China Room: The heartstopping and beautiful novel, longlisted for the Booker Prize 2021

Once again Sunjeev Sahota has written an excellent novel. The story moves between the 1920s and the 1990s, with two linked narratives mostly set in the Punjab. Mehar is a teenager when she is married to one of three brothers - no one bothers to tell her which one - and moves to their family farm along with her two new sisters-in-law. The three girls are confined to the 'china room' (so called for a collection of china plates stored there), where they must serve the brothers and their tyrannical mother.Mehar thinks she has identified which of the three brothers is her husband - and her assumption puts her on a path to disaster. We get a hint of that in the more modern part of the story where a young British-Indian man trying to get rid of heroin addiction travels back to the home of his ancestors - the same farm Mehar was living in - and begins to uncover their history.Sahota is an author who is capable of writing very different novels, equally well. His style is pleasingly succinct whilst also being evocative. I particularly loved the story about Mehar and found her and some of the supporting characters very sympathetic. You feel transported to the places that Sahota describes. The way that women were treated (and possibly still are in some places today) is shocking and sad, and yet Mehar and her sisters-in-law accept their lot without complaint and get on with making the best out of their situation.The reader is much more aware than Mehar is of the fate looming over her, and sometimes that can make a book uncomfortable to read. But I don't think it does here - it makes it compelling and moving. The word that comes most to my mind when I recall this story is 'beautiful' and I think that is to do with the quality of the writing rather than the subject matter.The modern day story I found less compelling, perhaps because the characters are less appealing or because the story was less unusual. But I do like that Sahota doesn't give trite easy answers or fairytale resolutions. There were a couple of plot aspects that I thought would work out in a certain predictable way but didn't, and I think that gives a story more authenticity. It also gives a frame and a contrast for what I considered the main or real story about Mehar and her predicament.If you want to read a compelling, really well written classic story, this is a great choice. Sahota is an author that I think will go from strength to strength and eventually be celebrated as one of the greats.

This book is beautifully written and the characters are fascinating, I was totally absorbed. However I was disappointed by the ending which seemed rushed and abrupt.

Genre - Historical fiction / Intergenerational family storytelling.TW⚠️ - Racism, discussion of intravenous illicit drug use, domestic abuse, self harm and sexual assault.The story is split between two different time periods.The first is the late 1920’s in rural Punjab, where Mehar and two other girls are married to three brothers in a single ceremony. They are not told which of the men is their husband, but Mehar is determined to find out.The second is 1999, when Mehar’s great grandson travels to the farm which Mehar lived, in order to detox from Heroin. During his time there, he reflects on the struggles of his own life and also what took place at the farm years before.Both Mehar and her nephew are isolated and lonely, but have the resilience and strong personal identity to remain hopeful.The novel is fiction, but was inspired by Sahota’s own family history.This novel is only 240 pages, but wow, it did what it needed to do!The writing built up the atmosphere of the location in both time settings. It discussed the cultures and traditions of 1920’s Punjab and doesn’t shy away from the shocking brutality of it. When we are then taken to 1999, it is thought provoking to see that while it is now a more ‘modern world’, so so much really hasn’t changed at all. A lack of women’s rights and racism are still ongoing and still are to this day.This novel tackles some difficult themes, but at the heart it shows that women in Punjab were completely at the mercy of the men and elders. It also touches on the Indian fight for independence from the British which was taking place at the time.Despite the topics, the book is not too heavy, it really drew me in to the story. I enjoyed following as Mehar fell in love, although I ultimately already knew how it would end, I still willed for love to conquer all.

An unusual story about 3 brothers married to 3 women that wear a veils nearly always, and don’t know which brother is their husband. It’s an amazing tale that keeps you reading until the end. You’ll wish there was more.

This book reminded of a movie made on a similar subject. Anyways this book is going to stay with you for a long time. Must read!

Startling prose. Poetry on every page. Richly described landscapes within and without. Rivals “the god of small things” in its prosaic ode to India.

I am assuming that the customs described in this book are accurate for the time and place. If not, I would change my rating. Its amazing how customs like described here couldn't help but make so many people miserable, especially for the women.