Book Club Book #2

It has been awhile since I have read a book from book club - bad me.  I didn't get a chance to read the February choice for the book club that I am a part of, but made sure I made the time to read March's pick!  March's book club book was called "The Secret Daughter" by Shilpi Somaya Gowda.  This book was great!  We had a fabulous time discussing it last week and were even treated to one of the dishes mentioned in the book (thanks Pryia for cooking for us)!

The Secret Daughter is written from multiple character's perspectives and over the course of about 25 years.  It begins in a small village in India with Kavita giving birth to her second child whom she gives up for adoption.  Daughter's in a small village like this are rare because the families cannot afford them; this is why Kavita's first child (another daughter) is killed the night she is born.  Kavita cannot stand the thought of her second daughter's life ending before it has even begun so she gives this daughter up.

We next meet Somer and Krishnan a couple who has been unsuccessful in having a child of their own.  They are both doctors who met in medical school (Somer being originally from California and Krishnan from Mumbai, India).  Krishnan's mother gives the couple the idea of adopting a child from his home town of Mumbai and the couple go to India to pick up their daughter.  We find out the the daughter they are to be adopting is the one that Kavita had given up earlier in the book.  Somer and Krishnan instantly fall in love with their new daughter and are determined to do everything for her back in California where they now live together.

The book explores the lives of Somer, Krishnan, and their new daughter Asha, as well as Kavita and her family.  The author impressively depicts the struggles that each family goes through; finding their own family unit despite cultural differences (Somer, Krishnan, and Asha) and just being able to survive in the Mumbai slums (Kavita and her family).  We get to see Asha grow up and return to the place she was adopted from as she discovers her Indian roots, as well as her parents learning who they are and how they missed out on things because of their lack of communication throughout their marriage.

This book was fantastic!  I learned a lot about India, which was very interesting and the story that the author wove was exciting, sad, happy, and even frustrating at times.  All in all, a great choice for book club - we definitely had a lot to discuss!  Looking forward to reading this month's choice :)