This is a story of an Indian family living in a small Afrikaner town in South Africa during and after the apartheid years. In this sensitively written story the novel explores the complex relationships between mothers and daughters and the peripheral role of a principled, hard-working father whose only fault is his futile optimism that life for them would improve.Through the eyes of Meena, the younger sister, the novel traces the lives of the sisters in South Africa during the apartheid era. Stifled by the constraints of their culture, the small town mentality, and the oppressive restrictions of apartheid, the older sister Yasmin escapes to England. She is followed later by Meena. Yasmin ultimately pays a tremendous price for success while Meena, the more spiritual and sensitive sister, struggles with her own demons. Yasmin and Meena return to South Africa following the end of apartheid.Other Secrets focuses closely on the relationship between three generations of women amidst the political upheaval of twentieth century South Africa. It also offers us an insight into the lives of Indian Muslims. Although Indians have been in South Africa for centuries, their presence has not been given much importance in a racial conflict that has unfolded across black and white lines. Further, the experiences of a Muslim girl and her struggle against the demands of patriarchy and religion gives readers a nuanced understanding of the religion as it is practiced among Indians in South Africa.
