Book Review: In Nirmala Pillai’s ’Secrets of Mango Rain’, empathy and acceptance heal the wounds inflicted by toxic patriarchs
The HinduPublished : May 02, 2024 11:00 IST - 3 MINS READ Buried family secrets lie at the heart of this novel. Secrets of Mango Rain By Nirmala Pillai The Alcove Publishers Pages: 350 Price: Rs.375 Nirmala Pillai keenly examines relationships and familial bonds to ask the questions: To what extent can individual happiness be sacrificed to maintain family honour? Valsa’s parents had fled the family home after their interreligious marriage: it earns them the everlasting wrath of Unni Menon, who swears that his daughter is dead to him from that time onwards. Valsa’s arrival signals the return of more family members, who also come trailing secrets, which demand to be acknowledged and resolved. But Secrets of Mango Rain is ultimately an affirmative story that emphasises the value of empathy and acceptance—not only of one’s self but also of the choices made by others—in binding families together.
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