ANITHA PADANATTIL’S GIRL IN A MILLION: A TALE OF BONDING AND REDEMPTION.
“Never judge a book by its cover”, said someone. “A thing of beauty is joy forever” said another. Agreeing with the former and justifying the latter, the vibrant book cover of Girl in a million immediately captivates the attention and the pages hold you. Told in the 90s at the beautiful town of Oothukudi, the story moves back and forth between the past and present. Sagharika also known as Dr.S, the protagonist, along with other minor characters, Marge, Shruthi and Ratna are crafted well from their adolescent age knows as Core Z to their adulthood, covering details of their schooldays, to facing horrifying events, to moving away in different direction as they pursue their individual goals. The plot pivots around these girls. How they connect? The secrets they share. How they come to terms with the ill-fated past? What binds them? How their personalities lead them to their individual fate? And most importantly, how these girls leap the time and space distance to stay bonded?
The rich vocabulary with complex phrases makes it a slow paced read, a bit difficult for beginners. The book is outstanding in vividness. The minutest description of the places, food, and culture of the states the girls move to speaks of Anitha’s extensive research and outstanding descriptive skills.
“My disability…….despite everything life throws at us, the essence of true happiness lies within us.” (Excerpt from the book). Such sprinkle of wisdom here and there add to the depth to the story, offering the reader philosophy to ponder upon.
Anitha Padanattil has a true winner on her hands with “Girl in a Million”. The powerful protagonist, Koteeshwari (Sagharika) is sure to inspire, and the main story is emotional without being preachy. A poignant inspirational story of one girl’s journey to redemption.
