Shilpi Somaya Gowda has written a stunning debut novel that explores the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity and culture, witnessed through the lives of two families, one Indian, one American, and the daughter who indelibly binds them.
On the eve of the monsoons, in a remote Indian village, Kavita gives birth to a baby girl. But in a culture that favors sons, the only way for Kavita to save her newborn daughterís life is to give her away. It is a decision that will haunt her and her husband for the rest of their lives, even after the arrival of their cherished son.
Halfway around the globe, Somer, an American doctor, decides to adopt a child after making the wrenching discovery that she will never have one of her own. When she and her husband Krishnan see a photo of the baby with the gold-flecked eyes from a Mumbai orphanage, they are overwhelmed with emotion for her. Somer knows life will change with the adoption, but is convinced that the love they already feel will overcome all obstacles.
Interweaving the stories of Kavita, Somer, and the child that binds their destinies, Secret Daughter poignantly explores issues of culture and belonging. Moving between two worlds and two families, one struggling to survive the fetid slums of Mumbai, the other grappling to forge a cohesive family despite diverging cultural identities, this powerful debut novel marks the arrival of a fresh talent poised for great success.
Shilpi Somaya Gowda was born and raised in Toronto to parents who migrated there from Mumbai. She holds an MBA from Stanford University, and a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1991, she spent a summer as a volunteer in an Indian orphanage. A native of Canada , she has lived in New York, North Carolina, and Texas . She currently makes her home in California with her husband and children.
Shilpi talks about how she came to write Secret Daughter
Secret Daughter Reviews
“Dualities abound in this engrossing first novel … Gowda weaves her tale deftly … The sounds, scents and sights of India are vividly drawn, pulling the reader deep into a culture that most of us have only glimpsed, perhaps, in Slumdog Millionaire. Two worlds collide, then meld, in a story that intimately considers how we all are shaped, through fate or free will, nurture or nature, by the astounding power of family love.” – Joyce Senz Harris, Dallas Morning News
“Book Pick To Grip You: Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda. … This wise debut moves deftly between the child’s two mothers and cultures.” – Good Housekeeping
“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
“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
“Secret Daughter is spellbinding. … Gowda sets the stage early, using lyrical prose that easily draws the reader in. Her story and characters are engaging and the setting exotic. Readers will have a hard time putting this novel down.” – Jessica Harrison, Deseret News
“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
“[A] poignant and inspiring story of the strength and love of mothers everywhere. … [Gowda's] writing is characterized by beautiful, vivid description and the story‚Äôs changing points of view enable the reader to grasp the wide range of emotions and struggles experienced by the masterfully crafted array of characters. Secret Daughter is a unified, moving and deeply satisfying novel.” – Erica Narwold, CityView
“[Secret Daughter's] gentle rhythms seduce and win the reader over to this moving look at two faces of motherhood, oceans apart.” – Texas Monthly
Shilpi Somaya Gowda has written a stunning debut novel that explores the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity and culture, witnessed through the lives of two families, one Indian, one American, and the daughter who indelibly binds them.
