I first saw this book on Reedsy, and I was interested. However Reedsy only allows one review per book launch, and when I clicked someone else must have gotten to it just moments before, as I got an error “This book is already in review”. However shortly after I saw it again via another ARC program (allowing multiple reviewers) — and this time, I got there in time!

The Premise

Young mother Anu has always felt like an outsider. Moving away from the “vacuum” of her own family in India where her mother and half-siblings ignored her, and into a new life in England, this feeling persists: a distinct disconnect from the other mothers — and women in general — that she sees all around her. While her husband Ravi seems to be getting on quite well with his work colleagues and other friends from all backgrounds, Anu feels adrift.

Among the British mothers, her awkward shyness limits friendships from developing — as an outsider, she is “a curiosity at best, a nuisance at worst”. Yet she is too westernised to fit into some of the cliques among Indian women, and her tenuous link to her extended family members is fraught with resentment built up from the past.

As her daughter Neha grows and matures all through primary school and finally enters secondary school at the novel’s climax, the plot traces Anu’s own development as she tries on many different types of friendships for size, “dipping in and out” of her Indian-ness as she struggles to “find her tribe” as a woman and as a mother.

The Pros & Cons

This was a beautiful novel that expertly captures the nuances of migrant dissonance in balancing a myriad of worlds, as well as the mythical creature that is “female friendship”.

Having always lacked the maternal bond from a mother who flitted in and out of her life like an “exotic bird”, Anu still has not resolved these issues as an adult, and it shows in the deep-seated fear and insecurity that she is not enough.

Often accused of being “too sensitive” by her close friends, her husband, and family; Anu still desperately seeks acceptance from the outside. She does not understand the micro-aggressions and fickle-heartedness that are typical among many of the women she meets — both British and Indian, and at the same time she focuses so much on these friendships that she neglects those who do truly care about her.

It is a story that as a woman, we all understand too well — whether or not we share the migrant experience. There were so many simple touches here that gave this novel so much life. A few that captured it perfectly:

On her Indian family relationships:

Was it possible to have grown up with someone, known them your entire lives, and find out you had nothing except blood in common?

On the ethics of ostracisation:

As an Indian woman living abroad, there were bound to be differences between her understanding of things and theirs. She was a stranger in their world, and it was she who had to work harder to be accepted. They were just being true to themselves.

On female friendship (from a male perspective):

You need each other in a way that can’t be defined. I’ve seen women being each other’s biggest supporters and champions, but I’ve also seen women pull each other down, backbite, and be insanely jealous. The dynamics are very different among you lot.

Indeed, there was absolutely so much to love here that I really can’t pick out any flaws. The writing style is distinct, and the pacing is well done, though as it covers such a wide span of time, there were moments I wish it could have hovered on one phase a *wee* bit longer. My emotions were all over the place, and as Anu finally found her footing and her own sense of self through her art, I felt absolutely inspired. Such a journey!

My only caveat (not really a con) is that there are a lot — a lot — of characters to keep track of, so I did have to keep reminding myself of who everyone was and what had happened prior! Still, even minor characters were adequately sketched and well represented, and it all combined to interweave a stunning tapestry of a tale that will resonate with many.

Conclusion

This novel was the essence of women’s fiction, and I loved it from beginning to end. There was a lovely journey that it took, and many generations and types of women that it dealt with. From the mother, to Anu herself, to her daughter — they each had their own experiences, both negative and positive, of what being a woman and a “fish out of water” feels like. I can see this novel being turned into an absolutely amazing film, and I look forward to reading more by this author. Her skill and her crafting of characters is undeniable. I would recommend this novel to any woman, anywhere, particularly if you’ve ever felt out of place in a new environment, or felt miffed by a misunderstanding with a friend… so yes, that’s EVERY woman!

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