Secret Daughter | Review

Secret Daughter

Author: Shilpi Somaya Gowda
Publisher: Dolphin
Genre: Fiction
Source: Whitby Public Library
Length: 346 pages
Format: Hardcover
  
The novel opens with an introduction of Kavita, a young Indian wife, who resides in a remote Indian village in the 1980s with her husband. In order to save her newborn daughter's life in a culture that favours sons, Kavita directly disobeys her husband's wishes by taking her daughter to an orphanage.


Intertwining with Kavita's tale in India is that of an American doctor named Somer. Somer, a Californian native, and her husband Krishnan, who grew up in India, quickly learn that they are unable to have a child of their own, which leads them to adopt an Indian orphan - Asha. 


The story follows the lifes of Kavita, Somer and the secret daughter, Asha. One mother struggles to survive the slums of Mumbai, the other strives for a close-knit family despite their cultural differences, while Asha works towards creating her own identity.

I really enjoy novels with multiple stories that connect as it often peaks my curiosity and creates a sort of forward momentum that keeps me wanting to read on. Eastern culture meets Western culture abruptly at first, but over the course of the story, the two (characters at least) come to an understanding.

This book was recommended to me by friend who read it in her book club. It is the perfect book for discussion as it delves into such rich topics including: adoption, identity, culture and the bond between mother and child.
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I give this book a rating of 8/10 and here’s why:

Text: Great imagery is used, especially when describing the birthing and living conditions in India. Briefly, I was able to transport myself into a scene, to visualize every detail.

Dialogue: The dialogue was accurate. I noted major differences between conversations between husband and wife in India and America.

Plot: Secret Daughter has a driving plot, which kept me wanting to read more and rich themes that I couldn't help but think about - adoption, the bond between mother and child, culture in the not so distant past and present, identity and abandonment to name a few.

Characters: While the content, storyline and thematic elements are strong, the characters lacked depth. I would have liked longer sections with each character to get to know them better.