Battle Hymn of a Bewildered Mother / Press

Momditorial: Book Review of Shunali Shroff’s ‘Battle Hymn of a Bewildered Mother’ (Momspresso)

As much with life, parenting in the new millennium does not come with an instruction manual. If you happen to be a girl about town, a super successful career woman, a must – live – each day – as – it – comes kind of person, impending motherhood can be as imposing as a trip to outer space without an oxygen mask. Welcome to the opposite of everything you know. Shunali Khullar Shroff in Battle Hymn of a Bewildered Mother begins her journey as someone chronically devoid of what is naturally termed as the maternal instinct. But in spite of her misgivings, she eventually realizes there is nothing else she’d rather be doing than burping her babies while avoiding all traces of tranquilizers. This brilliant, whimsical, bumpy tale of everyday madness has a voice of a mother both honest and hilarious. From exchanging her corporate suits for mess – retardant mommy wear, from balancing work clients to battling two girls’ questions and demands, this book is a journey of a mother constantly walking on thin ice over the Bermuda Triangle. Based on the principles of lunacy and humour, Shunali Khullar Shroff reveals the realities of a parent in today’s ultramodern, supersonic and chaotic world.Here is what our Editor’s have to say about the book:

‘Battle Hymn of a Bewildered Mother’ is a fun, quick read. It is the author’s take on parenting and is filled with personal anecdotes. The honesty in her writing is appealing and even if some words used seem archaic, there are more than enough cool lines and witty phrases to make up for them. There are chapters that most parents, especially mums, will relate to and sections that may seem alien but fun to read anyway on topics like fashion, birthday parties, dads, school, international school trips, shopping for your kids, Santa and the Tooth Fairy, crushes, boy bands and lots more. I liked the opening paragraph of Priyanka Chopra’s Foreword that rings true for many parents and soon-to-be parents today when she says, “Like Shunali, I am an army kid and much like her I will also be bringing my future children into a world far removed and far more privileged than my own middle-class upbringing. That in itself is a scary thought.” For regular parents this book offers a not-to-be missed peek into privileged parenting.

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