The Space Between Us: A Novel

I enjoyed this book from beginning to end. Such insight into the lives of two different families. The writing was wonderful and the characters were extremely well developed. I would recommend this book to anyone.

The story follows women condition disregarding the social status in the colorful, modern India. It follows two cruel destinies, where family means the only reason to go on, to make compromises and sacrifices. Strong, profound characters. Very nice story

Either I was more than usually vulnerable or this author found the blind spots in her characters and laid them bare. Each of the women faced terrible choices. At the least this is an opportunity to see inside a culture we would all do well to understand better.

I just finished reading this lovely, emotional and heart-felt novel. It was both moving and heart wrenching, intermingled with beautiful prose and exquisite descriptions of how complex family relationships are and those of servants and employers in the layered culture of India.

This book was recommended to me, with the comment that it was of the same type story as The Help. Several times during the reading of this book, I questioned why I was reading it. Evidently the story line kept me enthralled enough to continue to find out where it was going. However, the ending was disappointing and anti-climactic.

Classes are perhaps more separated than in the States. This book has likable characters--and one vey dislikable one! The story itself shows that very different people can be friends--but must be careful not to get to close as the breakup hurts!

The story, set in Bombay, revolves around a poor servant woman, her pregnant (unmarried ) granddaughter, and the well to do family they work for. Although the employer is kind and generous and tries to help the girl, tragedy unfolds.

The was a beautifully compelling novel. You can really feel the love and tragedy that the women shared.

As a fellow author I appreciate this masterpiece.

Writer Interruptus and Other Stories

I really enjoyed this book. The author is skilled at contrasting the experiences in life that make us like one another, alongside the socio-economic and cultural constraints that keep us apart in spite of that common experience. This was an engaging story with complex, believable characters.

When I visited my in-laws in Delhi their interactions with their servant girl was difficult for me to observe. Reading "The Space Between Us" took me back to Delhi and I now better understand that the mistress/servant relationship is culture based and not one of altruism. "The Space Between Us" is a must read if you want to glimpse into India's class status, and how it determines the quality of life for those born of a lower caste (even though the caste system is deemed nonexistent).

The book keeps you reading, but hard topic to digest. Many Indian words through out, often hard to know their meaning. A glossary might be helpful. Did not not like the ending. A good book for discussion.

Started slow. Writing seemed over-wrought, "purple" prose at times. Later it seemed more controlled and effective. Plot confusing at times because of multiple characters/names. I found the ending unlikely, given all of what went before.

It is interesting to learn of a new culture through characters in a novel. The relationship between the two older women was complicated and full for the reader. We learned about the world as the main character did in her daily life.

A captivating read about two women with parallel lives bound by their womanhood and separated by their class distinctions.
The conclusion had disturbing significance. Thrity Umrigar is such a good story teller that I am now reading all her other books.

This novel reveals the tensions between gender and class in modern India. the relationship between two women -- one servant and the other employer --extends beyond them to suggest some of th problems at the core of life in contemporary Bombay. The book is beautifully written as well.

A captivating read about two women with parallel lives bound by their womanhood and separated by their class distinctions.
The conclusion had disturbing significance. Thrity Umrigar is such a good story teller that I am now reading all her other books.

This novel reveals the tensions between gender and class in modern India. the relationship between two women -- one servant and the other employer --extends beyond them to suggest some of th problems at the core of life in contemporary Bombay. The book is beautifully written as well.

This story examines relationships, mostly between women, in India. Grandmother & granddaugther, employer & servant, older women & surrogate children. Loyalty between family members, and loyalty of friends. The story is sad, but real and empowering.

The author has touched on a myriad of themes concerning women, class, "apartheid"--as the two main characters search for meaning and understanding in life. This is not meant for women only. We can all listen to the mind as it reviews life, past, present and future.

A wonder novel about a subject rarely written about: the lives of people in the slums of India. Bhima started out with much better circumstances but through an industrial accident which her husband went through, being cheated out of his due compensation by the company, he finally left his wife, and she had to move into a slum area to have any shelter at all. Sje is fortunate to have a job with a family that has employed her for many years. Things eventually go from bad to worse when her granddaughter gets pregnant out of wedlock, and the shame and aftermath affect their whole lives. A surprise ending does not trade reality for the sake of a good ending, but is masterful nontheless.
The writing is good, lots of description, setting the place in front of you. The author clearly knows of what she speaks, but finds hope in the midst of ugliness and despair. An excellent and inspiring book indeed.

A wonderful book with so many levels of "spaces". The story line grabs you from the start and unwinds the tale while giving insight to the characters involved...the surface of some, much depth of others. Recommend highly (from someone who finds a lot of India stories depressing!)

Intriguing look at the division between servant and mistress, the caste system, the division between men and women, power and lack of power, education vs. lack of education. . .there were so many great themes in this book. My only complaint was the lack of satisfying resolution. Read it anyway.

Beautifully written. Heartbreaking. A sensitive character study of two women; one weak and one strong psychologically; one strong and one weak economically. At the same time the book makes a political statement as it looks at the caste system and the options for women in India.

Interesting story, but it could have been a book you never forget and always cherish. I still don't feel like I KNOW the characters, including the protagonist. It felt as if the author went a bit overboard stressing the impact the Afghan balloon seller had on the main character. I felt sympathetic toward the women in the book, but not empathetic. I didn't understand enough about what made them tick to relate to them, even if I have had similar experiences in my own life. The author is a good writer. I hope in her future novels that the characters aren't as closed off to the reader. It very well may have been the author's intent to slowly give us glimpses into the minds and thoughts of the characters as a way of helping the reader to understand Indian society and culture, but by the end of the book it would have been nice to feel as if I really knew and cared about the main characters.

Beautifully written story of the intersecting lives of the people who inhabit India's lower and upper classes. I was captivated by the characters and found the author's descriptions fascinating. I very good book about India.