Tuesday, September 01, 2009

September YA Pick: Keeping Corner

My September YA pick is Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth. It is the story of a young child bride named Leela living in India at the time when Gandhi's teachings were beginning to embolden many Indians to think of new ways of living, with and without the British. Leela, bright and beautiful, grew up treasured by her family and anticipating a happy marriage, but when her husband was killed a short time before she was supposed to leave her parents' home to live with him as his wife, she faced the small, lonely life of a widow of her caste. With the help of her brother and her teacher, she comes to see that her life does not have to be confined by traditions that are harmful, and grows into a strong, thinking, independent young woman, as her country grows strong and independent alongside her. This was an excellent book.

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