The Trouble with Hating You

Reviews

Jessica Ramoutar

The systemic ills of the Indian society may need change overnight, but the fact that books such as these are written, is proof that there are voices wanting change, and I for one, support them. Its society's views and old-world thinking that broke everything. Communication is a HUGE issue within the Indian community and topics of equality or independence are always viewed as forbidden or disrespectful by your elders, "God forbid you to want to tell them how you fell.

My immediate thought after finishing this book was, "What in the Indian soap opera did I just read? "“The plight of a woman has to work to make money, but the purpose of a woman is to help her husband by taking care of the home and his needs…”The Trouble with Hating You also brought to light an onslaught of taboo issues facing the community. "Sajni Patel perfectly encapsulated Indian culture and traditions while giving younger readers such as myself an outlet to express our frustrations as Liya and Jay battle many of the issues we face. Liya Thakkar suffers from what many women in our community do:-Her parents are hella controlling and expect 100% obedience-Arranged marriage at every opportunity to a suitable Indian boy-The wrath of Indian aunties and their vicious words-The thought that the mandir should be a place of worship instead of a gossip hubI immediately knew this was going to be an amazing book when Liya and Jay's first interaction was a cliche but cute Bollywood moment where they fell and her scarf got tangled up in his arms drawing them together (I eat Indian soap operas for dinner, do not come for me!

There is also the unspoken abuse, mental and physical which gets swept under the rug because as an Indian woman you are expected to "Worship thy husband. ")While they may have fallen (in the literal sense) it wasn't in love and the story that ensued was equal parts emotionally satisfying and draining. The battle of generations was executed brilliantly and I applaud Liya for charting her course and finding independence from her family.

Men treat women as lesser, as a tool to be used at their convenience to cook, clean, wash and oversee children instead of as a person. The Trouble with Hating You is so much more than a love story, it's a journey of self-love, of accepting yourself first before seeking comfort in others.

As a child, you are expected to obey your parents, almost to the point of fear, and allow them to steer your lives without question. It's about having the courage to stand up for yourself and say, "This is what I want and I won't apologize.

"The most impactful point has to be the subservient role of women. "I cannot express how satisfying it is to read a book and be able to relate 1000 % to the character's family life, the dilemmas they face, and just feel like someone else out there gets it you know. The Trouble with Hating You made me feel a roller coaster of emotions: joy, anger, confusion, regret, pride, and like any good Bollywood drama I did tear up in the end.