I read the blurb of A House for Happy Mothers and thought ‘Wow! This is going to be one hell of a story!’. I haven’t read a book before that talked about surrogacy and hence I was so looking forward to reading this book. But was I impressed? Read to know.
The Plot:
A House for Happy Mothers is about two women – Priyasha and Asha.
Priyasha is an Indian-American woman married to a Telugu man Madhu. She has a perfect life – a great career, a doting husband, and an amazing home. She is unfortunate to bear a child, having suffered several miscarriages. Priya wants a baby so badly and can’t imagine a life without a child. Madhu is fine with or without but supports his wife in all her decisions. The IVFs are a failure and they also don’t want to adopt. Priya convinces Madhu to opt for surrogacy – an option where underprivileged women in India act as surrogates.
Asha, a poor woman in India is the surrogate. She is the wife of a painter and a mother of two kids. Her son is an intelligent kid and Asha and her husband wants to send him to a better school. Only that they on their present wages could hardly make ends meet, let alone enjoy any luxuries. They hear about being a surrogate, through Asha’s sister-in-law, and about how the money they received in exchange had changed their lives. Asha’s husband encourages her to be one so as to buy a flat, for their child’s education and to live a better life. Thus, Asha decides to sell her womb for money, by carrying someone else’s child.
A House for Happy Mothers is where the lives of two women- Priya and Asha come together. It’s about how their emotions collide, and how even though both of them have apprehensions about surrogacy they still do it.
Review: A House for Happy Mothers
The Whoa and Ouch Moments!
The book stood pretty on a bookshelf at one of the book fairs I recently visited. Yup, the cover was so pretty that I immediately grabbed it. The title somehow gave that sense of hope, of sunshine. I know I sound lame, but that was how it was. I then read the blurb only to find it intriguing and interesting.
As I read through, I had an instant liking for Priya and Madhu; the bond they shared. It was raw, uncensored and totally relatable. But that was it. After this initial connection, I was lost.
Priya and Madhu hire Asha through an organization called ‘Happy Mothers’. Since she desperately needed money to find a good school for her intelligent and gifted son, she decides to be a surrogate. The helplessness, desperation, and poverty are understandable.
But I thought I would get a bit more from Asha. She didn’t have a voice in any of the matters. Her opinions, desires, and decisions never mattered to anyone. She was encouraged, rather coerced into this by her husband; she couldn’t talk about her feelings for the child in her womb and was blackmailed into being on a television show by the doctor in exchange for a recommendation to a school for her son. Something is finicky with the doctor, don’t you think?
Yes, you get subtle hints from the book that ‘Happy Mothers’ is indeed, a babymaking farm. However, there could have been, in detail, a probe into the surrogacy market that is/was thriving in India.
I do not have extensive knowledge of the same and I’m writing this on the basis of how it is portrayed in the book. I can give the benefit of the doubt, that the author wanted to primarily focus on the lives of the women. But then again, I was left wanting for more- the emotional struggle of both sets of parents and the journey of Asha who was bearing a child which was not her own. Is it ok for a rich woman to pay a poor woman to carry her child? Is it exploitation or is it helping that woman have a better life? Is it a win-win situation?
I also had a nagging thought in my head – what about Asha’s daughter? Her education? I agree, that she wasn’t extraordinarily brilliant like her brother. But wasn’t her schooling important too?
A poignant tale, the author was brilliant with her narrative and writing style. It was engaging and eloquent. I also loved the names of the characters- Priyasha and Asha meaning a dear wish- one’s fulfilling the other.
Do I Recommend?
This isn’t necessarily horrible, but it’s not as good as I hoped for. It lacked depth.
Rating:
3.5 on 5
Grab the book from Amazon if you’re up for it.
Details of the Book | |
Title: A House for Happy Mothers | Publisher: Lake Union Publishing |
Author: Amulya Malladi | ISBN: 9781503933316 |
Genre: Fiction | No: of Pages: 314 |
The book cover and the title are truly wonderful.
Loved the way you’ve highlighted the good and the not-so-appealing aspect of the book on your very honest review.
That’s a gorgeous shot👌
Surrogacy is such an intriguing and controversial topic.This book sounds like an interesting read with insights about the ‘rent-a-womb’ industry. Will check it out and thanks for sharing, Shalini!
The cover is so pretty! I really loved your review for your detailed analysis of the story. Will try to read this if possible!
Hmmm maybe suitable for those lazy saturday afternoons when you dont really want to exercise your brin too much. What say?
That is a beautiful book cover! The premise is really interesting too; I think it could have been a lot more nuanced than it seems it was. I guess I’ll give this one a pass!
Surrogacy is a sensitive issue, and one that can’t be discussed unless you have an in depth knowledge about how it works.
I hope the author here has written keeping that in mind! It can be such a sad story for those who give their wombs ‘on rent’ – developing feelings for the unborn baby who will never belong to them, giving it up to those who pay for it – I am overwhelmed simply imagining the lives they lead!
Thank you for the review, Shalini!
Excellently reviewed, Shalini! I saw your Instagram post and found the cover attractive. I was eager to see your book review. Surrogacy is one huge racket, sadly. Sometimes I wonder if everyone is aware of all the facts about the process.
I am glad you got to buy some good books at the book fair Shalzz – the review is done so well; infact it seems better than the book which seems to be lacking depth and detail. I agree with you that the subject of surrogacy is a delicate one and needs to be treated from a whole lot of perspectives. I wonder if the ban on surrogacy in India is mentioned in this book or was it written before that?
Your beautiful pic has done full justice to the lively cover, Shalini. As has your review to the book. I read it a while ago and found something missing too. It just didn’t touch my heart.
This review truly left an impression on me! Your in-depth write-up captures the essence of the book and provides a glimpse into the intricate themes and characters. I especially appreciated your insight into the portrayal of motherhood and the complexities of family relationships – it really hits home and makes me eager to dive into the story myself. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and for being such an engaging and enthusiastic blogger! Keep up the amazing work!