4 out of 4 stars
Share This Review
In our world, we most often hear stories told through the eyes of those who harbor the most power. We see this in our media, on our news channels, and in our books. In this case, author Olivia Rana has extended that power to an unexpected hero, eleven-year-old Muthu. Olivia Rana's Elastic Girl challenges the reader's perspective on heroism by having the protagonist of her novel suffer as a slave girl in modern India. A harrowing journey of self-discovery, Elastic Girl is sure to touch anyone who reads it.
Through her descriptive writing, Rana extends compassion to both the heroes and the villains of her novel as she tells their stories of joy and sadness. For readers who are interested in learning about current events and marginalized groups, Elastic Girl is a great selection. This novel focuses on how social status and gender impact a person’s life experiences, bringing more awareness about poverty in modern India to all who read it. For me, I resonated in some aspects to the main character in the book. As a woman, some of her struggles felt similar in theme to the ones I have encountered in my own life, although they looked a little bit different. Not only does this novel promote sympathy for the poor, but it has some blatant feminist statements, too.
The main character of Rana's novel, Muthu, is born to an impoverished Indian family that has long hoped for a son. Already given two daughters, the family perceives Muthu's birth as a curse on their family. As Muthu grows into adolescence, her curse becomes more apparent to her as her family denies her the possibility of education. While her two older sisters are granted the privilege of attending school each day, Muthu is forced to take to the streets with her friend, Maheesh, to sell breakfast to passers by.
On one unfortunate morning, Muthu nearly escapes a near-death situation by contorting her thin body through tunnels and small spaces. Escaping this impossible circumstance, the neighborhood becomes enchanted by Muthu's godlike abilities, dubbing her Elastic Girl. Muthu's family, already struggling to make ends meet, encounters more hardships when they are evicted from their home. As a last resort call to action, Muthu's father sells her to a circus that is recruiting children who harbor "special" abilities. This is the point where the novel really takes off and Muthu's character faces her most deliberate challenges. During her time as a slave, Muthu learns the value of her own self-worth as she begins to shed the effects of years of being the family scapegoat. She also learns about her own strengths and weaknesses in her journey of growing into a woman who has only herself to fully rely on.
The rating I am giving Elastic Girl is 4 out of 4 stars. The book has obviously been professionally edited before its release, making it very fluent to read. The only issues I encountered during my time reading the book are a few bottom-half word cutoffs. I am not sure if this is due to the file format in which I read it, but the errors did not make it harder to read the words themselves. The error made for more of an aesthetic issue than anything, and did not distract from the book's content. If any reader is looking to have their world views challenged and their understanding of poverty shaken, I absolutely recommend taking the time to read Elastic Girl. It is no question that any reader will begin to care deeply for the main character during her heart-rending journey to self-love.
******
Elastic Girl
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
Like IsabellaCD's review? Post a comment saying so!
