Trigger warnings for domestic violence, attempted rape, and references to rape.
Geeta’s life is, paradoxically, easier now that her abusive husband is gone. I say paradoxically because, first, everyone in her village in rural India believes that the best life for a woman is as a wife and mother and, second, everyone thinks Geeta killed Ramesh. On the one hand, no more abuse and the pleasure of “eating her own salt”—earning a living and providing for herself. On the other, she does get a lot of side-eye and people calling her a witch. Geeta puts up with a lot in Parini Shroff’s blackly funny novel, The Bandit Queens, especially once the other women in her microloan group come to her for help getting rid of their own awful husbands.
The first woman who comes to Geeta is Farah, whose husband drinks away the family’s money and worse. Farah begs Geeta to help her kill off Samir and, reluctantly, Geeta agrees: but only to give Farah ideas. Farah has to do the deed herself. Even though Geeta has a reputation as a murderer, she is regularly horrified at her much more unethical and criminal acquaintances. The farce that follows as Farah and Geeta plot to murder Samir sets the tone for the rest of The Bandit Queens. I laughed out loud more than once as Geeta bickers with Farah, Solani, Preity, and Priya as the scheming thickens around her.
The comedy is tempered with a lot of surprisingly moving conversations Geeta has with Solani, Farah, and the others. Solani and Geeta used to be the best of friends until Ramesh came between them. It’s only now, when things are at their most chaotic, that Geeta and Solani finally have time to talk and realize how much they’ve wronged each other by letting a man sow mistrust between them. I was also touched by Geeta’s growing relationship with single dad, Karem. If only she can get through a few murders, she might be able to have love and friendship at last.
Some readers may shy away from the violence and references to violence in The Bandit Queens, but I had a surprising among of fun reading this book. I hope Shroff puts out another book soon!
I received a free copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley, for review consideration.