Featured Review by justmegrowingup -- Elastic Girl by Olivia Rana

justmegrowingup · Post by **justmegrowingup** » 18 Mar 2018, 14:10

[Following is a featured review of "Elastic Girl" by Olivia Rana.]

4 out of 4 stars

Share This Review

I rate the book Elastic Girl 4 out of 4 stars.

Elastic Girl is a harrowing story about a young girl in India whose difficult life leads her down many challenging roads. Muthu is one of three daughters in an impoverished family. As a small child, she is forced into the streets to sell Roti to make a living for her family while her two older sisters are sent for an education. Her misery leads her to question her existence and what her purpose is in life. A freak accident leads her to a near death experience where she discovers that she has the miraculous gift of contortionism.

When the government evicts Muthu’s family from their home, they have no choice but to sell her and her natural gift to The Great Raman Circus of Chennai. After her community has praised her for her ability to transform her body, she believes that joining the circus will make her a star. Instead, she is forced to preform under a punishing schedule and becomes an undeserving victim to the Ring Master, Mr. Prem.

After escaping back to her family, she learns harsh truths about her past that allow her to fight back and finally answer her lifelong questions about her existence.

Olivia Rana, the author of Elastic Girl, has incredible talent wrapped in her writing. She uses her words to create vivid scenes and complex character development. Reading this story, you can see the landscape and experience the culture of India through her eyes. Her evocative writing will engage your senses as she immerses you in the sights, smells, and sounds of Muthu’s life. Rana's real life inspiration creates a fictional story that will give you insight into the experiences that people face in different parts of the world. Her ability to draw you out of your comfortable life and into a horrifying and cruel world is exactly what is needed to create the change that is desperately needed and that Rana is seeking.

Muthu’s story will pull at your heart from the very beginning. Just when you think things can’t get any worse for her, she is thrown deeper into her hardships. You'll find that the only thing keeping her alive is her undying hope for a better life.

Elastic Girl will leave you breathless and despaired, it will give you utter belief in the power of hope, and it will make you reflect on the things that you take for granted every day.

******
Elastic Girl
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like justmegrowingup's review? Post a comment saying so!

kdstrack · Post by **kdstrack** » 24 Mar 2018, 20:31

Interesting review. Muthu goes through many experiences and changes. Seems like the author writes about a difficult but real true situation in a compelling way. Nice job.

Italiansweety1982 · Post by **Italiansweety1982** » 02 Oct 2018, 16:04

I just read this book. A good read, well written, but some parts were hard to get thru.

Shirley-Mercy 8 · Post by **Shirley-Mercy 8** » 07 Jan 2019, 15:51

Wooow....just reading the review on this book turns me on..
I mean all that trouble,questions about her existence,harsh treatment anf other misfotunes...yet she thrives...i like it..

Maríe Wamakima · Post by **Maríe Wamakima** » 08 Jan 2019, 02:03

I don't really like the circus but the book sounds like a great inspirational read.

Cswright · Post by **Cswright** » 08 Jan 2019, 11:56

This sounds like an amazing read and a great insight of another world far away. I don’t know much about India but judging by your review it sounds like a place I would like to learn more about.

Reading your review makes me want to read the book for myself. Great review!

jefftone · Post by **jefftone** » 08 Jan 2019, 13:30

I once had interest in reading the novel 'elastic girl' but all of a sudden i lost interest on it.Having gone through the review pushes me to really go back and work on it to get to know more about Muthu's family

yisellesuarez · Post by **yisellesuarez** » 09 Jan 2019, 20:46

This is a great book worth reading for a Gender Studies Class.

Holiness osei · Post by **Holiness osei** » 10 Jan 2019, 06:40

Elastic Girl will leave you breathless and despaired, it will give you utter belief in the power of hope, and it will make you reflect on the things that you take for granted every day.

Lexybrawn · Post by **Lexybrawn** » 10 Jan 2019, 20:24

Reads like a mix of poverty plus child trafficking with steel resolve from the victim to triumph at all costs while keeping an optimistic view of life and exploring discovered talent as the way out. Nice one

QueMustReadJA · Post by **QueMustReadJA** » 11 Jan 2019, 01:04

OMG! I got no words but I probably will cry when I read this. A 99.9% chance I will. I'll say no more great review on what it seems like an amazingly life changing experience by justmegrowingup for book "Elastic Girl" by Olivia Rana.

danielstagarojr · Post by **danielstagarojr** » 12 Jan 2019, 08:20

This book have a really good story. It inspired those young people to value the hardship they did.

KiaFox · Post by **KiaFox** » 13 Jan 2019, 08:01

You made this book sound ver interesting.

Nanceaa_17 · Post by **Nanceaa_17** » 13 Jan 2019, 13:58

Wow. This review has made me interested in a book that I would have just overlooked. Great review!

Kelyn · Post by **Kelyn** » 14 Jan 2019, 10:02

I have to say right off the bat that I will probably skip this one. The hardships and abuse that Mithu suffers sound like they would make me cry during the entire book. I avoid tear-jerker movies as well, so thank you for a review that let me know the novel is so emotionally wrenching.