The changes that Koly experiences, through hunger and despair to the kindness of others, also stand out. Their hopes, sadness, exuberance and need all stood out. I could picture not only Koly, but also her family, in-laws and friends in the streets of Vrindavan, a city of refuge for poverty stricken widows of all ages. Koly's stolen childhood, due to a deceitful marriage at age 12, and her rising to the challenge presented by young widowhood is well carved by the author. At first I thought that she had lived in India, and was surprised to find out she had never been there, that her well woven, and interwoven tale resulted from a lot of investigation and good, dedicated writing. First, I hadn't known that the National Book Award was given for young people's literature, and secondly, the book impressed me so much that I read the author's biography to find out more about her. Gloria Whelan's "The Homeless Bird" was a well-received read.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |