Waiting

In this new collection by Nighat Gandhi, the private worlds of women open themselves up to the reader. Inside their homes, women are trapped in a state of continuous limbo, waiting for change; young girls struggle for the "purity" that religion demands of them; new mothers wonder at the absence of desire. Outside, the seasons change – trees shed their leaves, the sky becomes overcast, and rain falls. Sounds float inside, and the women wonder about the meaning of life. Each story elicits a new, sometimes troubling, question about living as a woman in the world today. The characters' nuanced descriptions and unsparing truthfulness leaves readers with a sense of discomfort as they confront their own demons. With subtle force, "Waiting" explores love, longing, loss, aging, survival, hope, and self-invention – the most powerful realities of life.