I picked up this book from the library because of its quirky title and because I had heard good things about the author’s previous book – Erotic Stories for Punjabi Widows, and I was curious about her books.
About the Book
British-born Punjabi Shergill sisters—Rajni, Jezmeen, and Shirina—were never close and barely got along growing up, and now as adults, they have grown even further apart. Rajni, a school principal, is a stickler for order. Jezmeen, a thirty-year-old struggling actress, fears her big break may never come. Shirina, the peacemaking “good” sister, married into wealth and enjoys a picture-perfect life.
On her deathbed, their mother voices one last wish: that her daughters will make a pilgrimage together to the Golden Temple in Amritsar to carry out her final rites.
Arriving in India, these sisters will make unexpected discoveries about themselves, their mother, and their lives—and learn the real story behind the trip Rajni took with their Mother long ago—a momentous journey that resulted in Mum never being able to return to India again.
My Review
This book was a bit of a mixed bag for me. Based on the quirkiness of the title, I was expecting something more light-hearted; madcap adventures, catfights between sisters, and more romance. However, this book was more about the girls connecting with their culture, with strong themes of family, tradition, and gender equality playing a role.
The first half of the book was a bit tepid. It started well but just turned slow for me and seemed longer than it was. I did enjoy the last 20 percent or so of the book much better!
I think the problem is that it’s very evident all three girls were keeping secrets, but the secrets are so apparent to the reader. There was no sense of tension at all.
What I liked was all the travel in the story. Amritsar, specifically the Golden Temple, has always been a dream destination for me.
I enjoyed all the parts reading about their Seva and the rituals in the temple; all the travel bits are excellent and provide good filler for what is essentially a pretty weak plot.
Overall, a light-hearted easy-breezy read. It was a fun read, but the big reveals weren’t quite as satisfying to me.
