The Bandit Queens

This was such a powerful and bold read that left me breath;ess at times whilst reading it. The writing is original and engaging and the storyline was utterly compelling all the way through at times I had to remind myself to breath I was that absorbed. There were moments that made me laugh out loud and moments that had me reaching for tissues and staring into the distance. I loved it and will think about it for a while, I can't wait to see what else the author writes.

I received an E-ARC from NetGalley and Atlantic Books in exchange for an honest review.

I was scrolling through NetGalley looking for something to read and came across The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff. The striking title and cover immediately jumped out at me and though literary fiction is not my usual genre, the premise sounded really interesting so I thought I'd give it a go. I am SO glad I was approved to read this book because oh my god what an incredible book it is.

The Bandit Queens is about a group of women who decide their lives would be better off without their horrible husbands, so they start bumping them off. It is also about friendship and loneliness, intersectional feminism, and how life-changing it can be to own a fridge.

The characters in this book are sharp and witty and their relationships feel so real. In some books, dialogue can read like the author has never heard humans speak before but the dialogue in this was the complete opposite; it was like I was overhearing the characters having conversations rather than simply reading about them. This was great for making me root for some characters (Geeta I adore you) but also made me feel genuine anger towards others. In fact, the whole book is vivid and captivating and it's so easy to lose yourself in the story. The plot is fast-paced and all built up to a satisfyingly wacky crime caper of an ending.

The Bandit Queens is interspersed with the story of the real life Bandit Queen, Phoolan Devi, who I spent ages reading about online after I finished the book (I recommend everyone else does the same).

Despite some things being pretty harrowing, (TWs for basically anything bad that can happen to anyone ever, including murder, rape, violence, and assault) this book is a black comedy and is SO funny. The running joke of the gourd was brilliant, and Saloni in particular made me laugh out loud; I loved her and Geeta's complicated relationship.

Bonus points for the cute dog!

Overall I give this book 5/5 and have been recommending it to anyone who will listen (and also those who won't, just in case).

This has one of the most vivid voices I’ve ever read! It was really realistic yet a little removed, if that makes any sense, but it was entertaining and intriguing and I’ve never read anything like this book!

This was different to what I thought it was going to be! It was emotional and had a deeper meaning. A good read to follow the journey.

It is fair to say that I completely underestimated this read.

I expected it to be a tad far fetched if not hysterical way of bumping off husbands. But at the heart of this is real women issues and horrible trapped marriages with a real dark undertone that cant be ignored.

Yes it has its funny moments, but its real, raw, and makes you stand up and listen.

Great to learn about a different culture to mine too.

Thought provoking, moving, intriguing.

This title was featured in National Book Tokens' '23 books to read in 2023':

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff
A darkly irreverent and fresh take on a feminist revenge thriller. For Geeta, life as a widow is more peaceful than life as a wife… Until the other women in her village decide they want to be widows, too.

This is one I’d seen on Twitter and after reading the premise, I though I’d give it a go. The Bandit Queens is a little out of my comfort zone in terms of genre. I will also say that this is a novel that does get dark in places and I would highly recommend checking out the content warnings before picking it up.

This is one that has lingered. Shroff doesn’t shy away from discussing the hardships the women face in their village, as well as exploring the implications that caste, religion and patriarchal values (among other things) have on the women. It’s a lot to pack into a slim novel, but I feel like it is handled well, even if it sometimes feels like there is isn’t enough time to discuss everything in depth. Another thing that I think is done really well is the friendships between the women and how they develop over the course of the novel.

This is exceptionally well written, with strong interesting and well paced plot. The characters are extremely well rounded and I enjoyed discovering more about them, particularly Geeta and her relationships with Saloni and Ramesh, leading to the subsequent change in her demeanour. I adored the setting in India. Although I've never been there, the language, imagery and references to modern Indian culture, really transported me; I could visualise the setting clearly in my mind. This book is laugh out loud funny, but also discusses important themes of patriarchy, discrimination, rapists and child abusers. It absolutely finds the right balance between light and dark, which is what makes this so unique and entertaining. I can't wait to see what Parini Shroff does next

The Bandit Queens is a really enjoyable novel about Geeta, a woman living in rural India, trying to get by after the loss of her husband and subsequent ostracism by her local community. Geeta's husband was a violent drunk who disappeared one day - did he leave voluntarily or was he murdered? The neighbours think he was definitely murdered and that Geeta is a dangerous woman. Who better to help them when their own husbands need to "disappear"?

The Bandit Queens is a great book about female friendship, with a little bit of romance and featuring a really cute dog called Bandit. A highly recommended read!