Book Review: Secret Daughter

Although Secret Daughter has some elements of chick lit, I am tight on space at Chick Lit Central and I really wanted to get this review out there so everyone knows what a great book it is. There were also some elements that were too heavy for it to be considered chick lit anyway. Besides, I read it for book club, so it counts more as general literature.

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 daughter's 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. 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 both of their destinies, Secret Daughter poignantly explores the emotional terrain of motherhood, loss, identity, and love, as witnessed through the lives of two families—one Indian, one American—and the child that indelibly connects them. (Synopsis courtesy of Amazon.)

From the moment I cracked this book open, I knew I was going to love it, and I was right. There were some upsetting parts, especially for me to read as a mother. However, they were balanced out by a beautifully told story with descriptions so real that you could smell the streets of India and taste the spiciness of the food. I've never been to India, but I felt like I was right there the entire time. The voices seemed so real that I kept forgetting it was a fictional novel. I enjoyed learning about the different customs and cultures in India. There was so much contrast between the life that Krishnan was born into and the life that Kavita found ways to survive through. It was so jarring in that way.

If I had more time to just sit and read, I would have read this in a day or two. It was just that compelling and difficult to put down. I'd be short on time and say to myself "just one more chapter!" The whole time, it gave off the feel of a Khaled Hosseini novel. I love his books, so this is a good thing. I have been recommending it to everyone, even when I wasn't finished with it yet. And after finishing it, I still highly recommend it! The ending was a bit anticlimactic and left some questions unanswered, but it made me think of the book that was referenced a lot in The Fault in Our Stars, where it just ends abruptly and there are still a lot of answers needed, yet it is still the characters' favorite book anyway. In any case, I can't say enough good things about this book. It was just so well-written and eye opening, making me count my blessings even more than before, both on a personal and a global level. This is definitely not a book to be kept secret about!

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