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Reviewed by Lorraine Cobcroft for Readers' Favorite
Chhaya was shunned as a child for the dark skin her family considered ugly. She was imprisoned by a culture that devalued women, focusing on assembling dowries to transfer the burden of their keep to a husband via an arranged marriage. But then came Arun, and happiness for a while until the daily struggle to raise children through periods of civil unrest, food shortages, and exhausting poverty finally overwhelmed the young mother. Chhaya always believed she was cursed, so when the incident with the goddess happened, it was easy for her to retreat into the dark, tortured world of the mentally ill. Was it the curse? Or had she always suffered? And what, precisely, was the nature of her illness?
T.S. Ghosh transports readers into an exotic foreign world, exposing first a mysterious place and culture, and then the mystery of the human mind. We suffer with Arun and Chhaya, and their children. We revel in the warmth of Arun's love. His remarkable strength and resilience gives us comfort and reassurance, though we grieve with him for the loss of the beautiful world he and his young wife inhabited during the early days of their union.
Awakening Kali is a sad tale, beautifully told with deep compassion and understanding. It is a tale that will make readers ponder the sometimes devastating effects of social injustice, gender bias, and cultural bondage.
The author exposes the tragic impact of mental illness on sufferers and their loved ones in a tale that is deeply evocative ― a novel you will struggle to put down. I formed a bond with Chhaya. She has joined a short list of truly unforgettable characters whose experiences touched me in profound ways. This is T.S. Ghosh's first novel. I sincerely hope there are more to follow. It is a masterpiece.
