The Village Bride of Beverly Hills by Kavita Daswani

Summary

After matchmaking in India, Priya moves with Sanjay, her husband to Los Angeles, and share their house with her husband’s family. Responsibility as daughter in law from traditional family requires her to complete all household task, cooking, cleaning and tidying house, and because she hasn’t got pregnant, she ought to seek a job.
Anyway, she gets expected job, but unfortunately her parents in law are bothered with this. Priya should survive with double life, as an obedient wife, and as a journalist, which is kept quiet from her parents in law.
Uneasily, Sanjay obey his parents far too much. What makes it more complicated, Sanjay has discerned with Priya just for a week before marriage! Could their fragile love survive against of collision between tradition and ambition?

Two thumbs up for Kavita Daswani! She successfully accumulates complicated life, which is happened to a family who still heading towards tradition. The setting takes India family; Daswani tells us that it’s so familiar if every marriage began with matchmaking. Daughters, especially, should receive her spouse that have been chosen for her in all modesty, and believe her family has decided the best for her. Priya is one of them. With her elder sisters’ failure in marriage, she has to try not repeating it, or she’ll disappoint her parents.
First, we’ll be brought to see how excited Priya is, when she first go abroad from India. She get a bit disoriented when she have to live in big city, it is fun to read how she learns everything one by one. Problem comes, when she doesn’t get pregnant, her mother in law forces her to look for a job. We can see she is kind of confused; India wives shouldn’t get a job besides taking care of their husband. But Priya has no other choice, for pleasing her parents in law; she tries to find a job.
It’s annoying to witness how Sanjay’s parents intruded into Priya and Sanjay’s marriage. Priya doesn’t have any authority to manage her own life, and for honor sake, she follows every Sanjay’s parent’s rules. It is described that frequently Priya tries to put her relationship with Sanjay, which is broken because of Sanjay’s parents’ accusations, back together, but seemingly Sanjay trusts his parents more than everything. Priya often think to come back to India, but she doesn’t want disappoint anyone from her family. In India, divorced widows are having bad reputation. She’s petrified with that.
I’ve learned a lot from this story. Obviously, it’s presenting for women. Living in developing country, where many families still hold on old tradition, it clearly tells that wife should obey her husband. Husband is leader of family, his words is law. But, after all, we should be strong. As a woman, we still have right to maintain our quality life. I am not a feminist, I still believe, serving our husband is our duty. But, don’t forget to think about yourselves. Are you happy? Is your opinion heard? Many women are scared of neighborhood rumors if they are getting brave and demand for her rights. Priya teaches me lot. I don’t want what has been going on with Priya, falling on all of us. It’s important to know better your husband-to be, discuss about your future life, what you will reach in life.
Good lesson. One of educating chicklit, and must-read items for you who will get married, or even for you who married!!