The Bandit Queens: Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2023

Product Information

With Geeta’s dangerous reputation becoming a double-edged sword, she has to find a way to protect the life she’s built—but even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry. She eventually led a gang of outlaws, robbing trains and giving proceeds to the poor, and was tried for killing at least 22 of her abusers. The last witness died the following year, and since the presiding judge had been transferred, the case began again in 2022. Dalit academic journeys: Stories of caste, exclusion and assertion in Indian higher education (Ebooked.

Shroff's novel is a delicate tightrope act, always balancing on the line between comedy and tragedy. As someone who watched 1000+ episodes, it’s a treat to see it inspire women ( let’s ignore that the inspiration is not something the makers intended). In a small Indian village, Geeta has garnered a reputation as a “self-made widow” after her husband, Ramesh, disappeared five years ago. After her drunken, abusive husband disappeared one day, Geeta has been treated with fear and suspicion by the others in her village. Therefore, creating a life of isolation and newfound freedom from her abusive husband which Geeta surprisingly enjoys since she can now be independent and self-sufficient without fear and her husband’s judgment.Seamless dialogue reads as if it's from a binge-worthy Netflix series and descriptions perfectly encompass the author's balanced approach. It’s certainly intended to be, but the nastiness tha Funny and engrossing and also heartbreaking, The Bandit Queens tells an important story about domestic abuse, caste discrimination, and the power of the patriarchy in India.

For some reason, books set in India are pitched to readers in the US as serious and beautiful and deep, there is often a whiff of exoticism. Amazing characters that came to life on the page and ones that I won't soon forget are what made this book such a rewarding experience. Once Phoolan Devi was back in Gorha Ka Purwa, the second son of the village leader became infatuated with her, and when she did not reciprocate his affections, he attacked her.It is forbidden to copy anything for publication elsewhere without written permission from the copyright holder. Parini Shroff's debut women's fiction novel, THE BANDIT QUEENS, is based on a real story depiction in India (I will not say more on what story that actually is), but delivers a bird's eye view on the cultural aspects of Indian society, including domestic abuse, gender, the caste system, and patriarchy. I often unintentionally get in a rut of reading only books set in America and England, and whenever I read something like The Bandit Queens I’m reminded of how shortsighted and limiting that is.