Mala MaheshPadma

Insecurities really are the end of everything. But are they always entirely baseless? Padma (maybe very rightly so, in my opinion) shows that a woman’s instincts are seldom wrong.This is the story of 2 women, Padma and Naina. Padma’s story is set in the 1900s, while that of Naina’s in the present day. Both the women are ambitious, smart, enticing and living a happy married life. But then…enters the other woman.Oh, by the way, did I mention yet another commonality between them? They are both infertile.Given so, Padma’s husband (though he loves her very much) resorts to a second marriage. And rifts start cracking in when Naina and her husband, Naveen, decide to opt for the IVF treatment. In their struggle to get out of the emotional labyrinth, what all havoc will these 2 women wreak on themselves and the world?Honestly, when I started, 400 pages seemed very daunting. But once I began reading, there was no stop. Some may disagree with me, but I think that this was a blend of 2 contrasting women, who were tied together just by their circumstances. While Padma commanded my respect and captivated me, Naina wanted me to scratch out my skin. And yet, I loved all of it because it made me realise how women are always expected to behave a certain way and any selfish behaviour on their part is scorned upon. So scorned upon, that at one point I wanted to close the book shut.And this was when I saw hypocrisy staring back...Padma is one back that performed beyond my expectations and I earnestly believe that it needs to go out more. If you are into domestic fiction, do give it a try. I promise you will love it!

The book takes us on the journey of 2 women of the same family tree - Padma & Naina.Padma’s story is set in Kerala, in the early 90s where India was still under the British rule. Padma was married at the age of 16 and was loved both by her husband and mother in law. Everything about her was perfect except the fact that she was unable to bear children of her own which forced her husband to have a second marriage.On the other hand, Naina’s story is set in the present Mumbai. She’s a strong and independent woman and loves her husband to bits. But the only thing that she’s stressed about is not being able to produce her own babies.Naina and Padma had one similarity - they both couldn’t conceive but each of them wrote their own life story.I absolutely loved reading the book. The characterisation is perfect and feels so real. In the beginning, Naina got on my nerves but her character developed a lot overtime. The details had me so engrossed that I finished this book even while sitting in my office😹Definitely recommendedFollow @confuzzledreader on Instagram for more such reviews

The moment I read the blurb of Padma by Mala Mahesh I was assured that the author would have expertly crafted the story. I was sure that it'd be difficult to structure a story from two different times while they both run parallel because often, a reader loses track of what's happening, thus, leading to a tangled narration. It didn't happen with the parallel narratives of Padma and Naina; my curiosity seeped through the pages as I witnessed their stories building forth.Both women characters were well-written; Mahesh's intention to establish a contrast between societal treatments in the past and the present was commendable. Since Padma's story was set in 1900s, and Naina's in present, it was also possible to picture a contrast between their respective husbands. Padma's husband Seshadhri was shown as a loving partner who respected his wife while right from the first chapter Naina's husband failed to show any respect to Naina and their relationship.The best aspect of the story is in Mahesh's usage of description of India in 1900s, to show the lifestyle and customs of that time especially, to write about i requires one to have read enough of India's past as well as imagine it precisely before rendering it the story. I admired her prose so much; she was fluent and clear with her intentions, especially of these two women who couldn't conceive a child yet were living with dignity. The trials of patriarchy on women were similar for both of them even though there was a substantial gap of more than 100 years.I enjoyed reading the stories of Padma and Naina. I was glad that the author has provided a glossary at the back for Malayalam words. I'd recommend this book to anyone who likes reading historical fiction and women's fiction.Ratings: 4/5Thanks to the author for the ecopy.

This book was an incredible eye opener to Indian customs and their purpose. It is a story of two beautiful and accomplished women living 100 years apart in India, but with many of the same restrictions and circumstances that apply to all women today. The comparisons were striking in the significance of patriarchal influences on their lives. I particularly loved the writers beautifully descriptive writing illuminating the lavish customs, rituals, decorations and symbols and their significance in daily Indian life. A truly great read.

A good read for me after long time ..excellent writing .. 👍👍👍

I just couldn't put down this novel. Whilst I empathized with Padma, I just couldn't with Naina. Naina was just too nosy but Padma really tried her best to be a good person and come to terms with her circumstances in life.

Overall was a great read that I finished in two days. Not necessary a topic that I had interest in but was recommended by a friend and glad I read it. In fact I am keen to see how the author takes the primary characters on the next journey as left it on a great note. Highly recommended novel to read.