AWARD WINNING FINALIST - multicultural fiction - INTERNATIONAL BOOK AWARDS 5 STAR RATING READER’S FAVORITE “an extremely well written and engaging novel. the writing style is very lyrical, almost poetic at times, with vivid descriptions of people and places. This is the kind of book where the quality of writing shines through and makes it an enjoyable read in itself, and at the same time sends out a strong, positive social message. This is definitely a must-read book.” - Gisela Dixon, READERS’ FAVORITE reviewer “This is a beautifully written book, with a very believable, hard hitting storyline and well rounded, emotive characters. The pace of the story is just right, swinging between narrators seamlessly and portraying both young women’s perspectives. It reminded me very much of Khaled Hosseinis work, with a similar amount of depth to issues being portrayed. Extremely moving read” - Beverly Crofts, Netgalley reviewer Kirkus reviews: A haunting debut novel about two young women in Mumbai that brings the brutal realities of modern India into focus. The descriptions and dialogue are rich and believable, particularly when Trasi writes from a child’s perspective (“my thoughts would race along with the wind, crossing our village, whistling through mountains, between boulders and rocks, ruffling the leaves on trees, flying with the birds”). The story also takes on difficult subject matter, such as child abuse, HIV, and early mortality, with unflinching seriousness. Even Tara’s interactions with the police demonstrate how chronic disorganization plagues Indian society, allowing countless youths to vanish into bordellos. The two main characters serve as symbols of the entire caste system, and Mukta’s memory of her dreary village consistently reminds readers how rigid and prosaic many ancient traditions can be. Although both main characters must contend with destiny-a recurring concept-the story makes clear that there may still be hope for their children.A
