The White Lotus by Aditi Krishnakumar is a gripping work of historical fiction that, like the best kinds of stories, stays with you and makes you think. Layered and sensitive, it is perfectly paced, immersing you in the life and times of a village in south India in the early 20th century.
Fourteen-year-old Arali is looking forward to a life with her husband Sundaram. He is everything she could want in a husband—gentle, caring, and honourable. When he dies the day before her life as Sundaram’s wife is set to begin, she is shattered.
And from the pieces, a new Arali emerges—one who is brave, strong, and determined to seek out the truth.
What I found most impressive about The White Lotus is how seamlessly the characters grow through the story. The Arali at the beginning of The White Lotus is an excited bride with no ambition beyond living with the man she’s grown to love. The Arali at the end of the book is a quiet powerhouse, one who takes informed risks. She will do what is right, and then deal with the consequences.
Arali is not alone in being a remarkable character. I was invested in each one—from Ambujam Akka (the mirazdar’s daughter) to Periyamma, as Arali calls Ambujam Akka’s grandmother. Each one grows through the story and we are sucked into a world of murder and theft, a world where the quest for truth leads the characters into ever murkier waters.
Unlike so many other works of historical fiction featuring a firebrand of a woman, The White Lotus never once made me question whether it was true to its times. Arali, her family and community, and the powerful mirazdar’s family are all brilliantly portrayed. Arali doesn’t suddenly (and incredibly) find the courage to rise above her circumstances. She’s nervous and doubts herself. She’s unsure, even timid. Yet, she grows as the story progresses, and this growth is all the more believable because we see seeds of it in her Amma. As the daughter of a powerful woman who knows her own mind, of course Arali can and will blossom. Her friendship with the cowherd Balu is laced with the perfect blend of emotions, as is the interest the mirazdar’s son Ranga shows in this young widow.
Told entirely through Arali’s diary entries, The White Lotus is a remarkable book for young adult readers, one that keeps us guessing and reading, and ultimately satisfies us in every possible way.
| Title | The White Lotus |
| Author | Aditi Krishnakumar |
| Tags | Young Adult, Historical Fiction, Murder Mystery |
| Ages | 12+ |
| Rating (out of 5) | 5 |
I also enjoyed That Year at Manikoil, another work of historical fiction by Aditi Krishnakumar!
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