Comments on: Fresh Flavors or Stale Stereotypes? http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/ For the modern South Asian. Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:03:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: liz thomas http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-25379 Mon, 28 Jul 2008 23:45:15 +0000 http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-25379 BORN CONFUSED by Tanuja Desai Hidier super good book. "masala chick lit" BORN CONFUSED by Tanuja Desai Hidier

super good book.

“masala chick lit”

]]> by: val http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-21911 Wed, 02 Apr 2008 04:08:00 +0000 http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-21911 the author writes well. perhaps she should try her hand at this genre? the author writes well. perhaps she should try her hand at this genre?

]]> by: priti singh http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-6982 Sun, 08 Jul 2007 04:06:59 +0000 http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-6982 i've been reading masala chik lit for some time now, a now, and sonia singh is an amsing and funny writer, a must read is her first book goddess for hire, it was very funny. also kavita daswani's first book for matrimonial purposes is a cute book also, i thought it was better than her second book which was reviewed, the village bride of beverly hills. i found them to be a fun reading, and i hope you check it out also. i’ve been reading masala chik lit for some time now, a now, and sonia singh is an amsing and funny writer, a must read is her first book goddess for hire, it was very funny. also kavita daswani’s first book for matrimonial purposes is a cute book also, i thought it was better than her second book which was reviewed, the village bride of beverly hills. i found them to be a fun reading, and i hope you check it out also.

]]> by: Deepa http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-98 Wed, 08 Nov 2006 05:24:03 +0000 http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-98 I think this was very well written, I just have some problems with some of the central criticisms here. I think it's not really appropriate to criticize chick lit (desi or non) for following conventions, because that's what genre fiction does – follow conventions. It's like criticizing a mystery novel for having detectives, red herrings and a last minute twist. I do agree that the difference between good and bad chick lit (or any genre fiction for that matter) is the way in which the authors deal with those conventions, how fresh and funny they can make them feel. Lastly, I think some of the last few books discussed (Beyond Indigo and Serving Crazy with Curry) are really more women's fiction than chick lit – precisely because they don't follow the conventions inherent to chick lit. So, praising them for being good chick lit really doesn't make sense, because IMO (and this is admittedly an uneducated one, not having read the books) they are not chick lit to begin with. I think this was very well written, I just have some problems with some of the central criticisms here. I think it’s not really appropriate to criticize chick lit (desi or non) for following conventions, because that’s what genre fiction does – follow conventions. It’s like criticizing a mystery novel for having detectives, red herrings and a last minute twist.

I do agree that the difference between good and bad chick lit (or any genre fiction for that matter) is the way in which the authors deal with those conventions, how fresh and funny they can make them feel.

Lastly, I think some of the last few books discussed (Beyond Indigo and Serving Crazy with Curry) are really more women’s fiction than chick lit – precisely because they don’t follow the conventions inherent to chick lit. So, praising them for being good chick lit really doesn’t make sense, because IMO (and this is admittedly an uneducated one, not having read the books) they are not chick lit to begin with.

]]> by: msr http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-92 Tue, 07 Nov 2006 19:39:51 +0000 http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-92 I totally agree! I'm sick of the same story lines. What about a normal 20 something who deals with the same things any female of that age goes through, but with a desi twist? The few pieces I've read that attempt that somehow portray the protagonist as a total brat/disrespectful! I totally agree! I’m sick of the same story lines. What about a normal 20 something who deals with the same things any female of that age goes through, but with a desi twist? The few pieces I’ve read that attempt that somehow portray the protagonist as a total brat/disrespectful!

]]> by: Nadia http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-87 Mon, 06 Nov 2006 20:21:11 +0000 http://niralimagazine.com/2006/11/fresh-flavors-or-stale-stereotypes/#comment-87 I was just telling a friend that it would be so refreshing to read desi chick lit that is light-hearted and fun and not trying to be profound or attempting to define the South Asian-American dual culture dilemma. Bring on the funny, witty lit about a chick who just <i>happens</i> to be desi. I was just telling a friend that it would be so refreshing to read desi chick lit that is light-hearted and fun and not trying to be profound or attempting to define the South Asian-American dual culture dilemma. Bring on the funny, witty lit about a chick who just happens to be desi.

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