The writing style is quite conversation and informal, keeping the readers engaged till the end.
The book is set in old religious towns of India, making the setting quite unique. What I found really sad is the fact that Koly feels like a homeless bird and really longs for family when left alone in Vrindavan. The character of her mother-in-law, who is cruel and heartless, is also interesting. She really has to struggle a lot in life and makes the best of it. I found Koly's strength of character really admirable. How Koly overcomes all adversities in life through education and a passion for embroidery is what makes the plot of this book so interesting. Her husband is quite sick and dies very soon, and Koly is left alone in an unknown city to spend her life as a widow. It is about the life journey of a young girl called Koly who lives in a small village in India and gets married at the age of 13. Having said that, Homeless Bird has a beautiful story.
So to some extent, the book portrays a slightly wrong impression of India. Well, let me tell you that in contemporary India, girls don't get married at 13, and are not left to fend for themselves in a "City of Widows." In today's world, child marriage in India is as rare as foot binding in China or witch hunting in Salem. Whelan herself admitted in an interview that she got the idea for this book after reading a story on child widows and seeing an exhibit on Asian embroidery in America. But many of the customs she talks about appear fake and outdated. Whelan deals with the delicate issue of child widows in India and how they are abandoned to live a life of poverty and loneliness – and she handles it with sensitivity.
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