Book review : Grandmother's tale-Sreelekshmi P S

Grandmother's tale is the novel written by famous indian writter R K Narayan which was published by INDIAN THOUGHT PUBLICATIONS in 1992.
It is the story of his great-grandmother who lived in the later period of the East India Company.Bala, the central character was married at the early age of seven to Viswa a boy of ten.One day, he just left bidding her good- bye,joinning a group of pilgrims going to Pandaripur.Years go by and there is no trace of the boy.Bala,now a young women  finds life extremly difficult with the entire agraharam gossiping  about her husband' s fate.She leaves home,determining to find him
. The ardous journey  she undertakes to poona, her success in locating Viswa and persuading him to return to the South and their long  happy life in kumbakonam, where five children are born to them.Bala's death and eventually Viswa's death dueto poisioning by cook form rest of narrative . The delineation of Bala from an innocent school girl to a firm,determined,aggresive young woman and finally to quiet ,docile ,orthodox hindu wife is fascinating .
The writter himself is the talktive boy in the novel!!