This book is an excellent read. Having traveled in India as a youngster, I can relate to the camaraderie that usually develops during a train journey. The book did evoke nostalgic memories of train travel. Although a male, born in Kerala, I could relate to each of the characters in the book. The book raises interesting points of view and the discussion on feminism in India is long overdue.
However, in today’s India do these women exist? Most of the women that I meet from India seem to be more liberated than the men. It would be interesting to write a book on a reverse paradigm, where, the women have started recognizing their independence and knowing what they want while the men in India believe that they can still get the most qualified women of their choice by just being good students or achiever in education.
I believe women in India as they get more financially independent are looking for more than just a safety net and the men have not realized that. My feeling is that an “overweight but successful man marrying the woman of his choice” paradigm is over.