The Space Between Us

Bhima is a 65-year-old Hindu woman and protagonist of the novel. She works as a domestic worker in a wealthy, Parsi household. She can’t read and is uneducated. Bhima’s husband, Gopal, left her when her children were still young, taking their son Amit with him. Bhima single-handedly raised her daughter, Pooja. When Pooja and her husband died, Bhima took responsibility for their then-seven-year-old daughter, Maya. The novel begins with a 17-year-old Maya pregnant and dropping out of college, presenting Bhima with the novel’s central conflict: discovering who the father is and resolving the situation so Maya can have a good future.

Bhima’s life is one of hardship and woe. She feels abandoned and betrayed by everyone she has ever loved, between Gopal and Amit leaving her, Pooja and Raju dying, and Maya’s present circumstances. The closest relationship in Bhima’s life is with Sera, her employer. Bhima confides in Sera about her life’s troubles, and she feels indebted to the woman who has, in Bhima’s eyes, stood by her and helped her out on every occasion. Bhima, in turn, takes care of Sera, guarding her secret about Feroz’s abuse, even nursing her back to health after Feroz injures her, and even urging her to stop tolerating Feroz’s behavior.