Ladies Coupe By Anita Nair : Book Review

Book: Ladies Coupe
Author: Anita Nair
ISBN:     0141005955
ISBN-13:     9780141005959,978-0141005959
Binding: Paperback
Publishing Date: 2001
Publisher: Penguin
Edition: 01
Number of Pages: 288
Language: English
Where To Buy: Flipkart

A real life like story is presented before us by Anita Nair through her incredible book, Ladies Coupe. This is the story of a woman in search of independence and strength. Every woman can relate themselves with the heartwarming story of Ladies Coupe.


The main protagonist Akhilandeshwari aka Akhila, is a forty five years old woman, who is unmarried and single. She works as an income tax clerk, and has never led an independent life on her own terms. She has always played the role of being a daughter, a sister, a provider and an aunt, but never got a chance of being just herself. This book answers a very important question, that whether a woman can stay alone and single without depending on other male members in the family.

One day out of the blue, she buys a one way ticket to Kanyakumari, to lead her own life for some time. She was alone for the first time and was determined to break all the shackles of conservatism which her family and religion (Tamil Brahmin) has forced her into.

As the story proceeds, we get to know that Akhila has befriended five other women, who share a coupe with her. She gets to know about their life and things that were never revealed, the thoughts that are in the heart of every woman, who may lead different lives but are the same from within.

Akhila’s fellow travelers comprised of five other women, who were different yet similar in their own ways. They shared their thoughts, feelings, dependence and their secrets with her. The story is a compilation of thoughts of different individuals, like Margaret Shanti, a character too absorbed in herself and is an insensitive tyrant, a chemistry teacher, who is unable to recognize her own needs, whereas, Janaki plays the role of a pampered wife, who is confused about the life of her children, Marikolanthu, is another character whose innocence and dignity was snatched one night, Sheela, a fourteen years old girl, who has the ability to perceive such things which others are unable to, and Prabha Devi, who is a perfect wife and daughter, whose life was transformed completely just by a glimpse of a swimming pool.

This is a very inspiring book, and motivates women to think about themselves and understand that they don’t always need the support of a man to complete her. A woman is complete in herself, and she has all the rights to stay single if she wants and lead her own life on her own terms.