"Indu Sundaresan’s…first story collection…contains India’s multitudes,
all in relationships of opposition — men vs. women, traditional vs. new, haves
vs. have-nots. Throughout, Sundaresan cultivates empathy for her characters and
their individual anguish at straddling those great divides…[She] thrives
in the silences and histories, intimacies and betrayals of families…Sundaresan’s
powerful writing compels empathy, and in doing so provides a living portrait of
India, in all its diversity, through her unforgettable characters."
—Lee Thomas, Fictionwritersreview.com
"What the collection accomplishes is the stimulation of thought about existing
evils such as—but certainly not limited to—child abandonment, elder
abuse, women’s rights and struggles, and archaic, illegal practices that have no
place in modern society…razor-sharp collection of stories…[Sundaresan’s]
genuine characters, balanced tone, and subtle storytelling leave little to chance
and offer much to contemplate."
—Jeanne K. Fredriksen, India Currents
"…a poignant…portrayal of an India caught between the progress
of the 21st century and a past locked in tradition…the collection both describes
and evokes intense emotion…gifted storytelling…"
—Pamela Ellgen, The Asian Reporter
"[Indu Sundaresan’s]…new book…turns her revealing prose on the
contorted relationship of past and present in 21st-century India…These stories
are portals into the Indian soul, revealing the breaches and the bonds that delineate
the relationship between rural and urban India, and the intricate play of ancient
stricture and modern striving in contemporary life…The stories within these
pages are brilliant, penetrating…"
—Don George, National Geographic Traveler
"Sundaresan…questions how evolved the globalized world truly is in these
stories of individuals trapped between India’s archaic traditions and blitz into
modernity…The stories are sobering, all the more so for Sundaresan’s nuanced
character work and blistering social critique…"
—Publishers Weekly
"From a few small sparks, Sundaresan illuminates the lives of Indian women
at home and abroad facing issues of new freedoms afforded by new vistas and those
trapped by the old traditions. She creates compelling characters with vivid settings
and real issues. Truly satisfying fare for fans of world literature…Sundaresan
weaves…wonderful narratives…"
—Library Journal
"Indu Sundaresan is one of the new generation of Indian novelists who not only
sees, but is willing to write about those things going on behind closed doors, in
the back streets, and far beyond the glare of bright city lights. In her newest
collection of short fiction, In The Convent Of Little Flowers…she covers
everything from elder abuse and the consequences of the caste system, to the hardships
that are still common place for women in India…Elegant and eloquent, her
stories speak from the heart and are full of compassion…"
—Richard Marcus, Blogcritics.org
"These nine stories illuminate the complexities of social class, customs, generational
differences and the diversity of rural and urban India. However, what makes each
story compelling is the author’s command over the prose and her ability to capture
the subtle nuances that bring her characters to life."
—Kalyani Deshpande, SAWNET.org, The South Asian Women’s Network
"The stories are…compelling…and show a side of modern India that
one tends to forget….With this book, Indu has secured a place for herself
amongst other writers of Indian fiction. She has shown that she can write as well
about 21st century India, particularly women, as she can about 17th century Indian
women."
—Anu Chitrapu, Lokvani.com
"Indu Sundaresan's stories impress because they are beautifully written with
great insight into the cultures that make up India. She takes ordinary words and
puts them together to create tales of huge impact, relating the history of that
country and bringing out the differences between Eastern and Western culture…In
the Convent of Little Flowers is a book that should be read for its beauty and also
for the heads up it gives to the world community."
—Mary Ann Smyth, Bookloons.com
"Indu Sundaresan is an extremely talented writer. Her characters are very real
– so real that you almost feel that you know them in your actual life. She has a
fascinating style of writing. You are pulled into the story from the very first
line and you cannot put the book down until you’ve read the very last. And when
you are done reading the last story, it only makes you sad because you want to keep
reading more…In each story, there is a clash between the culture, customs
and traditions being followed in India for generations and the new ideals that are
slowly seeping into the minds of youngsters these days. Each story is very unique
in its own way…"
—Ramya’s Bookshelf
"The stories in In the Convent of Little Flowers are simply written and utterly
beautiful…Each has its own quality that recommends itself to the reader.
As such, there is not one bad story among them, not one lesser tale. That is quite
a feat for an author, to write stories of such depth and magnitude that they are
all equally moving."
—S. Krishna’s Books
"From adoption to marriage, Indu Sundaresan guides us through a culture in
transition. IN THE CONVENT OF LITTLE FLOWERS one will
find many women characters wrestling with traditional values while desiring the
need for intimacy and love. Sundaresan's characters are unforgettable. How can we
not remember Meha and Chandar? It is Sundaresan's skill with language that opens
the door to India as well as the human heart."
—E. Ethelbert Miller, Director
African American Resource Center
Howard University
"India, land of fragrances and colors! Indu Sundaresan shows us these two qualities
in a smart way."
—Shahrnush Parsipur, author of,
Touba and the Meaning of Night