Tell A Thousand Lies by Rasana Atreya is about the fates of two sisters, fraternal twins Pullamma and Lata. Dark and awkward Pullamma only wants to be a wife. She has two other sisters so she knows that there isn’t a lot of dowry for them all, but she still hopes. Fair and pretty Lata only dreams of becoming a doctor. Her grandmother doesn’t understand and arranges a wedding alliance for her. By some twist of fate, Pullamma ends up becoming the Goddess of their village and secretly married, while Lata ends up in a forced marriage after rebelling against her grandmother and getting pregnant. This novel is a realistic portrayal of the culture, traditions, and life in a small Indian village. Read more about this book on Goodreads.
I enjoyed this book. It was quite easy to read and carried on in a very good pace. It was also so rich in culture and very realistic, so I found it quite captivating. I liked the simplicity of the writing because for me it fit in perfectly with the richness and depth of the entire book. It complemented how colorful the story was. The author was able to give life to the characters and described the setting and events beautifully. The story felt very real and I felt for all the characters.
It is always a great experience to learn more about another culture. Although the Indian culture is certainly different, there are always a few concepts that are similar or even universal like community or village culture, superstitions, traditions, and beliefs, so there is always something readers can relate to. This book had everything about those things and intertwined them with the lives of two young girls. It’s educational, can be emotional, and sometimes funny. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to venture outside of their comfort zone, anyone who wants to learn about other cultures and realities, and anyone who just enjoys a well-written story.
I received a review copy of this book at no cost and with no obligations. All opinions and views expressed here are my own.
About the Author
Rasana Atreya left a comfortable job in IT because she thought roughing it out as a penniless writer was romantic. She’s a blogger, and the mother of two grade schoolers who’ve been begging for the chance to design the cover of her ebook. Maybe next time, kids! You can find Rasana at her author website and her blog.
@Rasana: Anytime! :) Already cross-posted in Amazon and Goodreads.
@Roma: Thanks! I didn’t write the author bio, though. I got it from the author’s website. :)
Nice review lei! :) Simple yet enought to make me want to visit her website :) I le how you described her too…penniless writer! :) Romantic, I agree! :)
Leah, thank you for the wonderful review. Appreciate it.