THE BANDIT QUEENS BY PARINI SHROFF

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BOOK NAME: THE BANDIT QUEENS

AUTHOR NAME: PARINI SHROFF

GENRE: MYSTERY THRILLER

PUBLISHER: HARPERCOLLINS  

BOOK BUY LINK : https://www.amazon.in/Bandit-Queens-LONGLISTED-WOMENS-FICTION/dp/9356296200



Longlisted for the women's prize for fiction for the year 2023, this book had heads turning towards it from the start of its release. I have read a few dark humour books in the past. But Honestly, I don't remember laughing out loud, unaware of my surroundings while reading a book, and this was my first time doing it. 




Geeta was abandoned by her good-for-nothing husband five years ago, who suddenly disappeared from her house and life one day. But people in her remote village in India believe she had killed and fed him to the dogs. The women in her microloan group, Farah, Saloni, Priya and Preity, also seem to think the same. One day, her frenemy, Farah, approaches her for ideas to get rid of her abusive husband, just like Geeta was believed to have. Things go downhill from there, and their relationships and Geeta's reputation as a clean witchy murderer start taking a hit.


The police and a local goon get involved in the murder mess, which starts causing headaches to Geeta and Co. Geeta finds more women seeking her advice to kill their husbands, and she doesn't know how to exit the vicious cycle. But to everyone's dismay and shock, her estranged husband returns, which leaves Geeta and everyone else confused. Geeta contemplates giving him a second chance since he returned as a changed man. But she is heavily inspired by the life of Phoolan Devi, the bandit queen and resolves to seek revenge just like her. Her women’s troop fights back, seeking revenge, who have nothing to lose, finding sisterhood in solidarity.


This book is filled with so many laugh-out-loud moments that were truly funny. The suspense and the revenge story were so riveting, and the stolen moments between Geeta and Karim were so heart-filling. I loved Saloni and Geeta's backstory and how they decided to rekindle their lost friendship. The characters were all grey and shady, yet real and relatable. 


Only Adding too many characters felt exhaustive and stretchy making the story lag a bit. But the rest of the book was fantastic and didn't seem like a debut at all. 


This is a must-read feminist fiction for all.


MY REVIEW: 4.5/5

#penbooksandscalpel

I am participating in Blogchatter’s #TBRchallenge


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