Strength in the face of overwhelming odds. Mumbai today!

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Such Big Dreams by Reema Patel  

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


This is a BIG gutsy story. The real world behind slum Dog Millionaire is whatI kept thinking. We follow aspects of the life of a street kid in Mumbai, from the moments she arrives there as a child of seven, until she finds her voice. 

Colorful, honest, and often confusing, Rakhi’s (Bansari) story moves from simple humor in the small things, to outrage and compliance when forced, but never to acceptance. Rakhi never loses sight of who she is despite the many things that happen.

I was absolutely engaged with her story, her friends, her living accommodations, the Farangis she comes into contact with and their ridiculous double standards (the reality of India seen through a hazy screen of misunderstanding and arrogance).

Little by little Rakhi’s life is explained. We first meet her undergoing treatment as part of her rescue by Gautier Verma (Gauri Ma’am) head of the NGO Justice for All. An organisation dedicated to helping those from the slums. For those coming from these lower echelons of society that assistance can be a huge step up on the ladder towards self determination, but Rakhi finds this life has its own set of burdens, it’s own double standards.

Patel loosely based this book on real life happenings in the “Behrampada slum, over seven acres in the middle of Mumbai.”

A strong story with an engaging heroine, easy to relate to. I cheered for Rakhi. I grieved for her.

She is so much more than a fictional character. Rakhi a real person facing real challenges, the enormity of which, we as privileged persons find hard to comprehend, and yet through Patel’s words we are given insights.


A Random House - Ballantine ARC via NetGalley 
Please note: Quotes taken from an advanced reading copy maybe subject to change
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

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