, the book celebrates the cultural customs and
idiosyncratic human nature that work in combination to create
love, family and identity. And like Austen, the writer
ever-so-gently challenges the reader’s expectations and
assumptions about the nature of romance and fidelity.”Globalization and economic prosperity has resulted in increased social mobility, and the institution of marriage is undergoing rapid transformation. Society is witnessing all kinds of marriages-inter-caste; inter-religion; inter-race, and so on. And from same-sect to same-sex as well. But the Western world is still fascinated with arranged marriages which are considered exotic by many. And though they do not guarantee lifelong marital happiness, the divorce rate in arranged marriages is arguably lower than in love marriages. Traditionally minded parents in India still insist on arranged marriages for their children wherever they may be. Cherian’s riveting novel is both a love story and an exploration of how two very different people from two different countries and two ways of life who come together through arranged marriage can prove more compatible than ever seemed possible. 35 year old Dr. Neel Sarath, a successful anesthesiologist in a San Francisco hospital returns to India to visit his sick grandfather who lives in a small town in South India. Neel though an American citizen, has always felt self-conscious about his position as an immigrant in America. He has a fetish for white girls. He feels that an American wife would help him move up the social ladder. Previously snubbed by a white girl Savannah, he now has an adoring blonde American girlfriend and secretary Caroline. During the visit his loving and well meaning parents and relatives conspire
in marrying him to 30 years old
Leila Krishnan, living with her parents, and two younger
sisters. Leila is tall, pretty and has a job teaching English
literature. She looks forward to her new life in America and to
build a successful marriage with Neel. Neel who has agreed to
the hastily arranged marriage despite severe misgivings imagines
his life can proceed as usual ,girlfriend and all. In her new
home in San Francisco, Leila slowly realizes that marrying Dr.Sarath may not be as idyllic as she had hoped. Initially, she
finds herself painfully alone in a city with few friends, little
guidance and a deep confusion about what her marriage to Neel
stands for, because Neel is not physically intimate with her in
bed .She feels humiliated and betrayed when she finds out Neel’s
relationship with Caroline. She feels conflicted-should she
confront Caroline or divorce Neel? She does neither. But she
remains strong. She loves Neel and Neel wants her to settle down
in new settings. Gradually she finds self expression by learning
to adapt in her new environment. While Neel seems to tilt
totally towards western culture, she forges a delicate balance
of Indian and American identity. She overcomes the strictures
and traditions in India that held her back and like Neel
explores limitless possibilities of American life by embracing
modernity. She slowly wins over Neel’s love, respect and
admiration and also impresses their friends. |
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