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_askthebookbug 's review for:
Being Reshma: The Extraordinary Story of an Acid-Attack Survivor who Took the World by Storm
by Reshma Qureshi, Tania Singh
• r e v i e w •
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"As for those television journalists who called me inspiring yet blurred my face... Rather than accepting me for who I am, they have reinforced that I have a face I should be hiding." - Reshma Qureshi.
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It's appalling how our laws work. After years of struggle, finally in 2013, India banned over-the-counter sale of acid but the authorities are still very lenient in keeping a check on the same. Acid is still very easily available and it is still claiming the lives of many girls and women. Reshma Qureshi was not the first girl to be doused in acid and she certainly wasn't the last one either. Reshma's memoir brought out an array of emotions ranging from shock to fury to pride. The first time I ever had the chance to read about acid attack survivors and their lives post the harrowing incidents was through Ria's book which was named after her NGO, Make Love Not Scars. It moved me deeply but reading from a survivor's point of view affected me even more. Reshma is inspiring but beyond all that, she's an epitome of courage.
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On May 19th, 2004 Reshma and her sister, Gulshan were attacked by her brother-in-law, Jamaluddin (Gulshan's husband) and two of his cousins. They were overpowered and while Gulshan was able to dodge the acid that was aimed at her face, Reshma wasn't so lucky. While the cousins pinned her to the ground, Jamaluddin poured a stream of acid into her face without even moving the niqab. As the sisters called for help, Reshma recalls how not a single person helped them for a long time. She narrates the pain that spread across her face. First like ice and then like hellfire. Upon reaching the hospital, she was treated indifferently by the nurses who in turn sent her to the police station. The cops were no different than the doctors as they took their time in making Gulshan narrate the incident to them over and over again. Amidst all this, Reshma prayed for death to arrive.
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Reshma who was just seventeen at the time of the attack fell into a deep abyss of depression. Her family's financial condition wasn't strong enough but everyone made sacrifices to get her treated. Luckily, Reshma came in contact with Ria and the burden of her treatment was lifted off of her shoulders. The recovery phase was a long one but Reshma was incredibly fortunate to have the support of her siblings and parents and also of her uncles and aunts. Although she encountered unpleasant people during her journey, she focused on the good samaritans who unconditionally backed her up. Through Make Love Not Scars, she met many other survivors like her which helped her in picking herself up and in turning a new leaf. Soon, she was the face of #endacidsale initiative and was recognised globally. She was interviewed internationally and even had the chance to walk the ramp for New York Fashion Week. Life didn't go according to the plan for this brave woman but she did turn it around to work in her favour. She's unapologetically bold in her memoir, calling out the system and the doctors who were negligent when it came to handling human lives and for this, I applaud her.
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Being Reshma is the story of a young girl who is now a woman of substance and strength. Her involvement in banning acid was significant and her love for life is abundant. Not only did she escape from the jaws of death but she also managed to show the world that acid cannot erase the shine that she carries within herself. I highly recommend this. A tale of inspiration and humanity.
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Rating : 4.8/5.
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"As for those television journalists who called me inspiring yet blurred my face... Rather than accepting me for who I am, they have reinforced that I have a face I should be hiding." - Reshma Qureshi.
.
It's appalling how our laws work. After years of struggle, finally in 2013, India banned over-the-counter sale of acid but the authorities are still very lenient in keeping a check on the same. Acid is still very easily available and it is still claiming the lives of many girls and women. Reshma Qureshi was not the first girl to be doused in acid and she certainly wasn't the last one either. Reshma's memoir brought out an array of emotions ranging from shock to fury to pride. The first time I ever had the chance to read about acid attack survivors and their lives post the harrowing incidents was through Ria's book which was named after her NGO, Make Love Not Scars. It moved me deeply but reading from a survivor's point of view affected me even more. Reshma is inspiring but beyond all that, she's an epitome of courage.
.
On May 19th, 2004 Reshma and her sister, Gulshan were attacked by her brother-in-law, Jamaluddin (Gulshan's husband) and two of his cousins. They were overpowered and while Gulshan was able to dodge the acid that was aimed at her face, Reshma wasn't so lucky. While the cousins pinned her to the ground, Jamaluddin poured a stream of acid into her face without even moving the niqab. As the sisters called for help, Reshma recalls how not a single person helped them for a long time. She narrates the pain that spread across her face. First like ice and then like hellfire. Upon reaching the hospital, she was treated indifferently by the nurses who in turn sent her to the police station. The cops were no different than the doctors as they took their time in making Gulshan narrate the incident to them over and over again. Amidst all this, Reshma prayed for death to arrive.
.
Reshma who was just seventeen at the time of the attack fell into a deep abyss of depression. Her family's financial condition wasn't strong enough but everyone made sacrifices to get her treated. Luckily, Reshma came in contact with Ria and the burden of her treatment was lifted off of her shoulders. The recovery phase was a long one but Reshma was incredibly fortunate to have the support of her siblings and parents and also of her uncles and aunts. Although she encountered unpleasant people during her journey, she focused on the good samaritans who unconditionally backed her up. Through Make Love Not Scars, she met many other survivors like her which helped her in picking herself up and in turning a new leaf. Soon, she was the face of #endacidsale initiative and was recognised globally. She was interviewed internationally and even had the chance to walk the ramp for New York Fashion Week. Life didn't go according to the plan for this brave woman but she did turn it around to work in her favour. She's unapologetically bold in her memoir, calling out the system and the doctors who were negligent when it came to handling human lives and for this, I applaud her.
.
Being Reshma is the story of a young girl who is now a woman of substance and strength. Her involvement in banning acid was significant and her love for life is abundant. Not only did she escape from the jaws of death but she also managed to show the world that acid cannot erase the shine that she carries within herself. I highly recommend this. A tale of inspiration and humanity.
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Rating : 4.8/5.