Every person in this world has struggle. The rich and the poor, the women and the men.

The friendship of two Indian women is displayed tangibly and beautifully in Umrigar's novel. It's almost painful to see them struggle to relate to each other across the distance of class, education, and wealth. But they've both encountered loss, heartache, failed marriages, and pain, so in some ways they relate to each other better than anyone else can.

I love this novel because it shows not only the reality of what life in poverty can look like, but it can also show the impossibility - and the resiliency - of friendship that crosses such a huge class gap.