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Description edit
Anita Desai's new book, hailed as "unsparing, yet tender and funny,"* brilliantly confirms her place among today's foremost Indian writers. FASTING, FEASTING takes on Desai's greatest theme: the intricate, delicate web of family conflict. It tells the moving story of Uma, the plain older... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Uma: The lead character. She is a girl with average looks and no special skills. She is a clumsy girl, who is not good at anything she does. She loves going to school but is a constant failure. She is kept back at home by her mother when she gives birth to a son at a very late age, to tend to the little one. She doesn't get any marriage proposals and 2 of them that her parents manage to get by giving dowry turn out to be scoundrels who cheat them for their money. This is a tale of Uma's life, of how she copes with he own family mocking at her.
- Aruna: Uma's sister. She is a good looker and skilled in all the tasks that make a good marriage material. Though she loathed school, she got good ranks. She started getting marriage proposals since the age of 13, from the suitors chosen for Uma. She and her parents take pride in her beauty. She was Uma's ally in her younger years, however, as she grows prettier, she starts mocking Uma, too.
- Arun: Their little brother, who is always engrossed in studies. Their father, who is always for higher studies, atleast for sons always makes sure that Arun studies the whole day and is sent to America for higher studies, where he stays with pattons, Uma's friend's sister, though the family is subtly against christanity and their ways.
- Anamika: The bright cousin of Uma, who is not only good looking but skilled and well-mannered too. Her family uses her degrees and offer from oxford to get her a highly educated bride groom, who thinks nothing of Anamika's beauty..
- Mama Papa: Uma, Arun and Aruna's parents - often perceived as a single entity rather than two people
- Mrs Patton: A suburban American woman with whom Arun stays during his summer.
- St Mary: Add a description of this character.
- Melanie: Mrs. Patton's daughter.
- Mrs Joshi: Uma's next-door neighbour.
- Amna
- Justice Dutt
- Dr Dun
- Mother Agnes
- Ramu
- Ahroon
- Dinesh
- Mrs Syal
- Miramasi
- Arvind
- Rod
- Arum
First Sentence edit
On the veranda overlooking the garden, the drive and the gate, they sit together on the creaking sofa-swing, suspended from its iron frame, dangling their legs so that the slippers on their feet hang loose.
Table of Contents edit
Authors & Contributors edit
- Anita Desai (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: Add the language.
Publisher: Add the publisher.
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: Add the publication date.
ISBN: Add the ISBN.
Page Count: 228
Publisher: Add the publisher.
Country: Add the country of publication.
Publication Date: Add the publication date.
ISBN: Add the ISBN.
Page Count: 228
Awards edit
- Man Booker Prize (Finalist, 1999, shortlist)
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 823
Subjects edit
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