Product Description: Named Notable Book of 1955 by the American Library Association, this is the very moving story of a peasant woman in a primitive village in India whose whole life was a gallant and persistent battle to care for those she loved.
"Comparable in many ways to Cry, the Beloved Country...if anything...better." (Saturday Evening Post)
15 yEAR OLd, HiGH SChOOL REViEW ON NECtAR iN A SiEVE . Okay, so I'm taking AP World History, and I chose this book for my summer reading. If you're around my age, you won't really enjoy this book. Trust me, I like reading, and this book doesn't come close to being one of my most favorite, or even one I would reccomend. It's basically too dull, and there really isn't anything in this book that's gripping.... (meaning, it doesn't hold your attention.) In other words, it's too boring. You can explain this book in less than 5 sentences. It starts out with a girl who has an arranged marriage with a guy name Nathan. They have many kids, and live off of everything they grow at the house. When time gets rough, the family hardly can survive, and sometimes have to live days without food. Many of the family members die, or move off somewhere else for better oppurtunities.
This book isn't the type that wants you to keep reading. It's that type where you just want it to end. The only good thing I can say is that it is easy to read, it's not complex or hard to understand at all, it's just really simple.
Melodramatic and depressing This book tells the story (the melodramatic story) of a peasant, tenant farming family in rural India at the turn of the century. Rukmani, the main character, is a youngest daughter married off to a man she has never met. The marriage turns out to be a good one and the couple have many children. The family experiences unspeakable tragedy as a late monsoon and one son's involvement in labor organizing catapults them even deeper into poverty. It catalogues the absolute vulnerability of the poor in traditional society transitioning towards industrialization, and the anguish of losing everything for people who have almost nothing. The book was very melodramatic and depressing.
Nectar in a Sieve Book Review Set in a small village locate somewhere in India, Kamala Markandaya's Nectar in a Sieve is a gripping novel that tells a story of a woman's struggle to find happiness and her own inner strength in a changing India. At the age of twelve, Rukmani was married off to a tenant farmer named Nathan, whom she had never met. Frightened at first, Rukmani soon adjusted to her new life as a farmer's wife. Over the years, Nathan and Rukmani's marriage becomes filled with love, compassion, and many children. It was not long until she found her self mingling with many of the women in her neighboring village. There she met Kali, a kind and cheerful woman who was kind enough to teach her how to perform her household duties. She also meets Kunthi, the village beauty and her friend Janaki. Unable to bear a son for quite some time, Rukmani became very depressed. Misfortune seemed to have found a great home in the lives of Rukmani and Nathan, causing as much problems as it could. A tannery built near their village would forever alter Rukmani's life, being that the change from an agricultural community to an industrial community frightens her. Unhappy and struck by poverty, Rukmani watched her first born child, Ira, go into prostitution, her son Kuti die of starvation, her teenage son Raja beat to death for stealing, and her two oldest sons, Thambi and Arjun set off to Ceylon to work in a tea plantation. Under such harsh conditions, Rukmani survived. Nectar in a Sieve is an influential, depressing, yet optimistic novel of a life lived out by one particular woman who will do just about anything and everything for her family.
A good read The novel Nectar in a Sieve by Kamala Markandaya follows the long and tragic life of a young woman, Rukmanni, who is thrown into this type of life at the early age of12. The book follows her from her wedding day until the end of the troubles she endures in her life. It is hard not to enjoy the strong and caring character of Rukmanni, who despite the troubles thrown to her, maintains a optimistic and controlled manner even in the worst circumstances. She is a wonderful wife and mother to her family ; she puts the well being of her children and husband before herself and would do anything to ensure there success. She also holds her friends and neighbors high, and help them when it is possible. When Rukmanni leaves to live with her husband Nathan in a small village, she meets the neighboring women, Kali, Janaki, and Kali. Their relationship, though it takes a turn later on, is kind and warm, since they are like a new family to here because she has moved far from her original home. In this new village she works on the rice fields with her husband. Though the land is not theirs, they live in a house near by. She enjoys her peaceful life until things start to change.First, a giant tannery is built in the middle of town, bringing in more people and noise to the once peaceful village. Rukmanni absolutely despises the tannery. Then two of her sons leave to work there. A few years later, they get a surprise visit from their already-married-off daughter, Ira. She has been unable to bear children for her husband, so he has decided to leave her. She is forced then to live with her mother and father, along with her younger brothers. Later, worst of all, their is a great flooding of the village. Their rice is destroyed and they go into poverty. The lack of food and money leads to the death's of their last two sons and her daughter prostituting to earn money to live. When there are first signs of fate turning good, even more troubles come their way. Despite all this, Rukmanni keeps her head and remains a strong and unbreakable spirit. All in all, this was a wonderful read. The book was very detailed and made you feel like you actually knew Rukmanni. Also, coming from a completely different lifestyle, I enjoyed learning about this cultures way of life and cultural values. It is not a very long book page wise, but it is a long story with many interesting events. Like all books, it is not a book for everyone, but if you enjoy historical fiction novels and tales of people who overcome their hardships to have a better life, you will absolutely love this book.
Nectar In A Sieve Nectar in a Sieve, by Kamala Markandaya is the struggle between life and death in a poor society. The main character, Rukami, married Nathan, a tenant farmer. In her culture, to have a boy is the most important thing to any women and family. Rukami's first born was a girl named Ira. After many attempts to conceive a boy, Rukami needed someone to turn to for help. She turns to Kenny, a white doctor who assists and helps the people of her village. He helps her overcome her infertility and they become friends. Rukami and Nathan eventually conceived a son and named him Arjun. After him, Rukami has 5 more boys. With each birth, food becomes scarcer.
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