What do readers think of Secret Daughter by Shilpi Somaya Gowda? Write your own review.

Many themes are presented in this memorable novel. In Secret Daughter the past is a foreign country, a country of extremes where a newborn child can be cast off and another revered for its gender. Adoption provides solutions but no ultimate answer. The past requires a visit so that we can truly see the present for what it really is, our home, our families and our earth.

This debut novelist has accomplished a great deal with her first novel through excellent character development for Asha & Kavita, the main characters. The descriptions of Asha's family in India transport the reader to the sights, sounds and smells of the country. The descriptions, seen through the eyes of Asha, an American despite her birthright, are particularly moving. This is a book easy to read, practically straight through, and to leave with a fully satisfied experience. I hope she writes more novels!

Good story, parts of book which took place in India were excellent. The dialogue in the beginning was a little stilted but improved throughout the book as well as the writing style. The character of Asha was excellent and well developed. I liked Kativa and the grandmother also. But Somer seemed somewhat artificial and lacking in depth. There might have been too many issues covered in the book and better to focus on just a few. However, I kept on thinking about parts of the book that took place in Mumbai after I finished reading it and that for me is the sign of a good book.

In the first chapter or so, the language seems a bit overwrought, and did not ring true to me. The California setting seemed a bit bland and stereotypical. The book really got interesting to me as I experienced Asha's discovery of Indian life and culture. Very touching ending. Audience for this book is most likely to be women. While engaging, the main characters are not as robust and well drawn, as the characters in White Tiger, also set in India.

The characters confront infanticide, violence, poverty, childlessness, infertility, adoption, illness, loss, and marital problems. I think the story and the writing are a bit elementary and uninspired. I recommend this book to those who like to learn how people live in other parts of the world.

A story of two cultures, one daughter, and two marriages that shows the clashes that develop and the realities of their worlds. A very readable novel. I found the characters to be stereotyped and the flow of conversations and thoughts not fully developed. I wanted to read this book for an upcoming trip to India but did not find the verbal picture of India to be very informative.