"Barnes has taken a risk in assuming the persona of a 20-year old girl
and seems to have done it well; a woman reader might see it differently
but I found Anasuya real and believable. Her memoir of other characters
- mother, step-father, father, lovers - is gently tentative, as though
behind her opinions is a doubt of having understood correctly, but she
gives them shape and consistency. What more can be asked of the
perception of others?"
