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Title: The Story Hour
Author: Thrity Umrigar
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
Pages: 336
Year: 2014
Publisher: Harper
Source: Review copy from publisher
Rating: 4/5

Summary:

When Lakshmi’s only friend moves to California, she decides to kill herself, intending to leave behind the husband who doesn’t love her and brought her to America from India. But she wakes up in the hospital and her mental health is turned over to her therapist, Maggie.  Maggie, who is married to an Indian-American, finds that she cannot leave Lakshmi to return to her old life and prescribes a weekly therapy session with her. What unfolds is an unconventional story of friendship, betrayal, love, and passion.

My Thoughts:

First, the title is a bit misleading. I thought there would be a bigger focus on the actual hour Lakshmi was in therapy with Maggie. I thought there would be even more stories of Lakshmi back in India. I thought it would be a happy story about Lakshmi teaching Maggie as much as Maggie taught her. It was not.

However, that does not mean that I did not enjoy the book. Although I found Maggie unlikeable, I was so intrigued by Lakshmi, that I was able to overlook it. The book tells their stories, but also forces the reader to look at culture, gender, race, class, ethics, and how we relate to people unlike us. It doesn’t shy away from real issues and it doesn’t sugar coat them.

The book did not go in any of the directions I kept expecting it to go, but as I approached the end, I knew there was may too much to resolve than there were pages remaining and I grew anxious. It turns out that anxiety was justified. If you want a perfectly wrapped up story, this one is not for you. If you don’t mind unanswered questions and untold stories, then go right ahead with it.

Thrity Umrigar is a talented storyteller and The Story Hour is worth a read.