'Burnt Sugar' by Avni Doshi follows the tumultuous mother-daughter relationship between Antara and her mother, Tara. As Tara's dementia progresses, Antara is faced with caring for a mother who never seemed to care for her. The novel delves into their complicated history, from Tara's rebellious past to Antara's struggles with her own identity and mother's neglect. The story is a poignant exploration of toxic family dynamics, memory, and the lasting impact of childhood trauma.

The narrative in 'Burnt Sugar' alternates between past and present, showcasing Antara's journey of coming to terms with her mother's deteriorating condition while reflecting on their shared past filled with abandonment, abuse, and emotional turmoil. Avni Doshi's writing style is described as sharp, caustic, and elegantly crafted, unraveling the intricate layers of the mother-daughter relationship with unflinching honesty and complexity.

Characters:

The characters are complex, with Antara embodying emotional conflict and Tara illustrating the repercussions of selfish choices.

Writing/Prose:

The prose combines sharp wit with emotional depth, though it can be uneven and confusing at times.

Plot/Storyline:

The narrative focuses on a strained mother-daughter relationship, tackling themes of neglect and the complexities of caregiving.

Setting:

The setting in Pune, India, enriches the narrative with cultural depth and contextualizes the characters' experiences.

Pacing:

Pacing varies, with gripping moments countered by stretches of slow or meandering narrative.

I suffered at her hands as a child, and any pain she subsequently endured appeared to me to be a kind of redemption – a rebalancing of the universe, where the rational order of cause and effect aligne...

Notes:

The novel Burnt Sugar was shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize.

It features a complex mother-daughter relationship between Antara and her mother Tara.

Tara suffers from early stages of dementia, impacting their dynamic.

The story flashes back to Tara's rebellious past in the 1980s, where she abandoned her marriage to pursue an ashram life.

Antara describes her mother as neglectful and emotionally immature, leading to a strained relationship.

The narrative suggests Antara is an unreliable narrator, complicating the story with her selective memory.

The book explores themes of caregiving, abuse, and psychological turmoil.

Antara's maternal struggles are intensified by postpartum depression.

Tara previously engaged in relationships that negatively affected her child, which consumed Antara's thoughts.

The novel discusses cultural aspects of Indian life in Pune, including the impact of Western influence on Indian identities.

Antara's art serves as a coping mechanism, reflecting her emotional journey and relationship with her mother.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Triggers include themes of emotional abuse, neglect, mental illness, and toxic family relationships.

From The Publisher:

SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2020

LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN'S PRIZE FOR FICTION 2021

WINNER OF THE SUSHILA DEVI AWARD 2021

A searing debut novel about mothers and daughters, obsession and betrayal - for fans of Jenny Offill, Deborah Levy, Rachel Cusk and Diana Evans

'Beautifully written, emotionally wrenching and poignant in equal measure' The Booker Prize Judges 2020

'An unsettling, sinewy debut, startling in its venom and disarming in its humour from the very first sentence' Guardian

'I would be lying if I said my mother's misery has never given me pleasure.'

This is a tale of obsession and betrayal. This is a poisoned love story. But not between lovers - between mother and daughter.

Tara and Antara, the woman and her angry shadow. But which one is which?

Sharp as a blade and compulsively readable, Burnt Sugar slowly untangles the knot of memory and fiction that binds two women together, revealing the truth that lies beneath.

'A work of extraordinary insight, courage and sophistication' Washington Post

'Arresting and fiercely intelligent, disarmingly witty and frank' Sunday Times

'A sly, slippery, often heartbreaking novel about the role memory plays within families' Stylist

'Extraordinary... Come for the effortlessly stylish writing, stay for the boiling wrath' Observer

Ratings (3)

Incredible (1)
Loved It (1)
Did Not Like (1)

Reader Stats (11):

Read It (3)
Want To Read (4)
Not Interested (4)

1 comment(s)

ColorfulLeo92

Did Not Like

2 months

I didn't like this one. Can't put my finger on quite why. It wasn't something that I particular disliked but I didn't feel strongly about it. Motherhood and mother relationship isn't something I'm very intrigued by reading so perhaps it was that.

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About the Author:

Avni Doshi was born in New Jersey in 1982 and is currently based in Dubai. She won the Tibor Jones South Asia Prize in 2013 and a Charles Pick Fellowship at the University of East Anglia in 2014. Her debut novel, Burnt Sugar, was shortlisted for the Booker Prize 2020. The novel is published in India as Girl in White Cotton, where it won the Sushila Devi Award 2021.

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Burnt Sugar

Avni Doshi