The Queendom of Sharma
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Astrid
“Auntie” (and soon-to-be my mother-in-law) Astrid has always been a very strong help in my life. Since I never met my mother, Astrid was the female role model that I needed when growing up. She is strong, intelligent and very warm. Astrid left her family together with her husband Damian in 2012 when they started…
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I am about to faint
Last night I had a few glasses of champagne after an important event. On my way home I received an invite to send Ranbir Kapoor a friend request on Facebook. I still do not know if it is genuine or if in a few weeks I will be spammed, my computer will be full of…
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Ganesh
The Amber Palace in Jaipur Uncle Ganesh is a friend of the family. He is becoming an important friend for my mother and Lara in the first part of “Double Happiness”. Ganesh is running a tour through India (Jaipur is one of the stops) where my mother Vivi and Lara meet. He is married and…
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Mohamed
Mohamed is Samir’s best friend since childhood. He initially meets him for a weekend in Europe but later he gets arrested for a terrorist attack in Tunisia. Obviously, he is innocent but he stays in detention for a long time. Mohamed is a very loyal person. He supports Samir and protects him throughout the novel.…
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The Raja of Alipura
The Raja of Alipura is Raj’s father and by birth he is a real Raja. He is powerful because he also has made it big in Indian politics. In the first part of “Double Happiness” we do not know too much about the Raja. I do not want to spoil the surprise but let me…
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Samir
Uncle Samir Wardi is my mother’s first husband. He is connected to our family through matters of fate for the whole novel. Samir somehow cannot let go of my mother even though he knows she has fallen in love with Arjun and that there is no way back. He wants to have a career in…
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Jab Tak Hai Jaan
This is the type of song my mother would have loved:
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Language
Some of my friends and family have approached me and questioned why “Double Happiness” will first come out in English. Well, obviously because it is the language most people will understand and it is written in English because in my family this is the main language we speak. However, it can later be translated into other…
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Vivi
“Double Happiness” starts out as the love story of my mother, Vivienne Wardi. She comes to India for the second time in her life and through a strike of the universe suddenly gets a chance to see Arjun again. Even though she is married to another man, she falls for Arjun. As you probably understand…
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Got any book recommendations?