Mango Blood by
Maryvonne Fent is the sequel to The 35¢
Dowry. After following Stefan to India, Minouche's life is transformed in
far many ways than she could ever have imagined. Now married, the couple
pursues different passions. Stefan studies at Madras University while Minouche studies
Indian dance. Fascinated by an ancient Indian musical instrument called the
veena, she decides to get a degree in ethnomusicology. Her marriage and
academic endeavors are threatened when she chooses to help Laila, the daughter
of a Brahmin, to retake control of her life after being raped by British
soldiers. With her marriage tested, can she rekindle the flame she discovered
when she first met Stefan?
Maryvonne Fent has crafted a story that brilliantly explores
the conflict of cultures in relationships. The female protagonist, Minouche, is
a young French woman. Stefan, her husband, is Polish. The couple decides to
start their life in India. The setting is stunningly crafted, with strong
historical and cultural hints. The brutal rape of a young Indian girl on her
way home from her dance class introduces the conflict and the period that
marked the last days of the British presence in the country. It will be
interesting for readers to follow Minouche as she grows, immersing herself in
the Indian world and developing a curiosity that will eventually bring conflict
into her marriage. She is free-spirited, outgoing, and adventurous. The prose
is gorgeous and the characters are intriguing. Fent flawlessly conveys the
growth of the characters and elements that fuel the complexity of their
relationship. The skillful meld of realistic themes with pathos will have
readers emotionally engaged throughout the story. Mango Blood is the perfect portrait of a romance with fragile roots
on alien soil, as delightful as it is thoughtful.
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