China Room by Sunjeev Sahota is a novel inspired in part by his own family history. In 1929 Punjab, three young girls are married to three brothers and move into their mother-in-laws home, not knowing the identity of their own husbands, they are only with them at night in a darkened room. Mehar is curious and tries to figure out which brother is her husband, leading to a series of events that put several lives in danger. In 1999 her great-grandson returns to India from England, to the now abandoned family home, recovering from addiction and trying to get his life on track while slowly uncovering the story of his family.

I found this book interesting but depressing. It showed how few choices young women of that time had in India and frankly, their lives were awful, it is no wonder Mehar yearned for freedom and love. However, I was never fully drawn in to the story, it failed to capture my attention. An ok, but somewhat forgettable read.