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Keeping Corner Review

There has been some comparison to the book Climbing the Stairs. While both are set in India during World War II, they are different books. I felt that Keeping Corner had more detail about Indian culture and I came away with a better understanding of a young woman's plight not so very long ago.

In Keeping Corner we have twelve year old Leela who has been married at a very young age. Leela is your typical girl, and that's what I love about her. She isn't bookish and she really doesn't care about politics. She is interested in looking nice and wearing pretty clothes and jewelry. That is the extent of her life, and I think that makes her so much more interesting as a character. I mean what young adult doesn't like those things? Leela's life is turned upside down when her fiancé dies. Now she is a widow at a very young age and must "keep corner." She has to shave her head; lose her pretty clothes and jewelry. The community views her as bad luck. Leela is trapped insider her house for an entire year.

While she is in mourning Leela's schoolteacher comes and helps her with her lessons. Leela doesn't want to be taught anything. She dislikes school. Yet, as time goes on Leela becomes more interested in her studies and she enjoys hearing about Gandhi. She grows as a character and realizes there maybe something out there for her. Maybe she can change how people view women.

Keeping Corner is an excellent story that has a lot of great details about the era and the plight of women. There is also an index in the back (something Climbing the Stairs didn't have).

I think students who are interested in historical fiction will enjoy this novel as well as students who enjoy reading about other cultures. There is no romance in this novel however, so that may turn some teens away from the book. However, I strongly encourage people to read this novel.

Keeping Corner Overview

Ba slipped the gold bangles from my wrists. The gold ones were plain so I didn't mind taking them off, but I loved wearing my milk-glass bangles and the lakkh bracelets.

"A widow can't wear bangles," she said. "They are signs of a woman's good fortune. When your husband dies it's over."

"What if my good fortune comes back?"

"It doesn't."

Pretty as a peacock, twelve-year-old Leela had been spoiled all her life. She doesn't care for school and barely marks the growing unrest between the British colonists and her own countrymen. Why should she? Her future has been planned since her engagement at two and marriage at nine.

Leela's whole life changes, though, when her husband dies. She's now expected to behave like a proper widow: shaving her head and trading her jewel-toned saris for rough, earth-colored ones. Leela is considered unlucky now, and will have to stay confined to her house for a year--keep corner--in preparation for a life of mourning for a boy she barely knew.

When her schoolteacher hears of her fate, she offers Leela lessons at home. For the first time, despite her confinement, Leela opens her eyes to the changing world around her. India is suffering from a severe drought, and farmers are unable to pay taxes to the British. She learns about a new leader of the people, a man named Gandhi, who starts a political movement and practices satyagraha--non-violent protest against the colonists as well as the caste system. The quiet strength ofsatyagraha may liberate her country. Could she use the same path to liberate herself?

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Customer Reviews

Review From Books & Wine - Books & Wine - New York United States
Set in Ghandi Era India, Keeping Corner by Kashmira Sheth is the story of a child-bride named Leela who is widowed at the age of 11. Tradition states that since Leela is a certain caste, she must keep corner for a year. Unfortunately, Keeping Corner involves not leaving the house, shaving your head, and giving up pretty saris for a mourning outfit.

Tradition meets change as Leela learns about Ghandi. I felt I learned a lot from Keeping Corner. Peppered throughout the book are Indian words, the meaning of which I learned by using contextual clues. Oddly enough, I generally enjoy learning. Aside from learning interesting new things about India, the best thing about this book is that it is a quick read.

As a main character, Leela was alright and her story was interesting. I felt her changes weren't gradual and they didn't really ring true in my cynical adult brain.

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I was younger, it was a little too juvenile for me. This book would be perfect for middle-grade YA fans. I could see the simplicity of the writing working well with reluctant readers, plus you can trick them into learning something.

Perspective on the role of women in the India caste system - Michelle Boytim - Tucson, AZ USA
This is the story of Leela who is a young girl (12) in India at the time of the initial rise of Gandhi. She is about to be married and enjoys the pleasures of her caste and is spoiled by her parents. Her cares focus mostly on new bangles and clothes. When her husband dies she becomes a widow and has a difficult time to adjusting to the restrictions that this places on her life- dull clothes, no jewelry, shorn head and restrictions to her family home for a year. Her brother helps her by finding a teacher for her so that she can continue her education at home and she slowly blossoms into awareness of the possibilities in life and the changes in the world around her. I found the cultural and historical aspects of the book fascinating and it was interesting to see Leela grow and change over time. This would be a great young adult book to introduce some history and customs of India.

multicultural insight - esc - oregon
I was amazed at the way this is written. I have been looking for books that my middle years students could read in their lit circles and just happened to stumble on this at my local library. Finding a book that is real literature, shows another culture, is a finger-licking page-racing novel that even reluctant readers will enjoy is close to a miracle.
It is all that! Plus it is a novel about women without being a chick book.
Why didn't this book turn up in all the searches I've done on the amazon site?

*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Aug 08, 2010 04:47:05

Children's Books

Sunday, August 8, 2010