Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao

Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao

                Poornima was the oldest daughter. Her mother had passed years ago and she was the one who cared for not only her father but her brothers and sister. Savitha’s father was an alcoholic and her mother did the laundry for other people in their village. The two became friends when Savitha came to work for Poornima’s father. Both were poor and struggling but their friendship was filled with a love and trust that neither had known and both depended on. It wasn’t long before Poornima’s arranged marriage that Savitha fled from their village, a victim who was going to be forced into an even worse situation. But the two would always yearn for each other and the friendship they had, with paths crossing until they could find each other again.

                There are some books that I can’t stop reading because the plot is beautifully done. This is not one of those books. This is a book that I kept reading because the writing is beautiful. The plot was a lot darker than I expected it to be and for this to be a book about friendship and love, I simply wasn’t expecting such an overwhelming dark tone. But Rao has an amazing writing style. You feel for these characters and their situations regardless of how unexpected and cumbersome they may be. It’s interesting because the underbelly of Indian society is what is showcased in this novel. From prostitution, to sexual and verbal abuse, to human smuggling. And in this midst of this is a coming of age story of two friends, put through horrible circumstances. Their love for each other is their strength and cornerstone.

                I give this novel 3.5 out of 5 stars. I found it interesting and I enjoyed the writing. But I didn’t necessarily care for the plot. The ending felt a little rushed to me. And I know there was a lot concerning fate and endurance but the plot of the story is just not something I would naturally gravitate towards.