There's a lot here that's pretty bleak--horrendous misogyny and everyday abuse of women and girls, caste, colourism, poverty. It's kept from being incredibly depressing by the female solidarity (which is shonky beyond belief in a realistic way) and by the super-dark humour that pervades the book (the ongoing gag about motherhood being so rewarding is hysterical). And also by the regular injections of horrible men getting theirs. Plus, a wonderfully exuberant ending. I think if you enjoyed Jane Doe or Killers of a Certain Age or Now You See Us, this will float your boat: it's pure revenge fantasy at points. It turns out that being known as a "self-made" widow comes with some perks. No one messes with her, harasses her, or tries to control (ahem, marry) her. It's even been good for business; no one dares to not buy her jewelry.

How is it that the difference between lust, dominance, and love is still not clear? Raavan was a rapist who abused countless women. ( He was upper caste too, and the author could have used this to drive her point for the nth time. But no, he has to be in lovey-dovey love with Sita.) Rambali, Paul (2003). "Introduction". In Cuny, Marie-Thérèse; Rambali, Paul; Devi, Phoolan (eds.). The Bandit Queen of India: An Indian woman's amazing journey from peasant to international legend. Guilford, Connecticut, US: Lyons Press. pp.xii–xiii. ISBN 1-59228-038-2. In what ways does the past seem to control, or at least influence, the present in The Bandit Queens? How do the characters try to repress or escape the pain of their pasts? Battle of one-upmanship among two Nishad parties worries SP". The Pioneer. 26 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 September 2021 . Retrieved 26 October 2023.

Last witness in Behmai massacre dies waiting for verdict". Telangana Today. 22 October 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022 . Retrieved 7 May 2023.

Geeta lives a life of solitude since her husband, Ramesh, walked out on her five years ago never to be seen again. She's okay with that because he was an abusive drunk but what she isn't okay with is the fact that her village have all turned on her claiming she killed him. Now labeled a churel she's become an outcast in the community. Add the tea leaves and let it boil for a minute. You can also add sugar at this time or add it in the cup when serving. Add milk and stir it in. Seal, Graham (2009). "The Robin Hood principle: Folklore, history, and the social bandit". Journal of Folklore Research. 46 (1): 67–89. doi: 10.2979/JFR.2009.46.1.67. ISSN 0737-7037. JSTOR 40206940. S2CID 144567050. Archived from the original on 20 December 2022 . Retrieved 21 December 2022.There is probably an audience for this book, as I wouldn’t say it’s badly written, but that audience was definitely not me. I raced through this one! Funny and engrossing and also heartbreaking, The Bandit Queens tells an important story about domestic abuse, caste discrimination, and the power of the patriarchy in India. The book follows Geeta, a woman approaching middle-age, alone because her abusive drunk husband left her five years ago. Everyone in town thinks she is a witch and that she killed her husband and fed him to the dogs and she is perfectly happy to let them believe that. After a time though other women start seeking out her "services." I don't want to get into the story because it would be impossible to do so without spoiling, but suffice to say there is action and sustaining friendship, and some revenge. In 1983, Devi surrendered to the Indian government (then under Prime Minister Indira Ghandi) and was accused of 48 criminal offenses. She was imprisoned for 11 years until she was pardoned in 1994 at age 31. The book has a good dose of dark and morbid humor. Some may find it strange, but I like it. The interactions are coarse, crude, and crass, which is exactly how it should be in such a setting. You have to listen to them speak to realize it. Some women use cusswords as a part of their speech, just like men do. And women from rural areas are more likely to have a colorful vocab with native cusswords.