Sonal Singh On Sonal's Table
If you like your fiction served with equal parts sass, heart, and life lessons smuggled in between witty one-liners, Anupama Jain’s novel is def your next pick. This isn’t just the story of Padma (erm, later Paula) trying to escape the straitjacket of tradition; it’s also a crash course in bouncing back when life gleefully shoves you off a cliff.
Padma’s first rebellion is to get away from her protective parents. What she gets is a buffet of bitter truths, starting with unrequited love. From there, it’s a roller coaster of career highs followed by painful nosedives, heartbreaks, makeovers, and the occasional public shaming. Each time she crashes, she gets up, dusts herself off, and tries again. Resilience, thy name is Padma. Most certainly so!
Anupama’s storytelling mirrors Padma’s metamorphosis with the evolution of her Amma and Nanna, subtly weaving in India’s changing social landscape. Amma, in particular, is a scene-stealer. She is part tiger mother and part roast master. Her verbal volleys, especially during the clothes-shopping scene, are pure comedic gold. One minute she’s shaming Padma for life choices, the next she’s ready to eviscerate verbally any man who dares hurt her daughter. Typical Indian mother!
The supporting cast are not just props but fleshed-out characters with their own quirks, flaws, and charms. And as for the central question—who will Padma end up with?—Anupama teases the reveal right until the last pages, keeping the reader deliciously hooked.
What makes this novel sing is Anupama’s classic wit. Uff! Too good! I kid not!
Anupama peppers the narrative with puns, modern lingo, and sly observations without ever breaking the story’s momentum. The prose is simple yet racy, with tight narration that keeps you turning pages fast.
In the end, Padma’s journey is both unique and universal, a reminder that while we can’t control life’s plot twists, we can absolutely choose our responses. And sometimes, that’s the happy ending we didn’t know we needed. Right?
This is a humour-laden, light-hearted read with sharp character sketches and enough sarcasm to keep you grinning long after you’ve closed the book.
