Motherland

by Vineeta Vijayaraghavan and Vineeta Vijayaraghaven

Book Overview

Over the course of a single transformative summer, an American teenager travels to southern India to visit her relatives and gains new insight into her past, her family and her heritage.

Born in Kerala, Maya spent the first four years of her life there, cared for mainly by her grandmother, Ammamma, until she was sent to live with her parents in New York. At 15, with her parents' marriage undergoing a rough patch, she is sent back to...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1569472831
• ISBN13: 9781569472835
• Release Date: May 2002
• Publisher: Soho Press
• Length: 240 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

Simple but moving

An American never feels more American than when he or she is in a foreign country. In my experience, this is even more true when one "is from" that foreign country. After years of living in the US as a minority, one expects to return to the motherland with a sense of homecoming, a sense of immediate belonging. However, while family and ethnic ties do give you that, there is also, inevitably, a prickly feeling of distinction. Sometimes it's felt in small things, such as in an increased sensitivity to mosquitos or lower dietary tolerances. Other times, it's experienced in a clash of worldviews--over issues such as class, gender roles, or international politics. "Motherland" captures this tension beautifully, in a simple, but moving story about an American teenager who spends a summer in southern India. I was surprised by how much I loved this novel. This is not a book of unexpected plot twists or particularly perilous situations. The characters are intriguing, but not unusual. The setting is exotic, but rather limited. However, the author's honest depiction of relationships, conversations and observations seduce you into the story and refuse to let you go. I find myself still thinking about this novel in random moments throughout my day.

One of my favorite books this year

Yes, this is the year I finally read (and fell in love with) the Harry Potter series, but this book beats it out! This is a wonderfully written story from the perspective of a South Indian girl whose childhood was split between her grandmother's house in India and her mother's in the United States. It follows her over the course of her first visit to India after a long time, and through a journey to a more adult understanding of her mother and grandmother. What I liked the best about this book is its genuine feel. Not many authors can recreate the thoughts and interests of a teenage girl on paper as Vijayaraghavan has been able to do. I am astounded that it is this author's first published book and eagerly look forward to her future writings.

Bringing back memories of a homeland

Only when I read this touching and simple book, did all the memories of a beutiful childhood come flooding into my heart. I have lived in the USA for 16 years now, and this book has captured the essence of what family means. I too had 2 grandmothers. Both of them showered me with love and attention, much like what Vineeta has written about. Since I have had a similar experience like the main character in the book, it was easy for me to identify with the book. Well done Vineeta, keep it up. Cannot wait for your next book.

Why life is worth living?

I started reading Motherland on Sunday evening, which was a grave mistake. I couldn't put it down until I finished the whole story in the early hours of Monday morning. I was enchanted by the harmony of simple family life and the beauty of the exotic, far away country. I was fascinated by the details of everyday life, of mundane activities like brushing hair or taking a bath. It all seemed so foreign, yet so familiar. Didn't summers seem so slow and tranquil when you where a child? The surroundings, the customs, the food are all different but the happiness that loving family and simple life bring are universal.

Can't Wait for the Movie!!!

I found "Motherland" to be a simply delightful book. Maya, the novel's 15-year-old narrator, offers a mix of wry commentary and youthful bewilderment as she leads the reader along her colorful journey towards adulthood. The author has surrounded young Maya with a host of well-drawn secondary characters who round out the novel and give the reader a sense of the broader cultural context against which Maya's story is woven. The tale of Maya's sojourn in India begins as a deceptively straightforward travelogue but does not lack for drama or emotional intensity as matters of family and homeland are brought to the fore. Like a well-crafted Shaker table, "Motherland" possesses a simple beauty that is nonetheless breathtaking. An unpretentious tour-de-force.