Name: The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die
ISBN: 9781529391039

Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay

At eighteen, Somlata married into the Mitras: a once noble Bengali household whose descendants have taken to pawning off the family gold to keep up appearances. When Pishima, the embittered matriarch, dies, Somlata is the first to discover her aunt-in-law's body - and her sharp-tongued ghost. First demanding that Somlata hide her gold from the family's prying hands, Pishima's ghost continues to wreak havoc on the Mitras. Secrets spilt, cooking spoilt, Somlata finds herself at the centre of the chaos. And as the family teeter on the brink of bankruptcy, it looks like it's up to her to fix it. The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die is a frenetic, funny and fresh novel about three generations of Mitra women, a jewellery box, and the rickety family they hold together.

The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die

Pam Sartain

My review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟

The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay tells us the story of Somlata, who gets married at 18 to a man from a noble but impoverished family.

The newly weds live with his extended family in a large house, with Aunt Pishima as the matriarch of the family. When she dies, her ghost haunts Somlata, and it is up to Somlata to fix the family's fortunes.

This was a quick read, but enjoyable, with all of the characters lifelike, and Somlata a heroine you could cheer on.

The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die was published on 11th July 2019, and is available to buy on Amazon and on Waterstones. I've found a link to where you can search for local bookshops, including independent!


You can find out more about Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay on Wikipedia as he has written a lot of books in Bengali, and this edition has been translated into English.

I was given this book for free in return for an unbiased review, so my thanks to NetGalley and to John Murray Press (the publishers) for this book.

Check out my GoodReads profile to see more reviews!

hat carter

The Hissing Saint

Moray Lyle McIntosh

A laugh-out-loud, tug-at-your-heartstrings tale of love, family, and freedom centered around three generations of Bengali women. Somlata has just married into the dynastic but declining Mitra family. At eighteen, she expects to settle into her role as a devout wife in this traditional, multi-generational family. But then Somlata, wandering the halls of the grand, decaying Mitra mansion, stumbles upon the body of her great aunt-in-law, Pishima. A child bride widowed at twelve, Pishima has finally passed away at the ripe old age of seventy. But she isn't letting go just yet. Pishima has long harbored a grudge against the Mitras for keeping her in perpetual widowhood, never allowed to fall in love.. Now, her ghost intends to meddle in their lives, making as much mischief as possible. Pishima gives Somlata the keys to her mysterious box of gold to keep it out of the Mitras' hands. However, the selfless Somlata, witnessing her new family waste away their wealth to the brink of bankruptcy, has her own ideas. Boshon is a book-loving, scooter-riding, rebellious teenager who wants nothing to do with the many suitors that ask for her hand. She yearns for freedom and wants to go to college. But when her poor neighbor returns from America she finds herself falling in love. Perhaps Pishima's yearning spirit lives on in her own her heart? The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die is a frenetic, funny, and fresh novel about three generations of Mitra women who are surprising at every turn and defy all expectations. They may be guarding a box of gold, but they are the true treasures in this gem of a novel.

The Aunt Who Wouldn't Die

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