On The Shelf: A Family Affair

In fact, Sita, a first-generation Punjabi immigrant to England, overhears it being recited by an old woman on the hospital bed next to hers — Sita has been diagnosed with cancer and doesn’t have much time left. Inspired by the woman she overhears, though, she writes her own letter to her three daughters.

Families are complicated, and the Shergills don’t seem to be an exception. Sita writes her own letter to her three daughters — Rajni, Jezmeen and Shirina. As her dying wish, she wants them to go on a pilgrimage to India to perform her last rites. The sisters, who share a tense relationship, are hesitant to put their lives on hold and travel back to India, a country that the London-bred girls seem to have lost touch with.

On the surface of things, each sister seems to be confined to a role. Rajni, the oldest, is uptight. Jezmeen, the middle child, is the rebel. And Shirina, the youngest, is the baby. But, these women are complex, and as the book progresses, the reader understands exactly how and why they are the way they are with their idiosyncrasies.

Weaving so many divergent themes into one story can cause confusion, but Jaswal ensures that the story doesn’t lose site of its original message. Feminist undertones and the lived struggles of women are woven seamlessly into themes of religion, immigration, marriage, family — particularly Indian families, and, the longing to return home. As all these themes converge, Jaswal manages to retain one single message: family remains even when nothing else does.

With each chapter, Jaswal peels away layers off her characters, and the story remains smooth despite being packed with unsuspecting jolts at short intervals. There is equal parts humour, drama and suspense. As the narrative comes to an end, the story transforms from a simple tale of three Punjabi women to a story that resonates with us all.