"Inside the Mirror" by Parul Kapur is a captivating novel set against the backdrop of 1950s Bombay, offering readers a rich tapestry of art, history, and personal ambition.

Kapur skillfully weaves together the narratives of Jaya and Kamlesh, exploring themes of identity and gender roles. In Jaya's journey as a female artist navigating a male-dominated art world is particularly poignant, highlighting the challenges and sacrifices she must endure in pursuit of her dreams.

The novel's historical setting provides a vivid backdrop for the characters' experiences, offering insight into the social and political landscape of India as it emerges from British rule. Kapur's prose is evocative and immersive, transporting readers to the bustling streets of Bombay and the vibrant world of the city's art scene.

What sets "Inside the Mirror" apart is its exploration of the complexities of sisterhood and familial relationships. The bond between Jaya and Kamlesh is both tender and fraught with tension, as they navigate their individual paths while remaining deeply connected to each other.

Overall, "Inside the Mirror" is a compelling and thought-provoking read that offers a nuanced portrayal of India's post-colonial struggle for identity and self-determination. Kapur's lyrical prose and well-drawn characters make this novel a must-read for anyone interested in the intersection of art, history, and personal ambition.

Parul Kapur’s debut novel, Inside the Mirror, is a beautifully written and literary examination of the lives of two Punjabi sisters living in post-partition Mumbai (Bombay, at the time). The novel focuses on Jaya and Kamlesh, twins who are starting their collegiate studies at the opening of the novel. While the girls excel in their studies, with Jaya going to medical school and Kamlesh pursuing her teaching license, both are more seriously drawn to the arts, and struggle throughout the novel with the ways that their family and social circle look down on women who pursue performance and exhibition.

So many elements of this book felt like they were perfectly written for me—I love books about sisters, and it absolutely delivered on that front. Although Jaya finds herself in a pretty serious romantic relationship for a large portion of the novel, the relationship between her and Kamlesh is the central relationship of the novel, entailing all of the complexities that come with having a twin sister. There’s this really wonderfully executed motif of reflection and duality throughout the novel, in which Kamlesh in many ways serves as Jaya’s reflection, and it reads really well as a story of two individuals learning to become distinct from one another, despite the pain that it may cause to them both. I also love when art, especially visual art, plays a substantial role in literary fiction, and the descriptions of Jaya’s paintings were so wonderful and played into the dynamic between the sisters beautifully. My only complaint is that I wish that Kamlesh had felt like a more substantial character. While the novel does switch back and forth between the sisters, Jaya is definitely the focus, and the novel’s conclusion is much more centered on her than on Kamlesh. In many ways, Kamlesh never feels like much more than a shadow or reflection of her sister, and while I do think that this choice makes sense thematically, it leaves one of the primary characters a bit sidelined.

Kapur does a commendable job throughout her novel of weaving together her fictional storyline and character development with meticulously researched elements of Indian history immediately following partition and the history of the city of Mumbai specifically. Her depictions of the city and the surrounding area feel so rich and lived in, and I appreciate that she writes not from the perspective of an outsider but with the experience of someone who grew up in and around and spent portions of her adult life in Mumbai. At a couple of points in the novel, I did feel like some of the descriptions of specific moments in Indian history, particularly Punjabi history, did not come naturally, and in general the character of Bebeji (the girls’ grandmother) tended to feel like a source of historical exposition. But I do think that this is just something that tends to happen in historical fiction for the sake of contextualization, and not something that was mishandled by Kapur.

The novel’s focus on art and performance also ties in really nicely with the historical angle that Kapur has set up. The novel is set in the few decades following Indian independence, and Jaya’s participation in the modern art movement and Kamlesh’s focus on Bharatanatyam dance bring up really nuanced points about what it means for art to be “Indian” and the role that art plays in the formation of a national identity, especially from a representational perspective.

However, some of the subplots in the novel seemed to fizzle out without really going anywhere, and I’m left feeling unsure of their larger purpose within the novel. Jaya and Kamlesh’s family is relatively wealthy, and their father has invested in and helps to run a glass factory located in the outskirts of Mumbai. A former Punjabi freedom fighter, the girls’ grandmother pushes to bring water, electricity, and healthcare to the factory workers living in squalid conditions nearby. This particular storyline takes up a very substantial portion of the first half of the novel, and brings up interesting and important perspectives on relative privilege, social justice, and representation as a form of appropriation (as Jaya uses some of the things she witnesses there to become a relatively successful artist). But past a certain point, this storyline feels more or less abandoned, and I’m left wondering exactly why, and what the point is in offering no resolution here.

My only other complaint with this novel is that I feel like its synopsis doesn’t do a particularly faithful job of indicating what the book is about. Many of the events that are mentioned in the synopsis don’t really occur until over 60% of the way through the book, so the first two parts of the novel feel somewhat unclear in their direction. Things really pick up in the last third, and I found that the last 10% or so was beautifully done on an emotional and thematic level. It’s absolutely worth it to read this novel, but be warned that the beginning might feel a bit slow or directionless (it’s very slice-of-life for a while).

Thank you to NetGalley and University of Nebraska Press for the e-ARC of this novel!

See full review in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution:

Atlanta author Parul Kapur’s “Inside the Mirror” is an enveloping work of historical fiction centered on artistic twin sisters coming of age in 1950s Bombay (present-day Mumbai) that delivers an evocative study on the modern art movement in India.

The story opens with twins and expands the concept of dual nature into a compelling exploration of the self vs society. As the characters push for their own advancements, India’s independence from British rule and the Partition of India force changes many citizens find difficult to embrace...

https://www.ajc.com/things-to-do/twin-sisters-struggle-for-independence-in-inside-the-mirror/KLGGKH7MHJDODINYHPNFR6SGIM/

Inside the Mirror by Parul Kapur is a perfect book to start the month of March. This story again brings the question to the foray of how important is honor in the society vs. individual autonomy. This book is the AWP Prize for the Novel winner.

Set in the backdrop of 1950s India where the country was just finding her bearings after years of colonization, Jaya and Kamlesh, who are twins, are pursuing their dreams. Jaya is pursuing medicine, and Kamlesh wants to be a school teacher. Both have different dreams, though. Things go haywire for this family, and it asks an important question of why the rules are different for women and men?

Things have changed over the years, but the truth of the matter is that some things are still the same for women. Society, honor of the family, and marriage are the burden of women. Especially in conservative families of India. The effect of colonialism can still be felt, and though women's rights have progressed, they are still retarded and this book picks up those nuances well. I liked this book, and the only thing I would have liked is the pace. A little fast pace, and this book would be one of my favorites of this year.

Thank you, University of Nebraska Press, and Netgalley for this book.

Jaya and Kamlesh are twin sisters from an upper-middle class Punjabi family. They are living with their parents, widowed grandmother and younger brother in a plush apartment in South Mumbai. It is the 1950s and India has recently secured independence from the British Rule. Punjabi families are just about recovering from the brutalities of the horrific Partition of India which led to mass migration and carnage. The girl's father is progressive for the times and insists on Jaya pursuing a career in medicine and Kamlesh pursuing a Bachelor Of Arts degree followed by a teacher training course. Both girls are enrolled in highly prestigious universities. However, the girls are bent upon pursuing their love for the fine arts of painting and dance. This is the backdrop for this beautiful coming of age family drama.

The story is a vivid portrayal of the two twin sisters growing up in a progressive yet conservative Indian environment. The author has expertly captured all the nuances of a typical Indian family - the familial dynamics between the elders and the kids, the Indian fascination with "professional" career courses, the obsession with marriage as an ultimate goal for young women, the societal scorn for the arts especially dancing. The author has beautifully portrayed the innate, unbreakable bonds between the two siblings in a poignant, heartwarming manner. The writing style is so good with so much attention to detail that you literally get implanted into the daily lives of the family. You also get glimpses into the historical and political context of the time, post partition India, the movement for creating a separate state of Maharashtra, the growth of slums in Mumbai and the industry-political nexus for the same. The author has definitely done a lot of research. She has brought alive Bombay as it was then called. Anybody who is interested in understanding the societal and cultural complexities of India and Indian families must read this book. The story may be based in the 1950s but a lot of it holds true even today for women growing up and trying to find their space in India. Portions were reminiscent of Tomb of Sand which I read and loved recently.

Thank you Parul Kapur for telling this story, I'm going to be recommending it to everybody who loves reading. The AWP Prize is well deserved. Thank you Netgalley and University of Nebraska Press for the ARC.

This was a wonderful historical fiction novel about 2 sisters (twins) trying to pursue their passions for the arts in 1950's India. They are finding themselves in an oppressive society where women aren't allowed to make their own decisions. Their father wants them to pursue more "professional" careers but these two young women are interested in painting and dance. This novel discusses women's rights in India. I really enjoyed and some parts were horribly sad. A very young girl is raped and the family seems more concerned that her reputation will be forever ruined than they are about what actually happened to her.

A debut novel that won the right to come out from a very distinguished press (see the link to the prize details above), this read is treading a well-worn path in its use of twin sisters on opposite sides of the eternal struggle for freedom of self-definition. Resisting patriarchy, Jaya refuses to knuckle under to her father's will for her future. It is of course the case that she suffers personal and social consequences for her self-willed rebellion.

Her obedient sister Kamlesh suffers, too...but the issues she faces down count for less in the storyverse because they are those faced down by multitudes of women around the world. The main take-away for me was that the father's quite surprising resistance to the women's desire for autonomy came from a genuine concern for them and their future happiness, not from mustachio-twirling meanness. He did, after all, make a radical (for the time) choice to educate his daughters. It isn't a development completely out of the blue, though...their grandmother was an active anti-colonial force, and the old saying about apples and trees is an evergreen for a reason...and still they face intrafamilial resistance to their using their educations for themselves.

Author Kapur is a former travel writer, UN press officer, and a current resident of the US. Her travels and her extended residence in Mumbai have all honed her observational skills to a great degree, resulting in a read that feels more immersive than I ever expected it to feel. Evoking so vividly a place as alien to my privileged white US upbringing as the India of the 1950s is a great feat of craft. To do this as deftly and effortlessly as Author Kapur does is to feel myself in talented hands indeed.

The feminist agenda in the story is the best bit for me. I am all in on the role of patriarchy being limned in completely unflattering shades. It does not like gay men, possibly even more than it does not like women. We have a common enemy. As the possibly well-intentioned old man tries to squash his already-unusually educated daughters' desires for control over their own futures, I nodded along and even felt a lot of empathy for Kamlesh...I too knuckled under for the sake of harmony and found only dissatisfaction and a deep sense of injury.

So why am I so mingy with my stars? I admire the story, the storytelling voice, the character-building...sounds like a solid five, right? Nope. I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my brain at the fact that the women formed a love triangle with a man I can't even recall the name of. I was actively irked by the powerful, freedom-fighter grandmother's odd powerlessness in guiding the women to more, and better, uses of their minds with full family support.

It just didn't come across as well thought-out to me. So the inevitable first-novel longueurs are indeed present. The fact of them means I really can't give the last star. It is a read I recommend because it hits more sweet notes than clanging ones, and tells a very interesting, involving story well.

I can't believe this is a debut! This book is STUNNING: it has one of the most gorgeous openings I've read all year!Despite not knowing anything about India or Indian culture I was totally wrapped up in this story of contemporary Mumbai, the 1947 partition, and the lives of artists in the book. The author both seems to know her world (lived in Mumbai for many years plus working as a press officer in the UN and at Travel and Leisure) and has thoroughly researched it. Jaya and Kamlesh are irresistible characters struggling to become artists in a 1950s patriarchal society and even on the other side of the world a century later I felt totally in their world. At first I was intimidated by the particularities of the place but in the end the author trusts her readers by not dumbing down the history and society.

An impressive debut about social norms, family values and a quest for finding one's own place set in the middle of the twentieth century as India was dealing with being a newly independent nation.

I like the author's skill at story telling. Looking forward to future works

Thank you Netgalley and University of Nebraska Press for my ARC ♥️

I have always been fascinated by Indian literature, and this book has only deepened my love for the genre. Set in 1950s Bombay, the story follows twin sisters Jaya and Kamlesh as they navigate their individual passions and dreams amidst societal expectations and family dynamics. What I love about this book is how it masterfully explores the complexities of family relationships, the power of creative expression, and the resilience of women in a rapidly changing India. The writing is vivid and immersive, transporting me to the bustling streets of Bombay and into the hearts of the characters. I found myself rooting for Jaya and Kamlesh, relating to their struggles and triumphs as they carve their own paths in a society that often seeks to define them. Indian literature never fails to impress me, and this book is no exception.♥️

This is my fifth book about the middle of the 20th century. It seems contemporary writers find a certain romanticism about that era. It was a time when the world was exhausted from two devastating world wars. There was renewed vigor to rebuild and ensure peace prevailed. The warm war was replaced by a Cold War. Colonized nations demanded independence from European powers not just to reclaim land but also their culture.

Parul Kapur talks about that era from an Indian perspective. I found the book very interesting. The use of twins to demonstrate challenges in visual and performing arts was intriguing. Explaining the paintings the protagonist was developing helped create a vivid mental image. The older freedom fighter grandma's inability to guide her grandkids was a reflection of human nature. Each generation has its own dreams to pursue.

The love triangle between the twins and a man was an interesting addition to the drama of life.

I recommend this book to readers who want to learn about post-independence India.

A slow-paced decent debut about twin sisters who are struggling with societal pressure, their parents concerns, and their own interests. The first half of the book seemed directionless and I would have liked it if the chapters alternated between the sisters as it felt like it only focused on one perspective majority of the time. While it also attempts to bring to light the aftermath of the partition, it felt quite one sided and biased. However, it does a good job at highlighting social and class differences. It also has a good reflection on the naivety of the sisters and traditional Indian mentality, actions, and behaviors -- a strong judgment of what women should do and who has a say in that. This is illustrated better in the second half which felt more drawn together as it bridges societal ideology and stigma of choices of women.

Thanks very much to the publisher and NetGalley for the eARC of this remarkable debut. I love to find any novel exploring the tension between a desire to create art and pressure from family, from society, to embark upon a more “practical” path. Inside the Mirror is a nuanced and beautifully written look at two sisters in 1950s India struggling with this conflict with their respective art forms, visual art and dance.