Intergenerational Misunderstandings

By giving the novel two protagonists from different generations, Balli Kaur Jaswal shows their contrasting perspectives and values, illuminating just how different the experiences can be for immigrants to England and their first generation offspring. As the novel progresses, Jaswal has her characters learn more about one another, and they begin to bridge the generational gap, with both women gaining a deeper understanding of the unique experiences of those from a different generation. Nikki views her parents as oppressive and constricting, not realizing until hearing some of the widows' stories the amount of freedom they afforded her while growing up and coming of age. That said, Nikki does struggle to stay honest with herself and with her mother and father about her real needs and who she truly is. She attributes these feelings to her parents' strict rigidity, and to her constant fear of letting...