Secret Daughter: A Novel by Shilpi Somaya Gowda ~ book review

In a small remote village in India, Kavita gives birth to her second daughter.  After her first was taken away from her because the baby was not a son, Kavita begs the old woman helping her not to tell her husband.  Deciding to save the baby's life by giving her away to an orphanage in Mumbai, Kavita and her sister set out on foot to the big city.  It kills Kavita to hand her beautiful daughter over to the orphanage but she hopes this decision will bring her a good life.  But everyday for the rest of her life, Kavita wonders.

In America, Somer and her Indian husband, struggle to get pregnant.  Both are doctors and have access to the best of care.  But now that care has shown that she will never have children.  Her husband, Krishnan, talks her into going to Mumbai and adopting an Indian child from an orphanage there.  They pack up and go live with his family while they navigate the sometimes insanity of an international adoption from India.  Somer struggles with the Indian culture and can't wait to get home. But the baby girl with the incredible eyes has captured their hearts and they feel that their love for her will carry them all through any hard times.  But Somer carries a fear with her that starts to control that love and when their daughter wins a scholarship to intern in India her greatest fears just may be realized.

What to say about this beautiful book?  I've had it in my to read pile for 2 years!  Two whole years of not realizing the reading treasure sitting there.    It was the cover that drew me to it and the fact that it is written by an Canadian/Indian author.  At it's core it's a beautiful story of mothers' love that interweaves two totally different cultures.  It's emotional and a beautifully written story.  Forgiveness, family, adoption, assumptions, perceptions and perspective, and hope are just some of the topics it delves into.  It showed the two sides of India, the ultra lavishly wealthy and the incredibly poor and showed how the massively huge slum in Mumbai got it's beginnings.   I learned so much about the Indian culture and the theme of "everything is more complicated than it seems" really flowed throughout the story, both from the American character's and the Indian characters.  It's writing is captivating  with really great character development and it made me feel all the emotions.  Loved this story and will definitely be looking for her other books.


Rating :  definite 10/10