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By Sandhya Mary (Author), Jayasree Kalathil (Translator)
Publication Date: January 16, 2024
Maria, Just Maria is a quietly powerful and deeply human novel that traces the inner and outer world of a woman simply trying to live as herself. Written by Sandhya Mary and beautifully translated from Malayalam by Jayasree Kalathil, this poignant work explores identity, womanhood, and mental health through the intimate lens of Maria—a woman whose voice is honest, vulnerable, and unflinchingly real.
Told in a lyrical yet grounded tone, the novel brings readers into Maria’s experience as she navigates family, society, psychiatric institutions, and her own mind. It is not a story of dramatic transformation, but of quiet persistence—a woman claiming the right to exist on her own terms in a world that often insists otherwise.
"I am not what you named me. I am not what you feared I would become. I am Maria, just Maria." — Sandhya Mary
Maria, Just Maria is a rare and necessary voice in contemporary literature—raw, poetic, and rooted in lived experience. It is particularly resonant for readers interested in themes of mental health, feminist writing, and postcolonial narratives from South Asia.
This is not just a novel; it’s a reclamation of voice and identity. If you’ve ever felt unseen or mislabeled, Maria’s quiet defiance and emotional clarity will speak to you.
Genre: Literary Fiction, Feminist Literature, Mental Health Narratives
ISBN: 9781803092566
Publisher: Seagull Books
Pages: 120 pages
Language: English
With its delicate blend of pain and resilience, Maria, Just Maria invites readers into a deeply personal yet universally resonant story of survival and selfhood. Sandhya Mary writes with raw beauty, and Jayasree Kalathil’s translation ensures every word retains its emotional truth. This is a slim but mighty novel—one that lingers, challenges, and gently changes how we see the world, and ourselves.