The Girl in the Garden
by Kamala Nair is the beautiful story of a girl's summer in India and the family secrets that unravel during that summer despite her family's pride and insistence on maintaining a carefully crafted series of lies. Eleven year old Rakhee travels with her mother from Minnesota to Kerala, India to visit her mother's homeland and family. Although only eleven years old, Rahkee is perceptive and senses there is more than she is told driving her Mom home and she arrives in India with apprehension. Throughout her time in Kerala, Rahkee grows up in more ways than one - she discovers things about her Mother that had been hidden from her and she faces the complicated dilemma of loving her Mother but realizing that her Mother may forsake her. This book is beautifully written and the gradual unraveling of the family's secrets kept me eagerly reading. The secrets were not completely predictable and I was surprised by a number of twists at the end of the novel. Perhaps the most delightful part of this book is its narrator, Rahkee - she possesses the perfect mix of childlike innocence and adult sensibilities. Although her experiences in India are at times fantastical and border on fantasy, she actually faces emotions that most children her age contend with - the realization that her parents are fallible and anxiety about whether they will stay together. The reality of these emotions balanced the fantasy/fairy tale elements of the story and made for an engaging read. I definitely recommend this book and look forward to more by the author, Kamala Nair.
I received a copy of this book from the author for review.
This does sound like a wonderful story. I like books set in India and children as narrators often work well too. Thanks for the great review.
ReplyDeleteI am anxious to read this one because of the setting and main character as well as the allusion to The Secret Garden. I enjoyed your review!
ReplyDeleteI don't recall hearing of this book before now. Terrific review, I'll add it to my list.
ReplyDeleteHappy Sunday, Colleen!
I am enjoying books by Asian authors and this sounds like a good one. I went to school with a girl from Kerala!
ReplyDeleteHave a great reading week!
Book Dilettante
This sounds very interesting! I can't wait to check it out!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading this book right now so I skimmed your review (just in case there are secrets revealed) - It looks like you enjoyed it which is promising!
ReplyDeleteI was going to read just one chapter. 60 pages later I had to force myself to stop :).
I just added this to my Goodreads list last week...first review I've read! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteI've read so many great reviews of this book -- glad you enjoyed it!
ReplyDeleteI just awarded you the Irresistibly Sweet Blog Award
ReplyDeletehttp://thechildrenswar.blogspot.com
I just finished this one as well. I was surprised at my inability to put it down. Great review. I plan on following once the widget returns :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review - I'll put this one on my list.
ReplyDeleteAnn
Family secrets and exotic locations almost always make for a good read I think.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great review...I also enjoyed this book that was laced with cultural differences and family secrets.
ReplyDeleteOooh, this might be a good one for finishing up the South Asia Challenge! Thanks for the great review.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I have heard of this book before, but it does sound like an interesting read.
ReplyDeleteOne of my goals this year was to read more books set in India, and this one sounds quite different -- thanks for the great review, I am going to seek this one out.
ReplyDeleteReally nice review! You make a great point about Rakhee, how she's a child yet not too much of one. She definitely grounded a story that could otherwise have tipped a little too far toward fantastical for my taste. Glad you enjoyed this one!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the review! I'm adding this one to my TBR list.
ReplyDeleteDidn't like it at all. This story line has been done to death!
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