Indigo names the shape of family to its best books of 2019 list. Discover book depositorys huge selection of shilpi somaya gowda books online. Fiction with a conscience, as two couples worlds apart are linked by an adopted child. The novel is often emotionally poignant, especially when gowda taps into the losses and fears that both mothers face, or as asha slowly begins to appreciate what a family in all its intricacies can mean. This book shows every sign of being a quick read its written in contemporary language with very little in the way of descriptive or explanatory passages that could slow a plot down, and the chapters are short. Like so many wouldbe authors, the torontoborn child of mumbai parents had toyed for some time with the idea for a novel based on her experiences volunteering in an indian orphanage. She holds an mba from stanford university, and a bachelors degree from the university of north carolina at chapel hill. What a wonderful story mary jane clark this book is a must for anyone touched by adoption, or india, or the delicate dynamic between adolescent girls and their mothers. Shilpi somaya gowda was born and raised in toronto to parents who migrated there from mumbai. Bestselling, awardwinning author of novels secret daughter and the golden son. When you hit it out of the park with your first book, the big question is whether you can do it again. Against her husbands wishes, kavita takes asha originally named usha, which means moon to an orphanage.
Secret daughter, a debut novel by an untested author, went supernova after just four days on the shelves at costco by scott macdonald its. I started reading secret daughter by shilpi somaya gowda a few weeks ago in hopes of making it in time to finish before a book club meetup. Read secret daughter, by shilpi somaya gowda on bookmate. Secret daughter, by shilpi somaya gowda the globe and. Shilpi somaya gowda captures the anguish of motherhood and a childs search for her origins. Secret daughter 2010 is the debut novel of canadianindian author shilpi somaya gowda. Moving and thoughtprovoking and informative and imaginative and beautifully executed.
The motherteenage daughter tensions and the motherssomers fears were believable, as were the indian characters and i did enjoy the chapters set in india but i got the impression rightly or. Secret daughter shilpi somaya gowda for my parents for giving much in their lives so that anything might be possible in mine contents prologue he clutches the worn slip of paper in his hand, part i 1 dawn of mourning 2 clean 3 never again 4 without much effort 5 a long journey 6 a fair assumption 7 shanti 8 out of options 9 solace 10 a. A masterful work set partially in the mumbai slums so vividly portrayed in the hit film slumdog millionaire. The baby, named asha, is adopted by an american doctor and raised in california. The primary characters mentioned in this book include kavita merchant, krishnan thakker, jasu merchant, somer. Sujata massey, author of shimura trouble secret daughter, a first novel by shilpi somaya gowda. The golden son by shilpi somaya gowda is a heartwarming story filled with nostalgia. Shilpi somaya gowda explores cults of personality in latest novel. Secret daughter by shilpi somaya gowda united for libraries. A new york times bestseller, the novel has been translated into more than thirty languages and has sold more than a million copies. In college, she spent a summer as a volunteer in an indian orphanage, which seeded the idea for her first novel, secret daughter, published in 2010. I finished reading this novel yesterday and im still thinking about it. I read a book a week usually and more than 40% are forgettable but this book gave me the feeling that id somehow experienced the events of secret daughter in some place out of time but nonetheless real. After giving birth to a girl for a second time, impoverished kavita must give her up to an orphanage.
Shilpi somaya gowdas story of two complicated cultures the u. In 2010 i had described torontoborn shilpi somaya gowdas first novel, secret daughter, as. Read secret daughter online by shilpi somaya gowda books. Debut novelist shilpi somaya gowda pens this compelling tale about two families, worlds apart, linked by one indian child. Spanning twenty years, it follows two families who are mysteriously connected by an adopted daughter. Shilpi somaya gowda found inspiration for secret daughter in a summer spent working at an indian orphanage in 1991 while she was in college. Read secret daughter by shilpi somaya gowda for free with a 30 day free trial. She manages to call krishnan after the cramps have subsided somewhat.
Secret daughter by shilpi somaya gowda, 9780061928352. See all books authored by shilpi somaya gowda, including secret daughter, and the golden son, and more on thriftbooks. Gowdas debut opens in 1984 with poor indian villagedweller kavita giving birth to. Shilpi somaya gowdas golden opportunity quill and quire. It is not entirely an exaggeration to suggest that shilpi somaya gowda is living the dream. Compulsively readable and deeply touching, secret daughter is a story of the unforeseen ways in which our choices and families affect our lives, and the. Unfortunately, the meetup time changed to a wednesday evening the only day where im swamped with classes all day. But, unfortunately, all of this happened during the month that this club was reading shilpi somaya gowdas secret daughter. Shilpi somaya gowda is the awardwinning, new york times and internationally bestselling author of secret daughter, the golden son, and the shape of family. Secret daughter by shilpi somaya gowda librarything. Shilpi somaya gowdas secret daughter is an epic voyage across time and cultural lines, trying to define what it means to be a family linked either by familiarity, background, blood. Though they are different stories, each one features characters from india trying to adapt to life in north america.
She holds an mba from stanford university and a bachelors degree in economics from the university of north carolina at chapel hill, where she was a moreheadcain scholar. Her previous novels, secret daughter and the golden son became international bestsellers, selling over one million copies worldwide. Secret daughter by shilpi somaya gowda book club discussion. It is hard for me to read about cruelty towards children and about a. Shilpi somaya gowda was born and raised in toronto, canada. Free shipping and pickup in store on eligible orders.
Secret daughter is named the 2nd bestselling canadian book of the decade. In a culture that favors sons, the only way for kavita to save her daughters life is to give her away. Read secret daughter, by shilpi somaya gowda online on bookmate moving and thoughtprovoking and informative and imaginative and beautifully executed. Published in early 2010, the novel uses two ideas as its starting points. Secret daughter, a first novel by shilpi somaya gowda, explores powerfully and poignantly the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity, and love through the experiences of two families one indian, one american and the child that binds them together.
Kavitas name changed when she was married, and her given name reappears again later in the story. In 1991, she spent a summer as a volunteer in an indian orphanage. It became an international bestseller, selling over 1 million copies worldwide, and has been translated into 24 languages. She holds an mba from stanford university and a bachelors degree in economics from the university of north carolina at chapel hill, where she was a morehead. Shilpi somaya gowda has written a captivating first novel about the meaning of family, motherhood. A novel by shilpi somaya gowda vancouverdeb vancouverdeb. At first, i didnt like this book because of the opening scene. In college, she spent a summer as a volunteer in an indian orphanage, which seeded the idea for her first novel, secret daughter. Mary jane clark this book is a must for anyone touched by adoption, or india, or the delicate dynamic between adolescent girls and their mothers. Read unlimited books and audiobooks on the web, ipad, iphone and android. Secret daughter, a first novel by shilpi somaya gowda, explores powerfully and poignantly the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity, and love through the experiences of two familiesone indian, one americanand the child that binds them together. I wouldnt call this an easy read since it deals with adoption and cultural identity but i found it easy to fall. A novel by gowda, shilpi somaya and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at.
Secret daughter shilpi somaya gowda, 2010 harpercollins 368 pp. Reviewed in the united states on september 23, 2015. Shop amongst our popular books, including 5, secret daughter, the shape of family and more from shilpi somaya gowda. Sujata massey, author of shimura trouble secret daughter, a first novel by shilpi somaya gowda, explores powerfully and poignantly the emotional terrain of motherhood. The debut book written by author shilpi somaya gowda is entitled secret daughter. Firsttime author shilpi somaya gowda brings to life two opposing but heartrending concerns to jumpstart her novel infertility for north. Though called secret daughter, this spellbinding novel is one about mothers who form the ballasts of family life, and carry the quiet strength that allows love to. It was released by william morrow publication in 2015.