The 1947 Partition of India is the backdrop for this powerful novel, narrated by a precocious child who describes the brutal transition with chilling veracity. Young Lenny Sethi is kept out of school because she suffers from polio. She spends her days with Ayah, her beautiful nanny, visiting with the large group of admirers that Ayah draws. It is in the company of these working class characters that Lenny learns about religious differences, religious intolerance, and the blossoming genocidal strife on the eve of Partition. As she matures, Lenny begins to identify the differences between the Hindus, Moslems, and Sikhs engaging in political arguments all around her. Lenny enjoys a happy, privileged life in Lahore, but the kidnapping of her beloved Ayah signals a dramatic change. Soon Lenny’s world erupts in religious, ethnic, and racial violence. By turns hilarious and heartbreaking, the domestic drama serves as a microcosm for a profound political upheaval.
Cracking India: A Novel
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
The narrator of Sidwha's ( The Bride ) timely novel about the violent 1947 partition of India is the extremely observant Lenny Sethi, whose family belongs to the Parsee community in Lahore. As a child, a polio victim and a member of a minority, she is the perfect witness (though somewhat precocious) to the historic upheaval. Sidwha tempers Lenny's hyper-awareness, however, by capturing the whole range of her fears and joys as her innocence becomes another casualty of the violence among Moslems, Sikhs and Hindus. At one point Lenny declares: "Lying doesn't become me. I can't get away with the littlest thing." Persuasive, this statement reinforces earlier comments she lets slip about herself which display this artless candor: "the manipulative power of my limp"; "I place a hypocritical arm protectively round her shoulders." Lenny's honesty is compelling, and the reader, like many in the story, cannot help but trust her. She is alternately thrilled and frightened by the events she dutifully records, and so, in the end, is the reader.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
Presented in the first person by a sparsely educated Parsee girl in Lahore named Lenny, who grows from four to eight as she narrates, this novel is incongruously overloaded with erudite diction. Thus, unlike Huck Finn's tale, this child's story becomes unbelievable. Despite the title, it focuses on the everyday lives of Lenny, her family, and their associates, often interesting but frequently trivial. Throughout the book, Lenny includes verbatim transcriptions of extended conversations/situations about racial relations, sex, politics, religion, and selected aspects of the 1947 Partition. Sadly, the promise of the novel (semi-autobiographical?) is inadequately fulfilled and seems to falter from its conception. (Needed: a glossary of Indian words.)-- Glenn O. Carey, Eastern Kentucky Univ., Richmond
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
35 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I first read this book several years ago and was thrilled that it was finally made into a movie by Deepa Mehta. "Earth" is a great film but I don't think even it can do do justice to this amazing book. My mother's family is from Lahore and came to the Indian side of the border as refugees in 1947 so this book has a very personal meaning for me. It is a wonderful depiction of growing up as a child in Lahore and very authentic. I thought the love story between Ayah and Ice Candy Man was incredibly sad. Ultimately, she was unable to return his love and unable to forgive him for kidnapping her and forcing her to work as a dancing girl before marrying her. My grandparents told me that there were many such sad stories of women who were abducted and never seen by their families again. Unfortunately in times of conflict, it's always the women and children who suffer the most. To me, the most intruiging aspect of the book is that it is written from the girl child's viewpoint and Sidhwa really does try to capture the viewpoint of an 8-year old, although some of the observations were probably too mature for that age. What is amazing is how comic scenes are interspersed with scenes of horrifying brutality. I must disagree with some of the previous reviewers who felt the book was biased towards Pakistan - at no point does Sidhwa blame one community more than another, rather she feels that all communities were to blame for the atrocities that were committed all all sides during Partition to more or less the same extent. If you are interested in reading more fiction that is set against the backdrop of Partition, I would recommend Manohar Malgaonkar's "A Bend in the Ganges". Again, this is a story told from the feminine viewpoint, except that it is an adult woman, Sundari, who is at the center of the story. It may be hard to get hold of in the U.S. but it's well worth the effort!
13 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This tragic story is very personal, as told by a young girl, Lenny Sethi (possibly autobiographical?) living in the Punjab region of northwest India during the few years prior to and after the partition of India. History is full of such terrible stories and horrible truths, but Cracking India has a very familial impact, and completely feminine perspective. We are allowed to become part of the extended family that comprises Lenny's young life. There is a comfortable mix of Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, Parsees, and Christians prior to the partition, and Bapsi Sidhwa immerses us completely in that unique and unusual world. What a fragile, terrible facade it turned out to be.
Sidhwa does not try to inform us why people are so often so terrible to each other. Is she suggesting that no such understanding is possible? She shows that people live through, but often not beyond, such events. Cracking India is very compelling and unique, completely engaging, and excruciatingly real. I found this story to be completely believable, as the story of a young girl told through her adult perspectives. A completely different world was mine for a brief time in reading Cracking India, and for all its terrors, I am glad I was there. Highest recommendation.
Sidhwa does not try to inform us why people are so often so terrible to each other. Is she suggesting that no such understanding is possible? She shows that people live through, but often not beyond, such events. Cracking India is very compelling and unique, completely engaging, and excruciatingly real. I found this story to be completely believable, as the story of a young girl told through her adult perspectives. A completely different world was mine for a brief time in reading Cracking India, and for all its terrors, I am glad I was there. Highest recommendation.
8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
Wrenched from the security of the familiar, a young girl gleans intimate knowledge of the nature of betrayal. As a cosseted child, Lenny's short life is defined by the affection of family, friends and her beloved Ayah. As most children who have the blessing of regularity in their lives and know the indulgence of boredom, Lenny is on an intimate terms with mundane household affairs and neighborhood gossip, her extended family ever available for entertainment and amusing peccadilloes. The family's simple life changes forever with the Partition of India in 1947 and the creation of Pakistan for Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs remaining in the state of India. As citizens of the newly formed Pakistan, this family's everyday reality begins to shift with the changing times, threatening to destroy a child's security and trust forever.
In Lahore, a city that has welcomed differences and encouraged variety, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus have mixed without incident. After the Partition, the dangers of alliance permanently stamp the mark of change and entire families begin to disappear overnight. In agonizing stages, Sidwha relates this tragic account through Lenny's eyes. And it is that vision, with glimpses of violence flashing around the periphery, that ultimately alerts Lenny to the shape of the future. The juxtaposition of family life and national chaos outlines an insider's interpretation of daily routine and a whole country spinning out of control. Peopled with eccentric characters and quirky personalities, one of the most romantic and beloved is Lenny's beautiful and desirable Ayah. Ultimately, the abrupt disappearance of that Ayah, who has been kidnapped by nefarious characters, is central to the theme of this carefully wrought tale. All sense of harmony and continuity is abruptly shattered by the miasma of violence that seeps under closed doors at night like a poisonous invisible fog. This book is a stunning reminder of the nature of impermanence, "collateral damage" in the form of a loving Ayah, whose lovely spirit is virtually destroyed along with Lenny's innocence.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
Cracking India
Cracking India by Bapsi Sidwa is a wonderful and compelling story told through the eyes of young Parsee girl who lives with her parents and brother and is cared for by her Ayah... Read more
Published 11 months ago by jamies
Great book about the Partition through a child's eyes
I had to read this for a class, and it was a delight to read. Highly recommended if you're interested in the Partition.
Published 19 months ago by Moony
Cracking India?
Why did Bapsi Sidhwa change the name of the novel from "Ice Candy Man" to "Cracking India"? Maybe because it is more catchy and sells better. Read more
Published on May 8, 2006 by Sona
Beautiful.
A beautifully written novel. Sidhwa's lilting writing style makes one wonder what lies ahead in the novel. It's joyous and captivating, but also chilling at the same time. Read more
Published on August 12, 2004 by A .J. Casper
wonderful book
I was assigned this book for my english class, and wasn't looking forward to reading it. Although I chose the book myself, I wasn't really sure if I had made the right choice. Read more
Published on January 10, 2002 by mia
Great Reading!
I just finished reading the book. It is wonderfully written and very hard to put down. The author's style of story telling is very engaging and flowing. Read more
Published on June 3, 2001 by A Book Lover
Heartfelt and heartbreaking
Read this book, whether you're Indian, Pakistani, Hindu, Muslim, Sikh, whatever -- its lessons extend beyond any one or two countries or religions, and would seem particularly apt... Read more
Published on September 27, 2000
Simply Stunning
This novel describes the pains of partition,the war between love , hate and with the animal inside every one. Read more
Published on September 24, 2000 by "wsindhi"
Interesting
I found the book to be stark and honest, consistent with a child's point of view. I did not think the author showed preference for one ethnic group over another; she sheds light on... Read more
Published on January 26, 2000 by Ann K. Hobbs
Moving, but not indepth about partition
The partition is being explained through the eyes of Lenny, but it is not complete. But I liked the way of explaining the uneasiness of the coutry is being divided through Ayah's... Read more
Published on December 21, 1999 by Rajesh Chandra
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First Sentence:
My world is compressed. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
zoo attendant, zoo lion, veranda steps Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Imam Din, Colonel Bharucha, Mini Aunty, Sharbat Khan, Dost Mohammad, Sher Singh, Pir Pindo, Government House, Warris Road, Himat Ali, Jagjeet Singh, Manek Mody, Hira Mandi, Jail Road, Master Tara Singh, Muslim League, Queens Road, Salvation Army, Tota Ram, Dera Tek Singh, Mozang Chawk, Queen Victoria, Queen's Garden, Tower of Silence, Warns Road New!
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Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
My world is compressed. Read the first page Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
zoo attendant, zoo lion, veranda steps Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Imam Din, Colonel Bharucha, Mini Aunty, Sharbat Khan, Dost Mohammad, Sher Singh, Pir Pindo, Government House, Warris Road, Himat Ali, Jagjeet Singh, Manek Mody, Hira Mandi, Jail Road, Master Tara Singh, Muslim League, Queens Road, Salvation Army, Tota Ram, Dera Tek Singh, Mozang Chawk, Queen Victoria, Queen's Garden, Tower of Silence, Warns Road New!
Concordance | Text Stats Browse Sample Pages:
Front Cover | First Pages | Back Cover | Surprise Me!
Citations (learn more)
This book cites 4
books:
71
books
cite this book:
See all 71 books citing this book
- Golden Temple by Patwant Singh on page 115, and page 140
- The Golden Temple (Panjab heritage series) by Mohinder Singh on page 115, and page 140
- The Crow Eaters: A Novel by Bapsi Sidhwa in Back Matter
- Urdu Literature by D. J. Matthews in Front Matter
- Unsettling Partition: Literature, Gender, Memory by Jill Didur on 14 pages
- En-Gendering India: Woman and Nation in Colonial and Postcolonial Narratives by Sangeeta Ray on 6 pages
- Water : A Novel Based on the Film by Deepa Mehta in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- An American Brat by Bapsi Sidhwa in Front Matter, Back Matter (1), and Back Matter (2)
- Postcolonial Translation: Theory and Practice (Translation Studies) by Susan Bassnett on page 25, page 40, and Back Matter
See all 71 books citing this book
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