A visceral work of bearing witness, recounted with exacting and unapologetic subjectivity ... Chowdhary skillfully weaves the ascent of right-wing politics with the rude awakenings and pain of entering womanhood ... The structure of its brief chapters is intentionally fragmentary and discursive, as unpredictable and unwieldy as memory itself. The reading experience can be disorienting, but throughout the book, I felt deeply assured I was in the hands of a writer in control of what she wished to express.
By blending her story with a history of India’s fraught ethnic tensions and a nearly journalistic documentation of the attacks, the author sheds new perspective on the events ... Intense is not a strong enough word for the impact of Chowdhary’s words.
Harrowing ... Offsetting the heaviness of the subject matter with lyrical prose and moments of simple beauty... Chowdhary delivers an exceptional portrait of resilience in the face of unfathomable cruelty.
