Book Review: Behind the Beautiful Forevers by Katherine Boo

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Behind the Beautiful Forevers: Life, Death, and Hope in a Mumbai Undercity by Katherine Boo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

As I gobbled up this book I felt so very conflicted. I was stuck between a perverse fascination with the misery that is so commonplace in the lives of the characters in this story while also ashamed and guilt-ridden for being able to read this book on a Kindle while I lay on a down pillow. It is hard to believe that this story could be true - however, it is, and it is a painfully delicious tale of poverty and suffering.

From page one I was captivated by the lives and struggles of the people living in the Annawadi slums of Mumbai, India. Looking from the outside it is nearly incomprehensible that people can live this way while many of us sit in spacious homes in front of big screen televisions and complain about our lack of luxury. But beyond the political statement that is contained inside this well-crafted tale, a message of hope and change is there - subtle, but it's there.

While most of this book is fairly heart-rending, there is no doubt that Katherine Boo is a wonderful author. She transformed a terrible collection of tragedies into a work of art. This is a fantastic book that is very worthy of the praise it has received.

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