The White Lotus by Aditi Krishnakumar is a gripping work of historical fiction that, like the best kinds of stories, stays with you and makes you think. Layered and sensitive, it is perfectly paced, immersing you in the life and times of a village in south India in the early 20th century.Fourteen-year-old Arali is looking forward to a life with her husband Sundaram. He is everything she could want in a husband—gentle, caring, and honourable. When he dies the day before her life as Sundaram’s wife is set to begin, she is shattered. And from the pieces, a new Arali emerges—one who is brave, strong, and determined to seek out the truth.What I found most impressive about The White Lotus is how seamlessly the characters grow through the story. The Arali at the beginning of The White Lotus is an excited bride with no ambition beyond living with the man she’s grown to love. … [Read more...]