It’s also a microcosm of the book’s central tensions, from the power dynamics inherent in who is telling a story to the privilege wielded by men, Americans, Hindus, members of the upper caste, the educated, and urban dwellers and the intersectionality of the two women around whom “Honor” is centered. This article is written by Shannon, a white American foreign correspondent (as Umrigar reveals in the acknowledgments, the character was inspired by the real life work of Ellen Barry for The New York Times). To many around her, Meena is seen to have dishonored her family by defying her brothers and entering into an interfaith marriage they had forbidden. Spurred on by a lawyer who’ll work pro bono, Meena is taking her brothers to court, an act unheard of in the rural community where they live. Abdul, Meena’s husband, does not survive the blaze.

Honor, Thrity Umrigar’s ninth novel, opens with a newspaper clipping detailing the fate of Meena, a woman who becomes disabled after surviving a fire set by her Hindu brothers with the intention of killing her and her Muslim husband. Learning to love your homeland, even when it’s complicated R E V I E W S: The Boston Globe Thrity Umrigar on 'Honor' and dishonor. In this tender and evocative novel about love, hope, familial devotion, betrayal, and sacrifice, Thrity Umrigar shows us two courageous women trying to navigate how to be true to their homelands and themselves at the same time. But the dual love stories of Honor are as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. While Meena’s fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. As she follows the case of Meena-a Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim man-Smita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than one’s own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smita’s own past.

Indian American journalist Smita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. In this riveting and immersive novel, bestselling author Thrity Umrigar tells the story of two couples and the sometimes dangerous and heartbreaking challenges of love across a cultural divide. Honor THE NEW REESE'S BOOK CLUB PICK FOR JANUARY!

Honor by umrigar