"Shilpi Somaya Gowda's flair for detail is evident in the way she describes the clothes, food, the streets and their smells of this land teeming with people and poverty. This story about motherhood, loss, family and forgiveness is authentic in every way. ... The prose is so achingly touching, it draws the reader in with every description and emotion of the characters."
— Lisa Orkin Emmanuel, Associated Press
"[A] deeply moving and timeless story of an adopted daughter's long distance search for cultural identity and acceptance ... "
— Kathleen Kent, author of national bestseller The Heretic's Daughter
"In her engaging debut, Gowda weaves together two compelling stories ... Gowda writes with compassion and uncanny perception ... while portraying the vibrant traditions, sights, and sounds of modern India"
— Booklist Reviews
“Gowda has masterfully portrayed two families … linked by a powerful, painful tie that complicates their lives …. A thought-provoking examination of the challenges of being a woman in America and in India—and in the psychological spaces in between.”
— Chitra Divakaruni, author of One Amazing Thing, The Palace of Illusions
"First novelist Gowda offers especially vivid descriptions of the contrasts and contradictions of modern India … Rife with themes that lend themselves to discussion, such as cultural identity, adoption, and women's roles.”
— Library Journal Reviews
“Set in California and the teeming city of Mumbai, Secret Daughter is a beautifully composed compelling story of love, loss, discovery and the true meaning of family.”
— Anjali Banerjee, author of Invisible Lives
“[A] fable of family division and reconciliation, gaining intensity and depth from the author’s sharp social observations.”
— Kirkus Reviews
“It’s moving and thought-provoking and informative and imaginative and beautifully executed. What a wonderful story!”
— Mary Jane Clark, New York Times bestselling author
“Secret Daughter is an unflinching yet compassionate story of mothers and daughters. In a tale that moves between Mumbai, India and Northern California, Shilpi Somaya Gowda sensitively explores the balancing acts of of international adoption and bi-cultural families. This book is a must for anyone touched by adoption, or India, or the delicate dynamic between adolescent girls and their mothers."
— Sujata Massey, author of Shimura Trouble
"Debut novelist Shilpi Somaya Gowda has written a beautifully-crafted story of two families intertwined ... Gowda’s storyline skillfully weaves the complex issues of marriage, parenting, and cross-cultural identity into a novel that leaves the reader intimately wrapped up the lives of the characters. She achieves pitch-perfect literary fiction ... This is a wonderful book for discussion groups."
— Caitlin Doggart, Cape Women Online
BLOG BUZZ
"I loved everything about this book ... I would highly recommend this novel to book clubs and to those who enjoy the novels of Jhumpa Lahiri, Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, Amy Tan, and Khaled Hosseini. I would also recommend it to anyone who likes to read beautifully written stories about mothers, daughters, and families. Shilpi Somaya Gowda is an author to watch." (5 stars)
— Christina T., Reading Extensively
"This beautifully written book is one that will linger in my thoughts for a long time... The story of each woman's journey to epiphany and self-realization is very moving and satisfying. I highly recommend this book." (5 stars)
— Denise Crawford, The Book Nurse
"This heartfelt story bends your thinking and gives you great insight into who you are and why it matters. Beautifully written with heartfelt prose that melts your heart."
— Maurice on Books
"[The characters'] collective and individual journeys are moving. It’s a fascinating first novel."
— Linda Hunter, Women & Children First bookstore in Chicago
"... goes extremely deep into gender questions that haunt modern India as well as identity concerns that trouble the heroine ... Readers will appreciate this profound look ... " (5 stars)
— Harriet Klausner, Mainstream Fiction
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