Skip to main content

Chup - Deepa Narayan - Book Review


Recently finished reading Deepa Narayan's book on women in India and the way society is sculpting their identity. The book is an intriguing read and does live up to its slogan to hold a mirror to every Indian women.



So is this a feminist read meant for those all women book club list readings? Definitely not. Such books are meant to be read by the entire society irrespective of gender or age.



The book raises questions on what it means to be a woman in Indian society.
Do you pride yourself on being a strong woman? Do you aspire to be one or support one? Do you consider yourself a feminist? This book goes beyond the whole women empowerment and feminism debate to ask some real questions.

In this well researched book, based on 600 detailed interviews with women and men across India's metros and even cities abroad,  social scientist Deepa Narayan has covered seven key habits that may influence women's everyday lives, despite their education, success, financial status and family background. These behaviors may seem harmless, but each one has enormous impact, and it means only one thing - that Indian women are trained to habitually delete themselves.

Indeed, as I read the book and the excerpts of the interviews, it feels that the reality is for all of us to see but we refuse to admit it. We stay silent or chup as the the book title states. In fact, as I have read about similar patterns in different parts of the World, both developing and developed, I can say that this book has a universal appeal to it. The psychology is similar everywhere.

However, "Chup" has its limitations. One significant oversight is its lack of discussion on the misuse of laws designed to protect women. The rise of false accusations, particularly in cases of rape, BNS and dowry, is a serious issue that impacts many men. These false claims can devastate careers, reputations, and lives, highlighting a dark side to the progress made in women's rights. While Narayan’s focus is on the systemic silencing of women, a more balanced examination of the complexities surrounding gender dynamics would have enriched the discourse.
Price - INR 699
Genre - Non - Fiction
Pages - 304
Edition - Hard cover
Publisher - Juggernaut 
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Also read

Cutting people off isn’t strength—It is a trauma response

Your ability to cut people off and self-isolate is not a skill you should be proud of—It is a trauma response Cutting people off and self-isolating may feel like a protective shield, but it is often rooted in unresolved or unhealed trauma and an inability to depend on others. While these behaviors seem like self-preservation, they end up reinforcing isolation and blocking meaningful connections. Confronting these patterns, seeking therapy, and nurturing supportive relationships can help break this unhealthy cycle. Plus, a simple act like planting a jasmine plant can symbolise the start of your journey towards emotional healing. Why do we cut people off and isolate? If you’re someone who prides themselves on “cutting people off” or keeping a tight circle, you might believe it’s a skill—a way to protect yourself from betrayal, hurt, or unnecessary drama. I get it. I’ve been there, too. But here’s the thing: this ability to isolate yourself is not as empowering as it may seem. In fact, i...
1 comment
Read more

Not Quite Dead Yet- Holly Jackson- A review

Is Not Quite Dead Yet all hype and no heart? A review of Holly Jackson’s thriller You pick up Not Quite Dead Yet expecting a clever, grown up thriller, but you are handed melodrama dressed as urgency. This long form review questions the hype, critiques its shallow characterisation, and asks whether a ticking clock can replace emotional depth, moral consequence, and believable storytelling. Why do you pick up a book that promises a woman will die in seven days? You know this feeling. You walk into a bookshop or scroll online, tired after a long day, and you want certainty. You want a hook that grabs you by the collar and says, “This will matter.” A countdown does exactly that. Seven days to live. A woman solving her own murder. The premise feels urgent, cinematic, and engineered to keep you turning pages even when your better judgement whispers otherwise. Publishing statistics support this instinct. According to data shared by The New York Times and NPR , thrillers with ...
Post a Comment
Read more

Punjab’s stilt-plus-four real estate rule 2025: Game changer or urban chaos? | circle rate hike explained

When the Punjab Cabinet approved the Unified Building Rules 2025, allowing stilt-plus-four floor construction across 40-ft-wide roads, it sparked both celebration and anxiety. For homeowners, it opened a new chapter of vertical prosperity. For urban planners, it may have unlocked Pandora’s box. Add to that a steep rise in circle rates up to 67% in Mohali and you have the perfect cocktail for a cityscape revolution. Is Punjab’s stilt-plus-four policy a game changer or a warning sign for urban chaos? Punjab’s 2025 building rule reforms are rewriting its urban DNA. With stilt-plus-four floors now permitted on 250 sq yd plots and higher circle rates in force, Punjab’s real estate market is at a crossroads. Is this the dawn of new opportunities or the slow death of livable cities? The answer lies somewhere between ambition and chaos. Urban transformation often begins with good intentions and ends in gridlocks. Punjab’s new stilt-plus-four policy and simultaneous circle rate hike hav...
Post a Comment
Read more