Honor is a beautifully written book that will reside in my soul for a very long time. It was deeply emotional and felt deeply personal, even though it was written about a place and a culture that is not my own. It is an incredibly thought-provoking novel that makes the reader question what honor truly means. It looks at deeply-rooted tradition, and the toxicity that sometimes comes with that kind of tradition. There are themes of family, hatred, misogyny, sacrifice, betrayal, ignorance, religious bigotry, tradition, honor, and even hope. The author’s writing is lush and vibrant, drawing the reader into another world. It is not always an easy book to read, the subject matter often horrifying and gutwrenchingly sad, but it isn’t meant to be easy. The story is that of a social horror, so it should be uncomfortable.
Honor is really two parallel stories, that of Meena and that of Smitra. Both have experienced the traditional, patriarchal society of India. Their stories have their similarities, but far different outcomes. Mohan’s role in the book is equally important, representing both the entitled male privilege that is so present in India and the good that is also within the country. Through their stories, honor begins to take on multiple means. For some, honor means adhering to religious and cultural norms. Any step in a different direction can me shame and even death. For others, honor means honoring oneself, doing what is right in the face of personal sacrifice.
This is a truly beautiful book, and an important one.