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Title details for Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet by Kashmira Sheth - Available

Koyal Dark, Mango Sweet

by Kashmira Sheth
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Jeeta’s family is caught up in the whirlwind of arranging marriages for her two older sisters, but the drama and excitement leave Jeeta cold. Even though tradition demands the parade of suitors, the marriage negotiations and the elaborate displays, sixteen-year old Jeeta wonders what happened to the love and romance that the movies promise? She dreads her turn on the matrimonial circuit, especially since Mummy is always complaining about how Jeeta’s dark skin and smart mouth will turn off potential husbands. But when Jeeta’s smart mouth and liberal ideas land her in love with her friend’s cousin Neel, she must strike a balance between duty to her tradition-bound parents, and the strength to follow her heart.

Kashmira Sheth was born in Bhavanger, Gujart, India and immigrated to the United States at the age of 17. Sheth attended Iowa State University where she received her B.S. in Microbiology. She is married to a civil engineer and they have two daughters. Sheth is both a scientist and an author. Sheth has worked for the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection as a microbiologist. In 2012 she will teach at the Solstice Low-Residency MFA in Creative Writing Program at Pine Manor College. In her free time Sheth teaches Indian dance to children.

"Warmly descriptive of life in Mumbai (formerly Bombay), this love story has a rich sense of place. Sixteen-year-old Jeeta's mother is consumed with the problems of arranging marriages for her three daughters and is sure that Jeeta's dark skin and smart mouth will turn off prospective grooms. But the teen's new friend, Sarina, opens her eyes to other possibilities. Discovering the pleasures of learning, Jeeta does well in her last year at school and enters college hoping to study law. Then, a handsome boy whom she meets at the swimming pool turns out to be Sarina's cousin. Because her mother forbids her to socialize with boys, she uses visits to Sarina to provide cover for their developing relationship. Readers may feel let down by the inconclusive ending, expecting at least an engagement, but the family's movement toward more modern ways is realistic. The novel reads like a memoir written by someone who wants to hold on to every detail of a remembered life. The tensions of family life in a small apartment are evident and the conflict between old beliefs and customs and the modern world is clear. Like the matrimonial ad her friend quotes, Jeeta is a girl with strong east-west family values, with all the contradictions that that statement suggests. This first-person narrative is a lush and loving exploration of coming of age." -Kathleen Isaacs, Towson University, MD
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-School Library Journal

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    June 4, 2013

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Read

      • ISBN: 9780786754663

    • EPUB ebook

      • ISBN: 9780786754663
      • File size: 171 KB

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • Publisher's Weekly

      May 1, 2006
      Sheth's (Blue Jasmine
      ) novel set in Mumbai offers readers a fascinating glimpse of modern Indian culture. While her parents work hard to find a suitable husband for their eldest daughter, 16-year-old narrator Jeeta begins to have doubts about the fixed marriages that are commonplace in her caste. Her objections grow stronger during her last year of high school when she befriends new student Sarina, the daughter of liberal-minded parents, and finds herself attracted to Sarina's cousin, Neel, another free thinker. Hoping to someday become a lawyer, Jeeta works harder at her studies and begins secretly meeting Neel, even though "Mummy absolutely forbids us to talk to boys," she confides to Sarina. This coming-of-age story brings to life the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of India, and incorporates the dark beauty of the rarely-seen koyal bird and the sweet flavor of mango to symbolize qualities that Jeeta embodies. The author emphasizes the restrictions of social mores, but also acknowledges that traditional marriages, arranged by parents, do not always lead to misery. Although Jeeta's second-oldest sister ends up in an abusive marriage, her oldest sister is happy with her husband; at one point Sarina suggests to Jeeta that fixed dates aren't always bad ("Isn't it nice to meet someone that your parents already know about? Isn't it good that they know the family well too?"). Eloquent and insightful, this book invites introspection and may lead to lively discussions about the pros and cons of honoring and breaking tradition. Ages 12-up.

Formats

  • OverDrive Read
  • EPUB ebook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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