CBR 11 Review #3 - Marriage of a Thousand Lies
Marriage of a Thousand Lies by SJ Sindu isn't quite a romance but digs into what it means to love.
Lucky marries her gay friend Kris to appease her family and remain accepted by her Sri Lankan immigrant community in Boston. A marriage of convenience that works well on the surface. Everyone believes she married for love and escaped the fate of an arranged one. Kris and Lucky can be who they are together in LGBTQ spaces, taking home whoever they want. But things get tricky when Nisha comes back into Lucky's life. Nisha is her childhood best friend and former lover. But Nisha is getting married to Deepak and being the good daughter. The women steal kisses in dark rooms and spend time together while Nisha plans her wedding. They dream of running away together. Is Lucky ready for the fall out if they do? The book explores all the feelings that surface with Nisha back in her life. She's at a crossroad and not sure which way to go.
When my Mocha Girls Read book club voted for this book, I expected a very depressing book. I was pleasantly surprised to discover it was a well-written and easy read about embracing your authentic self. It felt almost like a Young Adult novel centered on a grown woman sifting through confusing emotions and trying to find the way to the other side. Lucky is an interesting protagonist who didn't want to give up her community but can't escape who she is. We learn about her feelings with lyrical musings throughout the book.
I would recommend this book for YA fans and anyone looking for a romance mixed with self-discovery.
This is my third review for Cannonball Read 11. An annual, memorial book challenge to read and review 52 books in a year. Or 26. Or 13. Choose your level and read to meet your goal all while fundraising for the American Cancer Society in the memory of AlabamaPink.
