What did you think of the author's choice to use humor to explore serious topics?

What is unique about this novel is how the author uses humor to explore and give nuance to these and other serious topics; what did you think of the author's choice to do so? What effect did it have on you as you were reading? Did it cause you to think about those topics in any new ways?

Humor is a necessary coping mechanism for all challenges. There is usually something funny about everything that happens in life. The humor really made the book the jewel that it is.

I think the humor made the book more interesting to read. I particularly liked the old parables, curses, and sayings. Some made me grin and some made me laugh out loud. After I finished, I wished I had been writing them down as I read them.

I think the humor in this book really added to my enjoyment. Murder doesn’t sound so terrible when the conspirators are so inept and plans go awry.

The humor is what made this book. It was sharp, dry, cutting and very appropriate for the situation.

The use of humor to explore serious topics made the novel both enjoyable and readable. Otherwise would have been very hard to read through all the violence

Humor was the glue that held this book together. Looking at life with humor helps make it all real. The topics in this book were very serious, timely and overwhelming.humor eased the pain

I thought it was a great choice. It provided balance and comic relief. Honestly, I would not have read the book otherwise.

I agree with the previous statements. The subject matter was very heavy and could have been quite depressing had the author not lightened it up with humor and some crazy situations. It worked for this book.

I love the response that elleng55 provided! Humor is indeed the glue that allows one to step back & see the absurdity of so many situations. It often allows me to spend more time with a subject and examine it from many sides. The subjugation of women or various groups within society is so wrong on so many levels. I applaud Parini Shroff for her careful use of humor to help us see this as it is perpetuated in this particular society.

I thought her humor was spot-on. I could visualize each situation. Like others have said here, it made the reading more palatable and sometimes even caught me off-guard. I loved this book.

It was humor that made the serious situation in M*A*S*H bearable.

I think that’s what I appreciated the most!

The humor and the satire are what I most enjoyed. There were a few moments when I I actually laughed out loud. It made the book as a whole bearable for me, and probably for the women too.

I agree that the humor made reading about the serious issues dealt with in the book tolerable. And without the comic relief, a character opposing the violence and other injustices against women and caste would have just come across as preachy. Better some humor to make the point go down more smoothly. I also think the humor made me feel connected to women from a culture foreign to me.

From the very first laugh-out-loud characterization of Saloni, "a woman whose capacity for food was exceeded only by her capacity for venom," I was delighted by the recognition of Geeta's sarcastic thoughts often echo my own unseemly, unspoken judgements.

Loved it, made the book about such a serious and depressing topic an enjoyable read! Wouldn’t have been as good a read without it! The authors instinct on that style was spot on

The author did an excellent job in this area. There was enough seriousness to feel uncomfortable and get outraged. The humor was done is such a way that the seriousness was not downplayed or diminished. In fact, I think the humor helped amplify the depth and amount of violence that occurs to women. Humor when well down can focus needed attention on important issues.

Absolutely!!! It was gave the story heart and soul. It would be too depressing otherwise.

I thought the book was very entertaining. The author writes humorous dialogue while exposing the treatment of women in rural India.

It was a way of bringing the reader right down to their situation. Without it, it would have just been a report of the human conditions that let tradition rule every situation. The humor was a way to show that the women had spirit and imagination to protect themselves and their children. Even to interrupt their conversation to sing along with the laundry commercial made the whole story so personal that everyday life was all around them. I would love to see this book made into a movie.

The humor definitely lightened the book and made it more relatable and readable. Geeta's and Saloni's relationship after they resumed it cracked me up. And Bandit was a hoot.

I think without the humor this book would have been flat. It would have been depressing and a hard book to read. There is too much sadness in the world not to use humor to lighten the load. This book is a good example of where and how humor can add to everyday life to make it better.