Mirror City is a book that takes us to Bangladesh of 1970s has become independent and yet not completely independent from the internal problems that the country faced.
Mirror City revolves around the central character, Uma, her husband Iqbal, and their friends. Uma is an Indian Hindu Bengali, born and brought up in Calcutta married to Iqbal, who is a Bangladeshi Muslim Bengali. They met while studying in the US and finally getting married in the US itself. What goes through in their lives on returning to Bangladesh on various levels - political, emotional, physical, etc. - is what has formed this book. I'm not sure of the political upheavals Bangladesh faced during the 70s; however, I'm sure of the tension in the country on the assassination of a president (though never named in this book) must have been high.
Mirror City is a journey of Uma, as a child, student, wife, career woman, lover, and a friend. The disappointment of being called a foreigner, despite being married to a local, and a failing marriage leads to an affair (with a wealthy industrialist, Alim), which ends abruptly. Per me, a failing marriage cannot give license to have an affair,
The author, however, should have carved out the character of Iqbal more. I never got to know why he suddenly became a recluse. Yes, maybe was burdened by the fact that Uma was an Indian who left her country & family (never to talk to them) and settled with him in a newly formed Bangladesh. However, he is not shown to work on his failing marriage either.
I don't even know what happened to Nasreen and Maqbool either. There could have been a better closure to these characters.
At the end, I wonder who I should feel happy and/or sorry for - Uma, Iqbal, or Alim.
Many a times, authors draw references from their lives in the books they author. Chitrita Banerji was brought up in Kolkata, studied English in the US, and perhaps lived in Bangladesh (as per the acknowledgement in the book). She has been the author of some cook books in the past. The central character of Mirror City - Uma - was also brought up in Kolkata, studied English in the US, lived in Bangladesh (where she made some close friends), and was a good cook.
My rating: 3.75/5.
Mirror City revolves around the central character, Uma, her husband Iqbal, and their friends. Uma is an Indian Hindu Bengali, born and brought up in Calcutta married to Iqbal, who is a Bangladeshi Muslim Bengali. They met while studying in the US and finally getting married in the US itself. What goes through in their lives on returning to Bangladesh on various levels - political, emotional, physical, etc. - is what has formed this book. I'm not sure of the political upheavals Bangladesh faced during the 70s; however, I'm sure of the tension in the country on the assassination of a president (though never named in this book) must have been high.
Mirror City is a journey of Uma, as a child, student, wife, career woman, lover, and a friend. The disappointment of being called a foreigner, despite being married to a local, and a failing marriage leads to an affair (with a wealthy industrialist, Alim), which ends abruptly. Per me, a failing marriage cannot give license to have an affair,
The author, however, should have carved out the character of Iqbal more. I never got to know why he suddenly became a recluse. Yes, maybe was burdened by the fact that Uma was an Indian who left her country & family (never to talk to them) and settled with him in a newly formed Bangladesh. However, he is not shown to work on his failing marriage either.
I don't even know what happened to Nasreen and Maqbool either. There could have been a better closure to these characters.
At the end, I wonder who I should feel happy and/or sorry for - Uma, Iqbal, or Alim.
Many a times, authors draw references from their lives in the books they author. Chitrita Banerji was brought up in Kolkata, studied English in the US, and perhaps lived in Bangladesh (as per the acknowledgement in the book). She has been the author of some cook books in the past. The central character of Mirror City - Uma - was also brought up in Kolkata, studied English in the US, lived in Bangladesh (where she made some close friends), and was a good cook.
My rating: 3.75/5.
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