Karma

Karma
By Cathy Ostlere

I have read three novels which have taken place in India, and this is the most entertaining of the three.  Although there is a lot of religious references that I needed to look up, I found this novel very intriguing.  The story is of a 15 year old girl named Maya and her Indian parents.  They all live in Canada. One parent is Hindu while the other is Sikh, creating tension between them and confusion for Maya as to her true identity.  When her mother kills herself, Maya and her father return to India.  Maya is separated from her father during the deadly Delhi riots, and her survival is left into the hands of strangers, especially a charming young man named Sandeep.  Maya spends the novel questing faith, humanity, and her fate to overcome the horrors she sees in India.

I highly recommend this book to high school juniors and up.  It is written in free verse, making it emotionally packed and entertaining.  I chose this age group because of the context.  To reach the maximum understanding of the novel, it requires quite a bit of knowledge about Indian culture, which would require some research.  Karma was a page turner, and I enjoyed every minute.