Is being a girl a blessing or a curse? How thin is the ridge between survival and destruction? These are themes explored by Shobha Rao in her debut novel, Girls Burn Brighter, published in 2018.
Girls Burn Brighter tells the story of two girls growing up in India, They are both from the caste of weavers, both poor. However, poverty has texture. While Poornima’s family is poor, they can afford basic food. On the other hand, Savitha’s family sometimes have no food to eat.
After Poornima’s mother passes away, her father hires Savitha to work one of the looms. The girls find pure love and safety with each. They imagine a life of friendship but that friendship is tested by betrayal.
The Sharp Edge
Savitha’s journey takes her from her village to a larger town, and finally to America. Poornima’s path is less direct; she first moves from her father’s house to that of her husband. Yet, the two women’s paths are similarly fraught with betrayal and abuse.
Gender is inextricably tied to culture and society, to class, education finances and social status. This is why intersectionality matters. We are reminded of this not only in India but also in America, in Seattle where both women end up. It’s possible to have access to such a thin slice of the world that you don’t understand anything about how the rest of it works.
Themes in Girls Burn Brighter
This is a story of immigration, displacement, domestic abuse, poverty, cultural attitudes, mindset and belief. How do we keep the light on inside of us, protect it from those who would do as harm? Where do we find the strength to go on in the face of relentless suffering? What is the difference between seeing and SEEING, what we do with our eyes and what we do with our minds? These are enduring questions. I think the essential question is what does it mean to be woman, to be human. It is a question that has been explored by many authors. Girls Burn Brighter brings one more perspective, one more layer to the complex story of humanity, and the complex systems that unite us and divide us.
Final Verdict
I raced through this book, wanting to know what would happen next. Even as it explores pain, suffering, loneliness, loss, karma, there is a love story at its heart. And like a good love story, perhaps we have a happy ending. I don’t know if it’s a happy ending because I keep thinking about all of the things that could happens next.
I recommend Girls Burn Brighter, and give it 5 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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