Reviews

The Liberation of Sita by Volga

so_its_me_nia's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

prajakta_d's review against another edition

challenging emotional reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes

5.0

mira2022's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective fast-paced

arcoftym's review

5.0

This is not a story of Sita but of every woman who has lived in India and it’s society. Words such as purity, chastity, pollution are thrown around callously in our society without understanding their weight. Volga tries to liberate Sita and countless other women of such words and the burden they carry.
I initially felt the book length was too short for the subject matter but realized Volga said many things in very few words. I had never questioned my parents named me Renuka but after reading this book, I’m wondering if the story behind the name is truly understood.
We worship countless goddesses in our society but hardly bother to understand their point of view. After Iravati Karve, I have felt Volga achieve it beautifully.

readikkulus's review

4.0

So many mythological retellings, from the perspective of female protagonists - but Sita is the most popular, it seems. While she remains the main character in this read, Volga touches upon many other strong women whose endurance is seldom spoken about, and how they help Sita in her journey to self-realization. Every character - whether it is Ahalya, Renuka, Surpanakha or Sita's sister, Urmila - each breaks a stereotype that has held women back. This read is about Sita breaking away from her identity as queen of Ayodhya, Ram's wife, Luv-Kush's mother - and realizing who she really is. I love how the story goes back & forth in time, helping the reader unfold every notion that has held Sita, or any woman back. As interesting a read as it is, The Liberation of Sita holds up the flag of feminism high.

sunfloweronmylap's review against another edition

5.0

4.5/5

A fresh and much-needed interpretation of the epic tracing the journey of Sita in a path of self-acceptance and self-actualization.

sshraddha141's review

adventurous emotional hopeful inspiring mysterious reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

ava23reads's review against another edition

hopeful inspiring reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

vsanghadia's review against another edition

5.0

Really enjoyed this series of central and ancillary characters in the Ramayana, of their stories put through feminist revisioning. Sita, Renuka, Ahalya, Urmila and Surpanakha’s stories feature only as instruments to further male characters in the epic, often bearing the brunt of unjust actions as a collateral damage to the Arya dharma propagated and sought to be spread through Ramas reign on earth.
The stories reflected an inner strength in the characters, a gradual independence of thought and a struggle to conceptualize the self as separate from their roles of wife, mother, daughter and daughter in law.
The book has a bunch of short stories from Sita’s pov and her interactions with all these characters. Quick read. First Volga read for me.

abhisikta_reads's review against another edition

2.0

I had a lot of expectations from this book but it was disappointing!