The Rice Mother

The Rice Mother by Rani Manicka, published by Penguin Publishing Group on July 27, 2004, is a reprint edition comprising 464 pages in English. This novel follows the journey of Lakshmi, who, at the age of fourteen, leaves her childhood in Ceylon for a new life in Malaysia. As she navigates the complexities of family life in a foreign land, Lakshmi faces both the challenges and wonders of her new environment, ultimately becoming a strong matriarch dedicated to securing a better future for her children.
Readers will find a rich narrative that spans significant historical events, including the Japanese occupation during World War II, while exploring themes of family life and resilience. The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Lakshmi and her family members, creating a tapestry of experiences that highlight both the beauty and brutality of life. The Rice Mother intricately weaves together the joys and sorrows of a family, where the presence of ghosts and gods adds a layer of depth to their struggles and triumphs.
Official synopsis Publisher
At the age of fourteen, Lakshmi leaves behind her childhood among the mango trees of Ceylon for married life across the ocean in Malaysia, and soon finds herself struggling to raise a family in a country that is, by turns, unyielding and amazing, brutal and beautiful. Giving birth to a child every year until she is nineteen, Lakshmi becomes a formidable matriarch, determined to secure a better life for her daughters and sons. From the Japanese occupation during World War II to the torture of watching some of her children succumb to life’s most terrible temptations, she rises to face every new challenge with almost mythic strength. Dreamy and lyrical, told in the alternating voices of the men and women of this amazing family, The Rice Mother gorgeously evokes a world where small pleasures offset unimaginable horrors, where ghosts and gods walk hand in hand. It marks the triumphant debut of a writer whose wisdom and soaring prose will touch readers, especially women, the world over.
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