I love reading memoirs, but I especially love memoirs when you can not only relate to them, but they become instant favourites. This memoir is written by Anita Rani who has graced our TVs as a presenter on various of different shows I already loved her but after reading this I just have so much more love and respect for her and her achievements.
She writes this memoir as a kind of advice to her younger self it is a story of a hustler a story of a second-generation British Indian making her way in a world that only wants to exclude her, and people like her. This memoir was empowering, and inspiring and this is one book that I will be giving and recommending to everyone. South Asian representation is minimal but thankfully we are seeing change even if it is slow we are surely making a change. Rani explores how she is a part of this change and allows us to see how from a young age she made changes but also her family who came to Britain from India encouraged and worked hard to see this change.
I could relate on a personal level to Rani because I have a similar background so reading this I felt I could see reflections it was quite hard to read the struggle but I champion and celebrate all her achievements and it was quite an emotional read. I loved reading about her childhood- which I compared to my own- I loved seeing the hardship and the hustle her parents went through the factory scenes were really vivid in my mind but also the camaraderie between the South Asian communities.
I loved reading about the relationship between her and her brother- comparing it to me and my sisters- and reading about her experiences of growing up where racism was very much alive. Rani explored heavy and taboo topics South Asians like to shy away from especially the illumaunty’s (genius term) topics such as menstruation, marriage, poverty, mental health, the partition, finding your identity the cultural clashes. Absolutely brilliant to see the struggles to see her find normality in a confusing world- talking about her rocking out to music in her bedroom and sneaking out to her working her ass off to get to where she is today. I feel like not enough people talk so openly about their experience and their struggles so reading this felt liberating but also so damn relatable. I know it will enable and encourage young women to find their voice and be as loud as they can and want to be.
I felt like if I saw Anita in the street we would strike up a conversation and instantly become best friends she gives me those kinds of vibes and I loved seeing this come out in the novel amongst all the seriousness she is able to laugh and have a good time- and party- I loved seeing the references to food- as a foodie myself- I know how comforting but also necessary in an Asian household food can be. I loved her for following her dream whilst still respecting and honouring her parents. I love the love she has for her city and the countryside but also for her motherland and for her not forgetting her roots or culture. It is an honest reflection and I feel like it should be on the must-read list. I loved this book, we need more like it. I am so excited to see what Anita is going to achieve in 40 years to come.
See this review and others on Goodreads- Fiz|فيز (The United Kingdom)’s review of The Right Sort of Girl | Goodreads
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