Madras on Rainy Days

Someone loaned me this book months ago, and I finally picked it up to read over the holidays. I didn't know what to expect, but I couldn't put it down - it was intriguing. It was a real treat - Ali's clear writing is a beautiful foil for the complicated emotions that roil through people as they try to discover themselves and work through relationships. A big bonus was the setting for the book - Muslim India. I know people that have actively read books by/about Muslim women, and I had never sought one out. This book provided a window into the world behind the chador. All in all, it was inspiring and simply beautiful.

Good first novel; I would have liked a little more detail on the wedding (when were they actually considered to be married? what was the significance of some of the customs?) and explaination of some of the terms used, and a little less repetition of some of the other details of Layla's past. I enjoyed learning about the culture and the Hindu/Muslim conflict. This would be an excellent choice for a book club as it supplies much to discuss.

Ali has written a gripping and insightful book about the challenges of identity and expectations. The book follows Layla, a woman raised both in the US and India through her arranged marriage to Sameer. Along the way we discover, along with Layla, how her relationships define her identity and how the choices she has and will make affects it. I highly recommend this book as not only a great novel, but an intriguing look at how a woman wrestles with identity and the definition of that identity.Gripping from beginging to end.

"Madras on Rainy Days" provides a rare glimpse into the life of a traditional Hyderabadi family. This helps fill a gap in recent South Asian literature especially given the uniqueness of Hyderabadi culture within India. The writing is atmospheric and sharp and the story gripping. Would highly recommend this book.

This book provides a searing look into the complex world of Indian Muslims, and particularly when it is mixed with the influence of Western culture, its materialism and its freedom. Layla is a young woman raised both in India and in the west and as a result she belongs in neither world. Yet that is what she longs for, more than anything -- to belong. So when her mother arranges a marriage to the son of family friends, Layla reluctantly goes along, rather than risk ostracism from her family. She soon finds that Islam provides her life with a safety net, a sense of belonging that she had never experienced before. And so she falls in love, not only with her husband, who is all but a stranger to her, but with her husband's family, and the closeness it provides. Ultimately however, the secrets everyone's been witholding are slowly revealed, including Layla's own, and she must make some tough choices.This is a gorgeously written novel that brings to life the dichotomy of life under Islam, particularly for women. I highly recommend it.