Happily Married: The Brides Secret Handbook found its way to be penned down from a mere spark of thought with author Malavikka Sridharan’s comprehensive research on the various challenges faced by married women. The author interestingly finds the perfect blend of narration and words of choice which favoured her in shaping the book of 81 facts as an engrossing read rather a monologue what-to-do guide as she talks about happily ever after.
It is veracious that majority of the women tend to wear out into a completely different person post marriage leaving their career, passion and identity at stake. Malavikka in her book explores this turbulent phase of life which every married woman on the planet endures and tries to set forth various approaches to cease the problems faced. The book unfolds – emphasizing this very fact – that marriage is neither a preset template nor an already paved path where every single woman on earth can head towards. The chapters advance with this attribute with intense scrutiny to every relationship that woman would be tied to post marriage; husband, parents-in-law, sister-in-law and predominantly, a womans relationship with herself.
From setting foot into this venerated bond to dealing with disparate kinds of people in the in-laws to post partum stress to standing up for themselves by grounding the self, the author addresses various emotional and physical toll a woman suffers patiently throughout the marriage and without a second thought this would send chills through the spines of every unmarried woman.
Unvoiced, this book turns out to be a handbook to men as well, in addition to the hitched and the brides to be, as the author accentuates gender equality between the spouses from day one of their bonding. The authors version, ‘Beside every successful human being is his/her spouse’ stands for itself to interpretation. Further, the interviews of five married superwomen adds to the cap as the strengthening feather.
But, it becomes inoperable to choose the right option (post a brief rehearsal within self) to stage in response to a situation or to jot down points or explain things every time on account of an action as alluded in the book because as humans, it is hard to sketch a response prior all the time, instead we act up on instincts. At some point, there is a trigger of thought that this book again turns to set a template to marriage. Thus, a tinge of desiderata for post marriage life and impracticability makes Happily Married.
|(Written by AFRIN FOWMITHA)