Book Description
Sophie Shah was six when she learned her mother, Nita, had died. For twenty-two years, she shouldered the burden of that loss. But when her father passes away, Sophie discovers a cache of hidden letters revealing a shattering truth: her mother didn’t die. She left.
Nita Shah had everything most women dreamed of in her hometown of Ahmedabad, India―a loving husband, a doting daughter, financial security―but in her heart, she felt like she was living a lie. Fueled by her creative ambitions, Nita moved to Paris, the artists’ capital of the world―even though it meant leaving her family behind. But once in Paris, Nita’s decision and its consequences would haunt her in ways she never expected.
Now that Sophie knows the truth, she’s determined to find the mother who abandoned her. Sophie jets off to Paris, even though the impulsive trip may risk her impending arranged marriage. In the City of Light, she chases lead after lead that help her piece together a startling portrait of her mother. Though Sophie goes to Paris to find Nita, she may just also discover parts of herself she never knew.
My Words
This book took me longer than what it normally would have because I constantly had to stop to process what I was reading and to discuss with my husband some of the different components of the plot. The story alternates between India and Paris and is two different timelines; one that follows the Nita, the mom, and Sophie the daughter as an adult.
My heart hurt so much as I read this book. Both stories: Nita's and Sophie's were just so tragic. My heart just broke for the relationship they were denied. Early in the story, there was some foreshadowing that Nita was going to turn to other substances to try to forget of the pain in her life. As I continued to read the horrible decisions Nita made, I was still caught off guard to read that her life had so much drug abuse. When Sophie was a child, she mourned her mother, and once Sophie was an adult and learned the true life of her mother, there was more mourning and even disappointment.
I have always been compassionate when learning of someone's drug abuse because typically the drug abuse is an attempt to cope with the immense trauma that the person had to endure, often times as a child. My heart hurt for Nita, but Sophie was definitely a victim in this story. I won't give away too much but I will say it's not all sad, there are some beautiful relationships that emerge from the tragic life and death of Nita.
Notable Quotes
"The direction of the wind cannot be changed, but we can change the direction of our sails."
"Every culture had its own caste system. There was always a hierarchy, and people were compared to one another to determine where one fell."
"She tried to follow her dreams while leaving her heart with you in India. A dream without heart is nothing at all."
Ratings & Where to Purchase
Read my review on Mansi Shah's other book: The Taste of Ginger.
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