Mother Mary Comes to Me

Arundhati Roy’s memoir brings a very unique and refreshing voice to the memoir genre. Equal parts scathing criticism, inquisitive self-reflection, humor, and love. In many ways, it reminded me of Jennette McCurdy’s “I’m Glad My Mom Died” but with more forgiveness in the end and a broader societal analysis of the female experience in a world almost comically patriarchal. The world needs more memoirs like this one, willing to challenge everything about life without reservation and deeply introspective. What made this memoir particularly engaging was Roy’s extensive use of the third person and nicknames for herself and the various people in her life. This approach proves especially useful in trying to dissect the mother-daughter relationship as objectively as possible. It is as if she cannot engage the experience from the first person because of the emotional weight of the experiences she delves into. There is a refreshing honesty about the untrustworthiness of our own lens when reflecting. That said, Roy still manages to make definitive statements about life, the India & Pakistan conflict, religion, violence, and relationships. Her philosophical views on each are on full display and are rooted in highlighting the absurdity of convention, the trappings of religion/politics, the use of violence to control, and the many forms of addiction. It becomes very apparent within a few pages how this book has become one of the most talked about of 2025. It is also apparent that we in the West are ignorant to the lived experiences of those of the Indian diaspora.

Written as a love letter ode to her mother, I loved the way this memoir flowed. I didnt know much about the author nor her acclaimed novel beforehand but this memoir was filled with life, understanding, growth, and such fierce honesty. The connection between the mother and daughter to share both their stories through independence to India, their gender and their caste is fills you with inspiring joy and pride. This is a wonderfully written book that should be shared (even though the ending is more political/religious than personal journey)