While her mum had certain traditionalist ideas about her, the uber-traditional Aunty Vimala has heightened ideas of this. Her struggles when she moves to Aunty and Uncle’s house also explore the divide between culture and expectations. It creates a dynamic character in Jay, who spends the first half of the book trying to make sense of her identity as an Indian (who is expected to follow traditional ideas in some respects) who is also British and living in Britain. The Girl In The Broken Mirror is an interesting book in the way it explores how financial woes for someone as young as Jay (who is fifteen) can lead to tragedy and trauma. Lost and alone, Jay has no one and nowhere to turn to. Then, one night, Aunty Vimala and Uncle Bal’s son, Devan, returns from college and rapes Jay. She barely spends any time with her mum and is forced to do whatever Aunty Vimala asks her to do.

But when her mum informs Jay that they’re going to be moving to her Aunty and Uncle’s house to save money on rent, Jay’s life turns upside down. But she still has her mum and her best friend (who might be more than a friend), Matt.

Jay’s life hasn’t exactly been sunshine and daisies since her father passed away.

The long weekend savita kalhan