As dusk descends upon the awe-inspiring view of lush green wilderness outside of my office window, I feel utterly serene. What a perfect time to write, as I've just finished another page-turner for you, dear reader. Have you ever read a book that resonates in you long after the final page is turned? I very seldom have this sensation (as a matter of fact, the last time I felt like this was when I read Where The Heart Is!) of a connection to a book's location, not its characters.
Secret Daughter opens in a rural village in India where a young mother is giving birth to her first child. When the child's sex is revealed, the young woman's husband flys into a drunken fit of rage and promptly disposes of their minutes-old infant because she neglected to have the proper set of plumbing between her legs - that's right, she wasn't a boy. Sadly, when the young woman gives birth again less than a year later, she swiftly deposits her angelic baby girl in the nearest orphanage to save her from the same fate as her older sister. What happens during the next twenty years is a testament to mothers - nay, families - everywhere, that love isn't always born of blood.
The story is intricately woven from the perspectives of three major characters - Kavita, the young mother; Asha, the baby girl; and Somer, the beautiful Californian doctor who ultimately adopts Asha with her Indian-born husband, Krishnan. Set in both the author's current home, California, and her parent's native Mumbai, this book made me want to splice myself and move half to San Diego and half to Maharashtra's capital. I was so engrossed with the details, from the exotic food down to the elaborate details of the city's well known slums, that I was hardly aware of the book drawing to a close. When it ultimately ended, it sincerely took a part of me with it. I am now determined to adopt a baby Indian boy (to lessen the unbalanced ratio of baby boys to baby girls by one), rent a flat in Mumbai and spend my days alternating my time between writing, praying, eating paneer tikka and skipping around in my chappals.
I truly enjoyed this book and want to give a huge thanks to HarperCollins for sending me another fabulous read. If you're interested in learning more about this talented young author, or her debut, click on the provided links. I'll see ya on the Bhūmigata rēla!
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