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The Forbidden Daughter | 
 enlarge | Author: Shobhan Bantwal
Publisher: Kensington
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy New: $8.28
You Save: $5.72 (41%)
New (31) Used (13) from $8.28
Avg. Customer Rating:  16 reviews
Sales Rank: 27913
Media: Paperback
Number Of Items: 1
Pages: 336
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 8.2 x 5.6 x 1
ISBN: 0758220308
Dewey Decimal Number: 813
EAN: 9780758220301
ASIN: 0758220308
Publication Date: August 26, 2008
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Product Description
Set in the sensual richness of India, Shobhan Bantwal's gripping new novel asks: Where can a woman turn when her life's greatest blessing is seen as a curse? It's a girl! For most young couples, news of their unborn child's gender brings joyful anticipation. Not so for Isha Tilak and her husband, Nikhil. They already have a beloved daughter, but Nikhil's parents, hard-wired to favor male children above all, coldly reject little Priya at every turn. Vain and selfish, they see female grandchildren as burdens, and would just as soon never meet the one growing in Isha's belly. Even the obstetrician agrees, going so far as to suggest the unthinkable, throwing Nikhil into a rage -- and changing Isha's life forever... When Nikhil is discovered brutally murdered, Isha is convinced it had something to do with his reaction to the doctor's hideous "solution" to their problem. Alone, grief-stricken, and relentlessly oppressed by in-laws who believe her baby is a bad omen, Isha sets out on her own. Born into a privileged class, Isha doesn't know the first thing about fending for herself, but to protect her precious daughters, she will learn. And she will cling to the hope given to her by a strange old mystic: that her baby will arrive on the auspicious night of Kojagari Purnima, the full harvest moon, and be a gift from Lakshmi, the goddess of well-being. Isha and her girls will need all the blessings they can get, for the greatest danger of all lies ahead...
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| Customer Reviews: Read 11 more reviews...
 A Treat for Book Lovers November 18, 2008
In her sophomore novel, The Forbidden Daughter, Bantwal has produced a delightful page-turner that exposes the practice of selectively aborting female fetuses in India, a culture that favors males over females for a variety of reasons. Bantwal's prose is simple yet compelling, with captivating characters and dialogue.
The Forbidden Daughter is set in the small town of Palgaum, India. It opens with Isha Tilak and her husband Nikhil discovering through a sonogram that their second child will be another girl. Isha's conservative in-laws want her to have an abortion and her unscrupulous doctor, Karnik, is more than willing to do it for a hefty fee. Isha and Nikhil refuse to comply with the in-laws' dictate. Nikhil even starts to probe into Dr. Karnik's shady practices and secures incriminating information proving Karnik's guilt. Unfortunately, Nikhil is murdered and Isha is left alone to face her hostile in-laws.
When her in-laws' animosity starts to escalate, Isha makes an impulsive decision to leave them and fend for herself, with one small child in tow and another on the way. But a naive Isha surprises both herself and her family when she not only faces the challenges of giving up a wealthy and indulged lifestyle, but becomes stronger and more independent because of them. Sheila, her sister-in-law and she are reunited after the birth of Isha's child. A male admirer from the past unexpectedly appears in Isha's life as well in the form of Harish Salvi, a successful and single pediatrician who treats her children and falls in love with her.
With Sheila and Harish's help, Isha sets out to find her husband's killer despite the danger it brings to her children and herself.
In The Forbidden Daughter, Bantwal deftly manages to tell an exciting story of intrigue, hope, and the startling truths embedded in a male-oriented society. Because of its rich cultural elements and handling of a hot-button social issue, I would recommend this book to book clubs, libraries, reading groups, and individual readers looking for a satisfying multicultural read.
 Buy it now! November 6, 2008
I could not put this book down. Ms. Bantwal tells a fascinating story of the reality of selective abortion in India. Although this book is a work of fiction, it's theme is based in reality. I could not disagree more with the earlier review that stated this work was comparable to a "Soap Opera." This is a compelling page turner and the author provides a vivid backdrop to the story in her description of the sights, sounds and people of a rural Indian village. It provides a keen insight in to the presence of an undercurrent of resentment toward female children. I was not aware that this existed in India.
I love the character development and enjoyed watching relationships grow as the story unfolded. I will certainly be reading more from this author.
From S. Krishna's Books October 31, 2008
Isha Tilak is distraught. Her beloved husband, Nikhil, has been murdered under suspicious circumstances, and she is heavily pregnant with their second child. To make matters even worse, Nikhil's parents are pressuring her to abort her unborn baby - not because the child would be a burden, but because it is a girl. Isha has witnessed their mistreatment of her older daughter, Priya, and refuses to subject her second child to that harshness simply on the basis of her sex. When her in-laws' request for an abortion becomes a demand, Isha leaves their home and sets out on her own, not knowing where she can go or who she can turn to. All she knows is that she must protect her children, her beautiful daughters.
Shobhan Bantwal has a history of writing about controversial Indian subjects. Her first book, The Dowry Bride, was about bride-burnings in India; specifically, it was the story of a woman who wasn't producing children in a marriage and uncovered a plot by her mother-in-law to kill her so she wouldn't have to return the dowry (which she would have to do if there were a divorce). This second book is about female abortions and infanticide. These topics, while uncomfortable, do take place in India (female abortion much more so than bride burnings, if I am not mistaken), and it is important that people become aware of them. Bantwal writes her novels in a manner that is easy to digest and, while shocking, brings important issues to light. Her resolve to educate others is admirable.
The story of the novel, while a bit stilted in places, is sweet. We follow Isha's story and watch her develop from a pampered girl into a strong, independent woman. She is very human - guarded and careful, not quick to forgive others. Sometimes in stories of adversity, the protagonist is written as a superhuman, someone better than the rest of us. Isha isn't like that; she is very real and only does what she must do to protect herself and her children. The end of the story is a little crazy and unbelievable; one of the characters remarks that he feels like he is in a Bollywood movie. However, it is still an extremely worthwhile and enjoyable book.
Though the controversial subject of female infanticide doesn't receive much publicity in the United States, it is a real problem in India. It is now illegal in India for a doctor to discuss the sex of a child with its parents before birth, though as we see in The Forbidden Daughter, that doesn't prevent many doctors from doing it anyway. It is important to note that this isn't a general mindset - my parents, who are Indian, have two daughters and have always been more than thrilled to have us. While a reader shouldn't make the mistake of thinking that this is the mindset of all Indians, it is a serious and very heartbreaking problem.
The Forbidden Daughter is a wonderful story that defies genres. It is a daring book, bringing to light a problem that has been hidden just beneath the surface in India for quite some time. I highly recommend it to anyone who is interested in controversial issues, or anyone simply looking for an engaging story.
Powerful tale of one woman's strength October 24, 2008
Isha Tilak and her husband, Nikhil, have just discovered that the child they are expecting is a girl. What would be wonderful news to just about any couple is a curse to the young couple. Young Isha and Nikhil live in India, in a society where male heirs are sought out above all else; female children are viewed as burdens. When their doctor, Dr. Larnick, along with Nikhil's parents, suggests they have an illegal abortion, Isha and Nikhil are furious and adamantly refuse. Soon after, Nikhil is found brutally murdered. Isha decides that living with her oppressive in-laws is detrimental to the life and safety of her young daughter, Priya, and her unborn daughter. She leaves with a small amount of money and just a few belongings. Born into a privileged class, Isha hasn't ever had to fend for herself. She soon learns. Isha and Priya seek refuge at a local convent. Isha gives birth to young Diya, and meets Harish Salvi, a doctor that treats the children at the convent. Isha ultimately receives the life insurance money that she and Nikhil kept hidden from his parents and is then able to purchase a more appropriate residence for her and her young girls. She discovers that her husband has left her with evidence of the selective abortion trade, and suddenly her life, and the life of her children, is in danger. THE FORBIDDEN DAUGHTER tells a difficult story of the treatment and value of women in India. The characters were very compelling, as was the storyline. It has it all: love, bribery, murder, blackmail, kidnapping. Isha is an amazingly strong woman who will stop at nothing to protect the lives of her daughters.
 This book is meant for romance lovers October 19, 2008
1 out of 2 found this review helpful
I picked this book up at the airport. The cover art and subject had caught my attention. I had anticipated the subject of selective abortion in India to be approached in a similar quality manner as the problems of Afghan women in "A Thousand Splendid Suns". The difference though is immense. The book starts feeling like the literary version of a soap opera. Halfway into the book I noticed that the first page explained the target audience. The radiant reviews came from Romantic Time, RomanceReviewsToday.com etc. With this in mind I lowered my expectations and enjoyed the book as a quick, easy and relaxing romantic book that also (briefly) touched on the shocking subject of selective abortion.
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