The Lesson by Sowmya Rajendran

The Lesson Reviews

• 
  Jairam Mohan

  A well written satirical book that holds up a mirror to Indian society and how women are treated today.
• 
  Priya

  4.5*
  
  TW : Physical abuse
  
  The very first lines of this book set the scene so to say for a narrative that you want to think of as a satire and totally dystopian but find to your dismay and horror that you cannot! So many things seem eerily relatable if you are a woman living in India.
  
  In the world of this book, the conduct of citizens, in particular women(of course) is very very closely monitored. There are conduct books that specify acceptable behaviour with chapters like How to talk to a man, Compulsory maternal feelings etc. When a couple should get married is determined by the government and divorce is frowned upon, especially if it is the wife asking for it. Victim shaming and blaming is par for the course with colleges having a 'dupatta regulator' to check that girls are dressed modestly and so do not seem provocative to the boy students.
  
  Despite all this, if it is deemed that a girl/woman has not 'behaved properly' there is a government appointed official who metes out vigilante justice of the worst kind possible, something no one can escape. No one is named in the book. They are all just referred to by their profession, role in the government machinery or in the case of women as first or second daughter, wife etc making it clear that individuals really don't matter. There are some aspects of society she has captured that are chillingly familiar. I wish I could say they only made me laugh or they were projected too extremely to be real but I can't!
  
  This is a quick but fantastic read that portrays what kind of society we are laying the basis for if women continue to be treated as nothing but playthings; if they are reviled for not conforming to outdated ideals and speaking out against injustice and for their freedom and rights. It has been done in a very, very clever way that definitely shook me.
• 
  Viju

  Read this in one sitting! A beautifully crafted book which can be very triggering! I’ve had this book on my TBR list for a while and I am glad I finally read it.
  
  There are no name for the characters in this book. It’s only second daughter, media mogul, the dentist, the eunuch, moral police etc. It is very difficult to craft a story with the premise that the author has chosen and retain the reader’a attention! Sowmya is able to do that brilliantly!
  
  I will not recommend this book to many of my friend but for a lesson in really ‘creative’ writing with a lot of hard-hitting truths, this is THE book.
• 
  Bhavna

  This is a chilling account of the horrors that women endure in India, and I'm so surprised that it flew under the radar. Whoever wrote the blurb calling it dystopian satire has to be kidding himself - this is too uncomfortably real to be called dystopian, and satire? Nothing about this is amusing. 1984 came and went without ado, but the reality in this book feels eerily imminent.
• 
  Raman

  Near future Indian city. The moral police office has an official position — The rapist. He is there to teach ‘the lesson’.
  Small book with powerful message. A social satire reflecting the condition and thinking to society towards women (specially in India). It shows the mirror to the society and the future towards which we are heading if things will not change.
• 
  Vishesh Unni

  An entertaining book with much to think about. And that statement is both the strength and weakness of the book. It is fair to not compare Sowmya with the hundreds of also-writers in the country. Her writing deserves to be taken seriously.
  
  There is a strong idea behind the book and I do like the execution. But I do really wish the plot was thicker. The theme and idea have the potential to haunt you. You could be shown a completely new way of seeing things. Instead, the book uses what we already know to narrate a story which is entertaining and makes you think. It doesn't make you cringe at the horror presented because we are already used to it. It doesn't make you angry again. If anyone Sowmya possesses the ability to do this and I hope she does this the next time.
• 
  Arcopol Chaudhuri

  A hard-hitting and often disturbing dystopian satire about the state of violence that women have to live with, in India. Read it if you're a woman, read if you're someone who is deeply concerned about gender rights. It's just 190 pages long, and ideal for reading on flights.
• 
  Iknoor Kaur

  Powerful. Precise. To the point. Makes you think. Could've ended better! Nevertheless, a MUST read!
• 
  Monika

  Fantastic read which will totally shake you up
• 
  Jitna Bhagani

  Great idea but poor execution. I love what the book stands for but it just couldn't keep my interest. DNF
• 
  Shreeja Keyal Kanoria

  A quick read, but nevertheless a fantastic satire on gender discrimination in India starting from inception. The mood of the book is consistent dark humour with hardly any bit of lightness at all. Certainly a disturbing read, but a must read. The irony is that the book just gently exaggerates (just a bit) and the black emerges more than quite easily.
• 
  SP

  A quick read for a quick narration of crimes committed against women by society which quickly ends because any more of the narrative would've involved deeper character sketching.
  
  Read it on a plane or if you are hard pressed for time and have your one-book-per-week goal to finish. It'll make you think for sure.
• 
  Sayantan Ghosh

  Sometimes a terrific idea is just that -- a terrific idea. Not an entire book.
• 
  Manjul Bajaj

  This is a single idea book. A neat idea and pulled off very deftly. An interesting and quick read.
• 
  Buster

  An absolute masterpiece. Gripping and perfectly executed from start to finish. Going on my list of all-time favorites. Just wish more people knew this book exists.