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The Space Between Us
The Space Between Us: A Novel | Thrity Umrigar
35 posts | 58 read | 65 to read
Poignant, evocative, and unforgettable, The Space Between Us is an intimate portrait of a distant yet familiar world. Set in modern-day India, it is the story of two compelling and achingly real women: Sera Dubash, an upper-middle-class Parsi housewife whose opulent surroundings hide the shame and disappointment of her abusive marriage, and Bhima, a stoic illiterate hardened by a life of despair and loss, who has worked in the Dubash household for more than twenty years. A powerful and perceptive literary masterwork, author Thrity Umrigar's extraordinary novel demonstrates how the lives of the rich and poor are intrinsically connected yet vastly removed from each other, and how the strong bonds of womanhood are eternally opposed by the divisions of class and culture.
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Anna40
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Pickpick

Set in India today,the novel is told mainly from the perspective of the two main characters Sera,a middle class woman and Bhima,her servant.Both women are in their fifties with adult children.In flashbacks we learn about their lives,the hardships they both faced and how they each supported one another throughout the years in different ways.What separates them is class.Story is predictable and could have been cut,writing is beautiful.

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BiblioLitten
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It took over a month for my slump to get over, and I just read one book in May. My #currentread is helping me get my groove back. This is a #blameitonlitsy read and I‘m enjoying it so far. Happy Weekend!

#India

Amiable I adore Thrity Umrigar. All of her books are so good! 2y
eanderson Such a good book! 2y
BiblioLitten @eanderson I think it was your post which made me stack this book.🙂 Loving it so far. @Amiable 2y
48 likes1 stack add3 comments
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eanderson
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August pick #12booksof2021 By far one of the most beautiful and heartbreaking books I‘ve ever read! I don‘t give 5⭐️ often, but when I do it‘s a book that will stay with me for a long time.

Andrew65 Sounds great. 3y
33 likes1 comment
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mackelie
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Pickpick

Bhima works for Dubash‘s household and Serabai is a well-off Parsi housewife. They share a strange friendship due to their close ties, however, not to overcome the social class norms. The story is filled with heartbreak, sacrifices, poverty and domestic abuse. Each woman suffers from their own destinies and circumstances.

I really enjoyed their inner dialogues revealing their thoughts and reasonings to have a better insight into the characters.

24 likes1 stack add1 comment
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eanderson
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Pickpick

Listened to the rest of this beautiful book during my 3 hour chemo treatment that I have ice packs on my hands and feet. I loved it. I wanted to cry and hug Bhima. So much heartbreak but so beautifully written! 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 All the stars!!! Book 1 finished for #awesomeaugust

Andrew65 Great 👏👏👏 3y
Cathythoughts Lovely review ❤️ 3y
Cinfhen The sequel is just as good 😍I listened to the audio via #Hoopla 3y
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DivineDiana I am glad that you had a wonderful book to keep you company. ❤️ 3y
robinb So glad you had a 5 ⭐ to keep you company today! And glad another one is in the books! 🎉 🎉 ✔ 🙏 😘 3y
eanderson @Cinfhen I just started the next one. ☺️ I bought it on a 2-1 on audible. I‘m excited! @DivineDiana 💕 me too! @robinb I agree. It helps pass the time! 😘☺️ 3y
43 likes3 stack adds6 comments
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eanderson
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🎧🚶‍♀️😀

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TrishB
The Space Between Us LP | Thrity Umrigar
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Pickpick

I really enjoyed this, even though it is filled with profound sadness and injustices and I hated nearly all the male characters.
#setinacountrywhereunpescekeepersare
#booked2021

Cinfhen It was sad but I found the cultural discrepancies so shocking. Now read the sequel....it‘s excellent 4y
TrishB @Cinfhen I have stacked and will definitely read. I agree, the differences and the way people were treated was shocking. 4y
Come-read-with-me I‘m with @Cinfhen - the second book is marvelous 💕 4y
Cinfhen @Come-read-with-me 😁👯‍♀️ 4y
113 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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TrishB
The Space Between Us LP | Thrity Umrigar
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#weeklyforecast
Will finish 20th Victim today and then these may be my others this week.
Work will probably be another hot mess so I‘m not pinning my hopes on much reading.
Happy Sunday ❤️

julesG There's a lot of red on those covers. 4y
Cinfhen Hope your week is better than last week 💗and I‘m hoping you pick up 4y
squirrelbrain Isn‘t it awful when you know your working week is going to be awful before it even starts? You have my sympathy. Hope it‘s better than you fear. 4y
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TrishB @julesG I thought that too! 4y
TrishB @Cinfhen it‘s next 😁 4y
TrishB @squirrelbrain maybe if I think bad it will be good 😁🤷‍♀️ 4y
rockpools Beautifully coordinated! And wishing you a better-than-rubbish week. Also, just in case you missed it (which I doubt), I got back from a long walk earlier & Mum was telling me all about an interview I‘d just missed with Mr Numan on 6music. With Liz Kershaw, whose interviews can be a bit cringey, but... 😁 4y
TrishB @rockpools I love that you‘re mum let you know ❤️ I have listened. He was also in The Telegraph magazine yesterday, but I couldn‘t bring myself to buy it! 4y
LeahBergen You will be having a very colour-coordinated week! 😆 4y
85 likes9 comments
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Jovy
The Space Between Us LP | Thrity Umrigar
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Pickpick

A captivating story about two women who, if not for the social class they were born in, could have been the best of friends. Beautifully written and thought-provoking. Great on audio, too!

#Booked2020 #setinindiaorsouthernasia

Cinfhen I loved this book!! I have the sequel to still read 4y
33 likes1 stack add1 comment
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jenreads7
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Pickpick

Finishing this book today is the longest I‘ve been able to focus on reading since this COVID-19 self-isolation/stay at home thing began. I rarely rate a book with five stars, but Bhima and Maya‘s struggle, the despair and ultimately, the hope, made such a powerful and beautiful story. Umrigar‘s writing is poetic but not over the top. I definitely plan to read The Secrets Between Us. What happens to Bhima next? #mmdbookclub

42 likes1 stack add
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suvata
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Pickpick

ModernMrsDarcy.com #MMD pick for April 2020.

I am so happy that Anne picked this book for her April selection. I‘ve read other books by this author and thoroughly enjoyed all of them. I like her writing style so much — powerful and emotional!

jenreads7 I‘m starting this one for the MMD Book Club today! 🥰 This is a first by this author for me. 5y
suvata @jenniferajanes I hope you enjoy it. 5y
jenreads7 @suvata Thanks! Me too! 5y
55 likes3 comments
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suvata
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Coming up in April 2020 ...
#suvataPicks #AprilTBR #Bookstagram

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mrp27
The Space Between Us LP | Thrity Umrigar
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#auldlangreads #bookyoureadin2010

2010 was the first time I read The Bell Jar and the first time I discovered new to me authors Umrigar and Skyhorse.

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks I just read The Bell Jar last year 💔💔 5y
mrp27 I read it again for the buddy read and it was just as good the second time. I don't do a lot of retreads but I can definitely read this again. 5y
30 likes2 comments
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Amiable
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Day 15 of #adventrecommends ... Set in modern-day India, this is the story of two women: an upperclass woman who hides that her husband abuses her, and her illiterate servant who has her own family issues. It shows how the lives of the rich and poor are both tightly connected yet vastly removed from each other by the divisions of class and culture. I highly recommend anything by Umrigar--she seems to hit a homerun with every book she writes.

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MeganAnn
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Pickpick

Read this for my IRL book club.

Bhima is a domestic servant for Sera, an upper middle class Parsi Woman. We follow Sera and Bhima, and their daughters, through the ups and downs of their lives. Poignant with an undercurrent showing the vast differences between the rich and poor and how ultimately the bond of womanhood they share is tested by the divisions of class.

This isn‘t an easy read as both have difficult lives, but I did enjoy it.

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GatheringBooks
Space Between Us | Thrity Umrigar
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#QuotsyJune19 Day 10: #Suspicion like a snake rearing its ugly head.
I have yet to read my Thrity Umrigar novels. Seems perfect though for our #WomenReadWomen2019 theme.

Crazeedi What a beautiful photo 5y
63 likes1 comment
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Reviewsbylola
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Maybe The Space Between Us is a #wonderwall? 😆🤷🏼‍♀️ I‘m not feeling especially creative this morning. I haven‘t read this one but I love the spines of the Olive Editions! #anglophileapril

vivastory Those bright spines make my heart happy. 6y
MicheleinPhilly 😍😍😍 6y
Mdargusch They make me happy too! 6y
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erzascarletbookgasm Pretty spines 👌 6y
Cinfhen Such pretty spines!!! WONDERful!!! And I LOVED the book you tagged😍 6y
tammysue Very pretty!! 🌈 6y
mrp27 Love these editions! The Space Between Us is a great read too. 6y
Melissa_J Such pretty editions 😊 6y
Amiable I love Thrity Umrigar 6y
emilyhaldi I haven't read any of mine 😳 6y
writerlibrarian So many pretty books 6y
britt_brooke So pretty! 6y
109 likes13 comments
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LWagoner
Space Between Us | Thrity Umrigar
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Pickpick

This is such a beautifully written book. It centers around the life of Bhima, an old grandmother of low class in India. The story provides much insight into the lives of women in India and how class differences shape their world. #opencanonbookclub

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erinreads
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Friends of the Library book haul from yesterday. 👌🏻

Zelma Nice choices. I haven‘t read that Kearsley yet but so want to. 6y
TheSpineView You scored so good one!❤📚 6y
erinreads @Zelma I just read The Winter Sea and loved it, so I‘m excited to read more of her. Also, it doesn‘t even seem like anyone read this copy, so it was a steal at $2! 6y
Zelma @erinreads that is a steal! I love her so much. My favorite so far has been The Rose Garden. 6y
Rachel_nyc Love Kearsley! The Firebird made me add Saint Petersburg to my travel bucket list. Her newest, Bellewether, is great as well! 6y
87 likes5 comments
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Ashley85
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Pickpick

This is the second book I‘ve read from this author and I enjoyed it as well. The writing is beautiful. It took me forever to read because I had to stop many times to digest what was happening. I really empathized with the main character. Sad but moving. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

alisonrose I loved this so much! Also The World We Found. 6y
Ashley85 @alisonrose Thanks! I‘ll have to check that one out. 6y
MicheleinPhilly I have 3 or 4 books by this author but I‘ve never read her. Must rectify that! 6y
Ashley85 @MicheleinPhilly Do it!!! 🤗 6y
39 likes4 comments
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Carleneishere
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Pickpick

A 20 year old coworker has been crashing in my guest room for the past few months and voraciously reading my book collection. When I came into work this morning, this was waiting for me

Bookzombie Aww, so sweet! ☺️ 6y
11 likes1 comment
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LouLouLane
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Great on audio so far!

6 likes1 stack add
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Bookworm84
Space Between Us | Thrity Umrigar
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The best book I have read lately. The story of Sera and her servant Bhima was vivid and heartrending. The writing was both clear and poetic. The sequel is going on my TBR list immediately.

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Reviewsbylola
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#gimmegimmegimme I recently started collecting these Harper Perennial Olive editions. I love the striped spines and how they look on my bookshelf. 😊 Four of these I was able to find on Book Outlet during one of their last sales! Now I just need to get some more. #abbainaugust

Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks So pretty!! 💚💛❤️💗 6y
Kalalalatja Love those spines 👌 6y
emilyhaldi I need to add Tales of the city to my collection 😄 6y
See All 14 Comments
rubyslippersreads So pretty! 🌈 6y
Melissa_J Those are pretty! I haven‘t seen those around here. I wonder if they are only available in the U.S.? I‘m going to look into it. 6y
ValerieAndBooks Nice! The spines are so cool. I don‘t think I‘ve seen these editions! 6y
Meredith3 They look like the zebra stripe gum! 6y
MaureenMc 😍 6y
Hooked_on_books I like those! 6y
britt_brooke 😍 6y
Mdargusch I love these too! 6y
BarbaraBB Gorgeous 😍😍 6y
erzascarletbookgasm Pretty spines! 6y
Centique Oh my god they‘re gorgeous! Armistead Maupin 🙌 6y
139 likes14 comments
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Pandalibrarian
Space Between Us | Thrity Umrigar
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Pickpick

This was a re-read for bookclub and because I read her newest title, Secrets Between Us, and wanted to refresh my memory. I loved this book then, and I love it now. The author tells beautiful stories and with fully developed characters. It‘s a heartbreaking story with glimmers of light at the end.

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Sha0102
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Mehso-so

Tiresome, in my opinion. “This is a story intimately and compassionately told against the sensuous background of everyday life in Bombay.”—Washington Post Book World Entertaining level: 🌟🌟🌟 #livro #book #bookaholic #booklovers #ler #leitura #leitora #reading #instabook #instaread #instalivro #instabooks #bookstagram #igread #litsy #booklover #brazilianreader #2013

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Louise
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I was so happy to see that my #secretsantagoespostal package was Corgi Certified! Thanks, @TheBookCorgi and your mom @kdwinchester 👌🙌🏻👍🎉 @BookishMarginalia

SaturnDoo ❤🐾🐶❤ 7y
94 likes1 comment
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Jas16
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#abookaboutspace #marchmadness Loved this book when I first read it ages ago.

Cinfhen Loved this book as well ❤️ 8y
32 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Ksvz
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Pickpick

2017 #28 novel eBook this is so me... I saw a trailer for a movie called "The Space Between Us" and I checked the library for the book. Hey, guess what Litsy? This isn't the right book ... this is an epic novel about India not Mars. SO about this accidental read: good story that I think would have been wonderful as audio because of the Hindi. Liked the beginning, loved the end, the middle meh

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BritanyA
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Pickpick

Read this one in 2 days. Two women- one wealthy and one barely surviving in the slums. Two broken worlds merge together until the break apart. Wonderful book ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

13 likes1 stack add
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gaming4justice
Space Between Us | Thrity Umrigar
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I LOVE this edition of The Space Between Us!

BookishFeminist Olive Editions are so beautiful! I want them all. 8y
WOCreads Ooooh I want that one!!😍 8y
8 likes1 stack add2 comments
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Cinfhen
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#septphotochallenge #somethingforsept #workplacebook This is a heart wrenching story of an Indian servant and her upper-middle class employer/housewife. Bhima has worked for Sera more than 20 years, and while a certain "friendship" has developed the space between them can never be bridged. It's a gut buster story that will stay with you for a long long time. Highly recommend?????

28 likes3 stack adds
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AmyWrites
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Pickpick

Such a lovely read.

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WonderWhitman
Space Between Us | Thrity Umrigar
Pickpick

This book was beautiful. I found myself captivated by the writing and the interweaving of two stories that ultimately become one story. The book also asks readers to consider and compare the impact of the bonds of blood, gender, and class.

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KarenaFagan
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Pickpick

Omg this book. Why are you not reading it already?

4 likes3 stack adds