The Bandit Queens
A Novel
-
-
4.1 • 120 Ratings
-
-
- $12.99
-
- $12.99
Publisher Description
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • GOOD MORNING AMERICA BUZZ PICK • A young Indian woman finds the false rumors that she killed her husband surprisingly useful—until other women in the village start asking for her help getting rid of their own husbands—in this razor-sharp debut.
"A radically feel-good story about the murder of no-good husbands by a cast of unsinkable women.”—The New York Times Book Review (Editors’ Choice)
Longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal • A BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR: Shondaland, She Reads, CrimeReads
Five years ago, Geeta lost her no-good husband. As in, she actually lost him—he walked out on her and she has no idea where he is. But in her remote village in India, rumor has it that Geeta killed him. And it’s a rumor that just won’t die.
It turns out that being known as a “self-made” widow comes with some perks. No one messes with her, harasses her, or tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It’s even been good for business; no one dares to not buy her jewelry.
Freedom must look good on Geeta, because now other women are asking for her “expertise,” making her an unwitting consultant for husband disposal.
And not all of them are asking nicely.
With Geeta’s dangerous reputation becoming a double-edged sword, she has to find a way to protect the life she’s built—but even the best-laid plans of would-be widows tend to go awry. What happens next sets in motion a chain of events that will change everything, not just for Geeta, but for all the women in their village.
Filled with clever criminals, second chances, and wry and witty women, Parini Shroff’s The Bandit Queens is a razor-sharp debut of humor and heart that readers won’t soon forget.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In Shroff's acerbic debut, a woman helps other women escape their abusive marriages in their small village in India, often through murder. Geeta's unearned reputation for having killed her physically abusive husband, Ramesh (he's not dead, he just ran off), prompts women to approach her for help. It's a fortuitous development for Geeta, who's become socially isolated after a fight with her lifelong friend Saloni, who's part of the microloan group that funds Geeta's jewelry business. As well, Geeta admires the legendary Bandit Queen, who exacted revenge on those who'd wronged her, and agrees to help a local named Farah kill her husband (Farah's first attempt backfired because she mistook hair growth pills for sleeping pills). Geeta also connects with widower Karem, a bootlegger, though not before costing him his livelihood by putting a stop to Karem's biggest buyer, Bada-Bhai (Bada-Bhai was cutting the booze with methanol and testing it on dogs, and Geeta frees the dogs). After Geeta adopts Bada-Bhai's sickest dog, whom she names Bandit, she begins allowing others into her life, including Saloni, which helps after Ramesh resurfaces. Shroff deals sharply with misogyny and abuse, describing the misery inflicted as well as its consequences in unflinching detail, and is equally unsparing in her depictions of mean-girl culture in the village. Readers are in for a razor-stuffed treat.
Customer Reviews
Oh so good!
I didn’t know what to expect and was delighted by what I experienced as I read. The women engaged me in their struggles and their reasoning. The men pretty much outraged and repulsed me while showcasing their weaknesses, as all bullies do. But the pages kept turning and I was hopelessly caught by the brilliant story telling of this amazing author. Kudos on your debut novel. Well done!
Almost Perfect
This is a book about serious issues of class and gender that is also laugh-out-loud funny. The plotting is clever and surprising, the characters complex and sharply drawn. I loved everything about this book until the final standoff, which was an odd mixture of silliness and pathos. Still an amazing novel.
Excellent!
An excellent story about the lives of women and how women can overcome many obstacles. I loved the insight into life in an Indian village for a woman. I absolutely loved this book!