The Space Between Us

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On multiple occasions, the book pulls the “magical healing” trope that I hate. I could overlook it in the case of the alien-induced stroke, but I was not OK with the “twist” at the end where Sandy magically removes Heathers tumor and cures her cancer. From a disability-standpoint, ánd that of a cancer-survivor; this trope has always been a slap in my face. If you chose to make cancer a part of your story, you have to commit to it. There are no magical cures, ánd I strongly resent the idea that the only way to write a fulfilling ARC about illness is to cure it. Usually, this trope is a deal-breaker for me. Considering it came so late in the book and I already enjoyed the rest of it so much, it’s surprising that it didn’t impact my experience more.

What a great way to start the new year with a 5 star read. The people and the streets of Mumbai come alive in this delightful and at times heartbreaking story. Thrity Umrigar emigrated to the USA from India at the age of 21 and her in depth experience of living in Mumbai is so evident in the beautiful and raw descriptions of life in this teeming city of 10+ million people. But: This book is really well written and is food for thought. I would like to read more of this author, but need to take a break first...If you want to further jazz up the exotica, don’t mention the time period your story is set in. This gives plenty of leeway for creative thinking and flexible storylines. For instance, you can make a mention of the Bombay Telephone Exchange, which hasn't been in existence since 1986. At the same time, you can add a reference to onions being sold in paper bags. Who cares if paper bags aren't common even in 2021 in Indian supermarkets, forget about small local baniyas? The key is in creating a cohesive mixture of the past and the present, even if it doesn’t match up to reality. Although Sera treats Bhima much better than her social class usually treats domestic workers and she is well aware of the injustice towards the staff, she does not manage to overcome her prejudices and her acquired arrogance. The quartet soon discover that they have Ava’s husband on their heels, followed by local police, and the government officials… Can they help Sandy?

We learn about both of them- their lives, their loves, their families and their heartaches. There are many heartaches!! All the drive, curiosity and wonder of his crime and mystery novels … science fiction gains a new author’ Derek B Miller Maya plays such a vital role in the book and doesn't get a chance to share her POV. We see her through Bhima and Sera's eyes. It looked like she had it in her to be a strong character but the author didn't bother to develop her arc. She ended up more as a plot device.

Beyond the Book

Parsis are Zoroastrians, most likely descended from Persian Zoroastrians who emigrated to Indian from the Middle-East to escape Muslim persecution. Zoroastrianism is both a religion and philosophy based on the teachings of the Iranian prophet Zoroaster (c.1200 BCE) who proclaimed Ahura Mazda to be the one divine authority and creator of all. Zoroastrians pray to Ahura Mazda to help them in the ongoing battle between Spenta Mainyu (the Bounteous Spirit) and Angra Mainyu (the Destructive Spirit). Traditionally, after death the body of a Zoroastrian is laid out naked in a tower to be devoured by vultures, and the soul is judged and passes either to a heaven or hell-like region. And yet, even in the midst of my adolescent disdain for the middle-class adults in my life, I saw enough complexity in the transactions between servant and homeowner to soften that disdain, to make me realize that reality is always harder than caricature."

If I have to describe this book in one word, it’s catharsis. Like an Ancient Greek tragedy, it grabs your heart, tears it to pieces, squeezes the life out of each single piece and stomps what’s left into the dirt. And then, out of all this pain, your soul flows out cleansed and unburdened, lighter than it had ever been. I’ve heard similar sentiments from multiple Indian colleagues. Somehow, to the wealthy, the servants become invisible. But not in this book! Poignant and compelling, evocative and unforgettable, The Space Between Us is an intimate portrait of a distant yet familiar world. Set in modern-day India and witnessed through two compelling and achingly real women, the novel shows how the lives of the rich and the poor are intrinsically connected yet vastly removed from each other, and vividly captures how the bonds of womanhood are pitted against the divisions of class and culture. A genuinely important book for anyone interested in how space -- natural geography, human geography, and psychological perceptions of space -- shapes political outcomes. 10/10, would read again. a b Mishan, Ligaya (January 22, 2006). " 'The Space Between Us,' by Thrity Umrigar". New York Times . Retrieved March 27, 2011.

Table of Contents

a b c d e Andriani, Lynn (January 1, 2006). "With child, within class in Bombay". San Francisco Chronicle. Hearst Corporation.