35. Secret Daughter

By:  Shilpt Somaya Gowda
Rated 4 Stars
From:  Library

This is a beautifully written book that brings to life the sights, sounds and smells of India. It also carries the reader into the heart and soul of the people. One of those books that puts the reader into the story. The book gets into the attitudes towards motherhood, showing how they are shaped by parent's expectations as well as the culture. She also shows that it is possible to go beyond the limits of social structures and the plans that others have for us. Asha's experience with the women in the slum is a pivotal piece and one of the most revealing aspects of the story. This is a thought provoking study of marriage, cross cultural and inter generational connections and human potential for growth and creativity.

Publisher Summary

Interweaving the stories of a Kavita, an orphan; Somer, the American doctor who adopted her; and Asha, the Indian mother who gave her up in favor of a son, a debut novel moves between two families--one struggling to survive in the slums of Mumbai, the other grappling to forge a cohesive family despite their diverging cultural identities.