The Space Between Us

In this beautifully crafted novel about the interlinked lives of two women, Thrity Umrigar explores the complex relationships between the classes in India, rarely addressed in contemporary fiction. 'Bhima is real. She worked in the house I grew up in, year after year, a shadow flitting around our middle-class home, her thin brown hands cleaning furniture she was not allowed to sit on, cooking food she was not allowed to share at the family dining table, dusting the stereo that mainly played American rock and roll, music that was alien and unfamiliar to her, that only reminded her of her nebulous presence in our home, our world, our lives.' Set in contemporary Bombay, 'The Space Between Us' tells the story of Sera Dubash, an upper-middle-class Parsi housewife and Bhima, the woman who works as a domestic servant in her home. Despite their class differences, the two women are bound by gender and shared life experiences -- both had marriages that started out with great romantic love and promise, but ended up as crushing disappointments. Ultimately, Sera Dubash faces a decision that will force her to choose between loyalty to gender and friendship or loyalty to her social position and class.

About the Author :
Thrity Umrigar was a daily journalist for 17 years and is a recipient of the Nieman Fellowship to Harvard. She has written for the Washington Post, Cleveland Plain Dealer and other national newspapers and writes on a regular basis for the Boston Globe's book pages. Currently Umrigar teaches creative writing and journalism at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. This is her second novel.

Review :
Praise for The Space Between Us: 'It is a great book; I love it!I am so happy for Thrity Umrigar! And proud of her as a woman, too. What a gift she has given us. Please tell her of my admiration, joy, delight and relief (it is so precious to have a book about a woman one rarely even "sees" in society, whether Indian or American).' Alice Walker, author of The Colour Purple Praise for Bombay Time: "[Umrigar] displays an impressive talent for conceiving multidimensional, sympathetic characters with life-like emotional quandaries and psychological stumbling blocks.' The Washington Post Book World Bombay throbs with life and death, crowded, hot, dirty, and volatile...[This novel] is a warmhearted look at human nature, with all its strengths and flaws exposed... Umrigar proves a good storyteller who is especially adept at capturing relationships.' The Cleveland Plain Dealer 'Engaging... Umrigar is an accomplished, natural storyteller... She also manages to work in a portrait of the decline of Bombay, delivering an impressive debut offering a glimpse into a cultural world - especially that of the Parsis, an ethnic minority - that most Westerners know only in its barest outlines.' Publishers Weekly