- ISBN: 978-8196920951
- Genre: Personal Transformation
- Publisher: Highbrow Scribes
- Year of Publishing: 2024
About the Book
"Poverty is relative term" Lack of money alone cannot stop someone from succeeding in life. The social evil of poverty can be defeated with a determined mind, courage, mental strength, and education. Butterflies of Success follows the compelling journey of Mukta and Prem, a couple with four daughters who leave their village in search of a better life in Thakurli, near Bombay. Facing numerous challenges, including living in a small, unsanitary dwelling, financial struggles, and health issues, Mukta leads her family of six in a fight to improve their situation. She starts by selling boiled chickpeas and gradually expands to open a diner and a tailoring unit with Prem's help. As the business progresses, the family strives to educate and marry off their daughters, which brings new challenges, including mounting debts. Not oblivious to her parents' daily struggles, their college-going third daughter, Radha, devises a plan that momentarily disrupts the family but ultimately lifts them out of the cycle of poverty threatening to crush them all.
About the Author
Ranga Iyer is an author in her early 60s. She began her writing career as a lifestyle journalist with Bombay Times and Bangalore Times in India. After moving to Canada in 2003, Ranga freelanced for online magazines and gained diverse experience working as a customer service representative in restaurants and retail, as well as a photo studio assistant at Amazon.
Review
Ranga Iyer’s Butterflies of Success is an inspiring tale of resilience, resourcefulness, and the unyielding human spirit. At its heart, the novel is a story of a family’s determination to rise above the crushing weight of poverty, propelled by sheer grit and the transformative power of education.
The narrative follows Mukta and Prem, a couple who leave their rural home for the bustling suburb of Thakurli, near Bombay, in search of a better life for their four daughters. What they find instead are harsh living conditions, unrelenting financial pressures, and a constant struggle to meet the basic needs of their growing family. But this story is not just about the challenges they face—it is about how Mukta, armed with courage and ingenuity, refuses to let these obstacles define their fate.
Iyer paints Mukta as an extraordinary woman whose entrepreneurial spirit shines brightly.
From selling boiled chickpeas to opening a diner and a tailoring unit, Mukta’s journey is one of small triumphs leading to bigger dreams. Prem’s steadfast support, despite the emotional toll of their hardships, adds a touching layer of partnership and shared struggle.
The story also delves deeply into the sacrifices made for the education of their daughters, capturing the emotional and financial burden of balancing aspirations with reality. Radha, the third daughter, emerges as a pivotal figure whose ingenuity shifts the family’s fortunes, introducing themes of intergenerational resilience and the power of fresh perspectives.
Iyer’s prose is simple yet evocative, effectively drawing readers into the world of Mukta’s family. The depiction of their cramped, unsanitary dwelling and the bustling streets of Thakurli brings the environment to life, making their challenges feel visceral and immediate. The novel avoids melodrama, choosing instead to highlight the quiet heroism of ordinary lives battling extraordinary odds.
Through vivid yet unpretentious descriptions, she brings to life the cramped, unsanitary dwelling that serves as both a physical and symbolic representation of their struggles. The reader can almost feel the stifling heat of their one-room home, hear the relentless noise of Thakurli’s bustling streets, and sense the weight of their daily hardships.
These rich details create an environment that feels authentic and immediate, pulling the reader into the family’s journey with a sense of empathy and urgency.
The novel sidesteps the temptation of melodrama, opting instead for a grounded portrayal of Mukta’s perseverance and strength. By focusing on the quiet heroism of ordinary lives battling extraordinary odds, Iyer crafts a narrative that feels deeply relatable and profoundly moving. This approach underscores the resilience and resourcefulness required to overcome systemic barriers, making Mukta’s victories all the more impactful. Through this restrained yet powerful storytelling, Iyer elevates a seemingly ordinary tale into a universal tribute to the human spirit.
What makes.
Butterflies of Success is particularly compelling in its universal message: poverty is not just the absence of money but a state of mind that can be overcome with determination, hard work, and a belief in the transformative power of education. It emphasizes that success is not linear but is often born out of perseverance and the courage to take risks. Through the struggles and triumphs of Mukta and her family, the novel underscores that success is not a straightforward journey but one built on resilience, unyielding determination, and the willingness to embrace risks. Iyer highlights how education serves as a transformative force—not just as a means of escaping financial hardship but as a tool for empowerment and long-term change.
The story resonates because it reframes the concept of poverty, showing that it is as much about the limitations society imposes as it is about the limits we place on ourselves. Mukta and her family’s fight against these barriers illustrates that while the road to success may be fraught with setbacks and sacrifices, it is paved with the courage to dream and the resolve to work tirelessly toward those dreams. This universal truth gives the novel a timeless appeal, reminding readers that even in the face of adversity, progress is possible through persistence and hope.
Ranga Iyer’s rich personal and professional background as a journalist and her understanding of human resilience shine through in her storytelling. Her nuanced portrayal of poverty is both empathetic and hopeful, making Butterflies of Success a deeply moving and inspirational read.
This book is a celebration of the indomitable human spirit, and readers will find themselves rooting for Mukta and her family every step of the way. It is a story that lingers, reminding us of the power of hope and the relentless pursuit of a better tomorrow.
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