Mother Land

 Rachel Meyer thought she had enough to cope with - a new husband, a move from New York City to Mumbai, a new language and not having a job of her own after years of working.  That was until the doorbell rang one evening, and there was her mother-in-law, Swati, standing on the doorstep with a suitcase almost as large as she is.  Mother Land (#921) by Leah Franqui explores the cultural clash between these two very different women (Or are they really so different?) in a novel that is, in turn, maddening, biting, funny and poignant.

Rachel is beginning to sense that Dhruv is not the man she married in New York.  Happy with his work, he expects her to accept things here in Mumbai without question.  That is the way things are done.  If his mother chooses to move in with them, so be it.  It's Rachel's job to get on with things as Swati takes over the household.

Swati, on the other hand, has done the unthinkable; she has left her husband behind in Kolkata, and she has no intention of returning to the marital home.  She's not sure what she does want, but living with her son will give her time to figure things out or not.

When Dhruv's company assigns him to a project in Kolkata, Rachel and Swati are thrown together on their own while Dhruv tries to fix the shocking and shameful situation between his parents.  The outcome is not what anyone expected...

I loved Leah Franqui's first novel, America for Beginners (See my post of  8/28/2018.)  It's the difference in cultures seen from the opposite side; an Indian woman sees the America beloved by her only son for herself.  I enjoyed this book equally.  Franqui makes Mumbai come alive in Mother Land.  You can hear the noise, feel the heat and the constant press of the crowds.  But mostly, it's a book about relationships.  Things aren't really so different no matter where you come from. Highly recommended.