Wrong, For The Right Reasons by Ritu Lalit

Review

From the beginning, Ritu Lalit draws us into the world of Shyamoli. She represents all those Indian women who leave their home after their marriage and steps into an unknown territory. Ritu Lalit had started the story very aptly by quoting lines from the famous Star Trek, "to boldly go where no man has gone before." It's just very ironic that today I use this quote – the day Capt. Spock has left us all to meet the Almighty.

As you travel along with Shyamoli, you feel the pain as she subjected to the insensitivity of her husband, Manav as he continues to have liaisons with his ex-girlfriend, Nimmi. The strange part was when instead of sympathizing with Shyamoli both the mother-in-law and her own mother did not support her. The mother-of-law I can understand, but what shocked me was the behavior of the mother. But then, come to think of it, it should not have shocked me. There are hundreds of such cases where a girl is literally considered an outsider as soon as she changes her surname. We would love to think that the trend is changing, but it isn't.

Relationships

I could relate to this story a lot. Many relationships have been at play in this small novel. The relationships between a mother and daughter, a son and a mother, amongst friends and between strangers. Shyamoli had a very tough relationship with the mother. Her yearning to please her mother is very heart wrenching. There is also a saying in India, 'there is no greater enemy of a woman then a woman herself' and this quote has been proven right every time a Shyamoli is born to a mother like hers. Ritu Lalit has brought out changing facets of ideologies that a woman has to face in her journey from being married to being divorced.

Each character that Shyamoli meets contributes to her growth. Whether it is Jaya auntie or her daughter, Uma. Another relationship which creeped me out was that of Shyamoli with her brother, Varun. How could such a simple relationship become so complex just because some amount of money is involved? Agreed, that like Shyamoli, I too am being naïve. But it does leave a feeling of distaste when you come across such relationships. Ritu Lalit on her part has done a wonderful job in giving every character a perfect role in her story.

The only thing that I found as a reader in this story was the number of characters in there. I understand the need for Gul's character but a mention of her relatives in such details was sometimes confusing. I won't call the characterizations misplaced but maybe a tad overdone.

Frenemy

I love this concept. Did Uma deserve what Shyamoli did to her? I'm not into moral policing. To some extent, Uma deserved everything that happened to her. But it did paint a tinge of grey shade on Shyamoli’s personality? However, I loved the way Ritu Lalit boldly presented Shyamoli at that point of time. Frankly speaking, presenting your protagonist in such a light takes guts.

Perspectives

This story will question your perspectives at every angle. Some may sympathize to what happened to the mother and some might sympathize of how Uma ended up with the looser. Some might call Shyamoli overambitious or a drama queen but whatever she did, she did with a lot of elegance.

Morality

There is much to learn from this story. It was not only a woman's struggle to provide a good home for her children but also about a woman searching for her feminism. Feminism is not something that makes you depended on others, take a placard and fight for your rights. To me it stands for the strength that drives you to face even the adverse situation. Shyamoli depicted every facet of feminism throughout the story. As daughter, a mother, a businessperson and a lover.

Humor

This style of writing is very humorous. Even though Shyamoli was going through a very bad phase, there was not a moment when I felt like pitying her. It was her sense of humor that made her face every situation.

"Prawpurly inbested," Mrs. Ghosh said, flustered by Mr.Singh's rapt gaze and stopped. She sipped some water and sand again, "properly invested, the sum is sufficient."

The above line, when I read suddenly, literally made me hear that dialect. Similarly, the whole story has a splatter of humor injected here and there.

Editing

This manuscript is not without flaws. A few punctuations here and there and a few errors with scenes have been noted. But one thing I have to mention here is from the time the blog tour has started and when other reviewers like Janaki Nagaraj have pointed this out, the author has made an attempt to correct those errors and informed the reviewers. This makes us feel good for at the end of the day the selling and marketing are just a very small part of writing. This makes all our reviews feel justified.

Rating

Reasoning

The story was soul touching and heartfelt. Shyamoli represented the highs and lows every woman faces in a marriage. Her struggles and victories is a ray of light for all those struggling women out there. I loved the way she was not portrayed as a Miss. Goodie Two Shoes. The boldness of her character is very refreshing. The only problems that I had were the badgering of characters one after the other which could have been taken down by a few notches.

Recommendation

A must read.

Lovely Lines

"My decision was made years ago, to only be mother to the kids I’d birthed, I can’t mother a husband too".---*the bitch inside me snickered.

"Call it sour grapes or whatever, but when people talk about life abroad as though it was a huge adventure, I don’t get the point. They can come and live mine; it’s more exciting and stressful." -- the bitch retreated. :D

Wrong

For The Right Reasons

Ritu Lalit

The Blurb

Shyamoli Verma’s timing is wrong. In her late twenties, she finds that her marriage is irrevocably broken. She comes back to her parents with her pre-teen son and an infant daughter, only to find that she is unwelcome.

Independent and brash, she decides to bring up her children and also get a divorce without any support from friends and family.

Written with wry self deprecating humour, this is the story of a divorced woman's quest for love and security.

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The Story Told In Pictures

Meet the Author

Ritu Lalit is a corporate slave turned fiction writer. A voracious reader, she is a gold medalist post graduate in English Literature who spent most of her childhood in remote areas in the northeastern parts of India, lying on grassy hillsides daydreaming and reading books.

She loves spinning tales, but no longer has her captive audience as her children grew up and flew away from the coop. Her three dogs don’t pay much attention. She began writing in the vain hope that the characters she creates will listen to her, even do her bidding.

She has five books out in the market, A Bowlful of Butterflies, HILAWI, Chakra, Chronicles of the Witch Way and Wrong, for the Right Reasons. Her fifth novel, His Father’s Mistress is coming soon.

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