Book Review: Trying to Grow by Firdaus Kanga

Title- Trying to Grow

Author- Firdaus Kanga

Publisher- Penguin India

Genre- Fiction

Length- 280 pages

Year-2008

Rating- 4.5/5 stars

Trying to Grow by Firdaus Kanga magnifies the life of Brit,the physically handicapped Parsee Protagonist suffers from osteogenesis imperfecta, a brittle bone disease. Brit, the fictional alter-ego of Kanga, is an imaginative invalid who passionately tries to grow. His quest is for an identity which would give his otherwise sterile existence some meaning. The novel presents the anchorless position of the differently abled that creates in them a sense of incompleteness and inferiority complex which results in their seclusion from the society.

There is another aspect which deserves our equal attention. There is a misconception regarding the manliness and potency of the disabled. A society that teaches its women to maintain a respectable distance from normal man considers disabled as less dangerous in terms of sexual potency.

Throughout the novel one would come across instances of Brit's relentless longing for achieving dignity of the disabled people. He seems to suggest that the disabled people are denied of the basic human considerations given to an able man. He is not only deprived of his basic human rights , but also is deprived of marriage, which is often considered to be the only legitimate space within which sexuality can be played out.

Overall, it was a eye opening read for me.I recommend this book to every reader and give this book 4.7 stars for the amazing narration, beautiful writing style and overall presentation.

Happy Reading