Set against the backdrop of India's struggle for independence in the
late 1930's, Neela -- Victory Song is the coming-of-age story of a
courageous 12-year-old girl growing up in Bengal. Neela, whose best
friend appears to be her pet cow, Budhi, is given a gold chain by her
mother in honor of her older sister's wedding. The wedding itself
gets invaded by a group of swadeshis (freedom fighters), who request
money and jewelry from the guests to help support the freedom
movement. Caught up in the moment, Neela gives up her new gold
necklace for the cause. Later, her father confides to her that he is
going to Calcutta to take part in a Congress party march. When he
doesn't return, Neela, in the tradition of spunky American Girls of
Many Lands (of which this book is one of the series), takes off after him.
The novel is a satisfying piece of historical fiction for pre-teens. Peppered with Bengali terminology, it's a primer for Bengali customs and traditions as well as an introduction to Mohandas Gandhi and Subhash Bose. Divakaruni's characters debate the relative philosophies of the two luminaries which encourages the reader to do the same. For the most part, she offers such balance of perspectives throughout. However, she gives almost no voice to any (however surreptitious) positive attributes of the British.
Girls who read Neela's story will certainly feel empowered and inspired. They will learn about life in colonial India and about what one brave individual can do during even the most overwhelming odds. And South Asian girls might even end up muttering "vande mataram" (hail mother) when they think about the country of their origin.