Description

As the first girl to be born into the Nachimanda family in over thirty-five years, the beautiful Devi is the object of adoration of her entire family. Spirited and strong-willed, she befriends the shy Devanna, a young boy whose mother has died in tragic circumstances. Together they grow up amidst the luscious jungles, rolling hills, and coffee plantations of Coorg in Southern India; cocooned by an extended family whose roots to this beautiful land can be traced for centuries. Their futures seem inevitably linked, but everything changes when, one night, they attend a "tiger wedding." It is there that Devi gets her first glimpse of Machu, the celebrated tiger killer and a hunter of great repute. Although she is still a child and Machu is a man, Devi vows to marry him one day. It is this love that will gradually drive a wedge between Devi and Devanna, sowing the seed of a devastating tragedy that will change the fate of all three --- an event that has unforeseen and far-reaching consequences for generations to come.

Told in rich, lyrical prose and set against the background of a changing society, TIGER HILLS is a sweeping saga about one woman's determination to live life on her own terms --- and a riveting novel about the choices we make in the name of family, nation, and love.

Guest Review by my mom!

Sarita Mandanna authors this poignant story of enduring love and the effects that love has on an entire family. Set in southern India on a coffee plantation, it is a tale of one woman's struggle against poverty, tradition and heartbreak in a land where women are still subservient to and dependent on men for their livelihood. With clear understanding of the Indian culture, this author creates a heroine who is able not only to survive, but also, against all odds, to make a fortune to sustain her immediate and extended family. The love of a woman for one man from childhood to old age, deep friendship between a man and a woman who are not married, heartbreak, and self-sacrifice; these themes will draw you in to this profound work and keep you captivated to the end. Recommended for older teens to the elderly, and for anyone who wants to understand Eastern cultures.

* I was sent a free copy of this book to review*