Vidya is a fifteen-year-old girl who lives in British occupied India in 1941. Her family (father, mother, brother, and Vidya) is a non-traditional Indian family. Her father is a doctor, and he volunteers his services to the freedom fighters. Gandhi was a key promoter of non-violent protests in India.
When Vidya's father is injured during a protest, everything changes. She has to leave the girls school she attends to move with her family to her grandfather's house where she'll be living with her more traditional extended family including aunts, uncles and a cousin.
There is some conflict between the families, but Vidya stays strong to her beliefs. I thought the book did a good job of depicting some of the tensions that would have been apparent in the early 1940s India. It gave many insights into the culture and religious beliefs of Hindu Indians. I'd highly recommend this book.
Genre: historical fiction
Audience: middle school (girls more likely to enjoy it)
Topics: arranged marriages, girls and education, caste system, Hindu beliefs, Hindu festivals, Brahmins, British rule, World War II, pacifism, family life, brain injury, equality, prejudice, jealousy
Mrs. Beckwith's rating 4 of 5
Amazon reviews
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