Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Publisher, and to author Asha Thanki for allowing me to read a copy of A Thousand Times Before. I love historical fiction and this book was no exception. This author has woven a generational book of family drama to emphasize the point that family is important thought the arts. This book was the first by the author which was a surprise but, I look forward to reading more from this author.

I really wanted to love A Thousand Times Before and gave it my best shot, making it about 60% through before deciding to set it aside. The premise had me hooked from the start: “A heartrending family saga following three generations of women connected by a fantastic tapestry through which they inherit the experiences of those that lived before them, sweeping readers from Partition-era India to modern-day Brooklyn.” Sounds amazing, right?

But as much as the concept drew me in, the actual reading experience didn’t hit the mark. This book would be ideal for someone who already has a deeper understanding of the 1947 partition of India and Pakistan, along with the area's customs, politics, and cultural nuances. Without much background provided, I found myself frequently looking things up, which pulled me out of the story and made it tough to follow along.

The story is told in a retelling style rather than the characters living through events firsthand, which gives it a more distant feel and slows the pace. I kept trying to push on, hoping to connect with the characters and get pulled into the plot, but it just didn’t happen.

A beautiful work of magical realism, intergenerational family saga, and the fraught history of the partition of India and Pakistan woven together into a lyrical tapestry (see what I did there?). In this book, a story told by Ayukta to her wife Nadya, a secret tapestry is woven with the stories, lives, and trials and tribulations of the various women in Ayukta’s family, and this magic is passed down - many times with positive results and almost equally as often with tragic consequences. This was a beautiful and compelling story. Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and Asha Thanki for providing an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

thank you to netgalley for an arc of this book!

a thousands times before by asha thanki is a visceral story of the past,the present, and the love throughout generations. the concept was unique and i feel that it was executed well, especially with it being emphasized that the narrator is literally the speaker. the characters were captivating and i was in love with how they were portrayed, especially Arni. the setting was rich and vivid, the elements described quickly immersed me into the generational stories. as someone who loves lore in books, i would say that this book is a wonderful take on familial tales or "mother lore." i also enjoyed how seemingly small instances of the past were implicitly referred to in the future, things came full circle and it greatly pleased me.

the only thing preventing this from being a 5 stars for me is the pacing. it was purposely slow and i understand why it was, however it never quite clicked for me. at times it felt stilted and choppy, but still a meaningful read nonetheless.

I love South Asian literature and family sagas. So, Asha Thanki’s debut novel, A Thousand Times Before, seemed right up my alley. It did not disappoint! A Thousand Times Before was all I expected and more.

Set in India, present day Pakistan, and the United States, this novel tells the story of three generations of women possessed of a remarkable power and connected by a magical tapestry. As the novel opens, readers first meet Ayukta when she and her wife Nadya are discussing having a child. For reasons initially unclear, Ayukta has reservations, and she believes that, if she tells her family’s story, Nadya will understand what is at stake.

Readers soon discover that the family has a magic tapestry in which women from each generation are depicted. When a new generation is added to the tapestry, they inherit their forebears' memories, and the ability to change the future is also passed down the family line.

Amla, Akuyta’s grandmother, is a young child when readers first meet her in Karachi. She loses her mother (who would presumably have taught her about how to navigate this complex inheritance) to religious violence related to India’s Partition and is, unsurprisingly, not cognizant of the many implications of this power. When her actions later lead to tragedy, Amla is forever changed and so are the future generations. Ayukta knows that, if a female child is born, she and Nadya will have to decide whether to pass on a power that is both a gift and a burden.

As the story progresses, Thanki shows how the history of this family is intimately connected with the history of India as a nation. And, although I initially thought that the use of a magical tapestry to explore the history of India would be a risky bet, in Thanki’s story, it works.

In lesser hands, the tapestry would merely serve to provide connective tissue between the generations, and while it does fill that function here, Thanki uses this conceit for much more. She explores themes like fate, time, familial bonds, intergenerational trauma, and the complex relationships between mothers and daughters. The impact of the tapestry and the power it bestows are also explored with a surprising amount of depth.

Additionally, the setting is richly depicted. Every time I picked up this book, I was submerged for hours, giggling with Amla and her best friend Fiza in Karachi and grieving with her in Gujarat.

Thanki’s rich yet clear prose, beautifully constructed plot, and sympathetic characters also work together to build a story with considerable emotional heft. And, while not everything is solved in the end, A Thousand Times Before is a deeply satisfying read and an original and assured debut. Thanki has already proved that she is a gifted storyteller, but I predict even greater things for her future as a writer. She is a talent to watch.

Ashley Riggleson is a free-lance book reviewer from Rappahannock County. When she is not reading or writing book reviews, she can usually be found playing with her pets, listening to podcasts, or watching television with friends and family.

This review was originally published by FXBG Advance

I loved the concept of this book, especially the theme of how our ancestors stories and traumas are woven together and effect generations to come. I also enjoyed the magical realism aspect- that first born daughters could access their ancestors' memories. It was refreshing to read such unique concepts!

However, I did have a hard time with the multiple points of view and many characters. There was also a lot of Indian terminology, which I don't want to minimize the importance of, but it did pull me out of the story because I was constantly having to look up what the words meant. The result is that I felt detached form the story and ended up skimming it, instead of becoming fully immersed like I'd hoped.

Despite having a hard time with this book, I can see why others will enjoy it. Because of the multitude of characters and cultural references, I might not recommend it if you're in the mood for an "easy" read. This one does take some work, but will be worth it if you're in the mood for a multilayered, magical, historical fiction book.

Beautiful writing and story concept... but you know how they say sometimes you can have too much of a good thing? I wish this had been edited down some. I think I would have appreciated it more if it were shorter. Unfortunately, I did find myself very ready to be finished. That said, readers can appreciate the great prose and well developed characters.

Ratings
Quality of Writing 5/5
Pacing 3/5
Plot Development 3/5
Character Development 4/5
Overall Enjoyability 3/5

Ayutka is a young woman with an unusual inheritance: she can reexperience the lives of the women who have come before her in her family lineage. And, through art, they can shape events in the world around them. That inheritance is a gift that connects her deeply to her family, but also a curse that can rebound with unintended–and deadly–consequences. Now, married for a number of years to the love of her life, Ayutka faces the choice of whether to have children–and whether to pass on this inheritance.

Told through Ayutka’s point of view–as well as three prior women in her lineage–the novel ranges from the 1945 Partition of India to the 1974 student protests to 1980s New York City and the present day. The sections move between stories from the past and Ayutka’s present-day effort to share the story of this inheritance with her wife, building suspense and resonance as it moves between time periods.

A THOUSAND TIMES BEFORE is filled with rich, immersive language that brought alive each of the women in Ayutka’s lineage–and kept me turning the pages. It’s an engaging, revealing, and deeply emotional look at women’s lives in the midst of historic political events–and a story of how women survive, take action, and love. It’s also a beautiful and moving story of discovered queer lineage among South Asian women. Readers interested in South Asian history, feminism, and queer history will be especially drawn to this book, but it’s also a novel for anyone who loves a combination of rich language, history, emotion, and story.

Asha Thanki's debit novel A Thousand Times Before is a compelling exploration of familial legacy through a unique tapestry that represents the women of one family across generations. The story, enriched with vivid and well-researched descriptions, reveals the struggles, loves, and profound impacts of these women, offering readers a deep connection to their experiences.

The narrative intertwines historical events, particularly the Partition of India, with personal stories, shedding light on cultural, religious, and gender tensions. The author's portrayal of how these historical and social contexts shape individual identities is both poignant and thought-provoking. Thanki immerses readers in the characters' lives by encouraging examination of their collective experiences that shape identity.

While the initial tone of the characters' narratives may seem similar, as the story progresses, each woman's unique personality and decisions become distinct, making it easy to follow their stories. This adds depth to their individual stories, contrasting sheltered upbringings with more challenging environments, and highlighting how societal norms influence personal development.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for the opportunity to review this title. I struggle with the multiple POVs and timelines but keeps coming back for more. This was a unique take on that. This was a story about family and generational trauma and how that shapes us, even generations later.

Thank you netgalley for giving me ARC access!

This book was sooooo good. It took me about 50 pages to get hooked and then the last third passed by in a blink. The pacing was so great, I loved watching history occur through different lenses. Realizing the love story that was secretly happening the entire time was incredibly devastating. It was a beautiful and painful realistic depiction of what life would have been like for women through a specific historical time in India. I learned a lot about the history of the country from this book and I love to learn history from fiction books and the way we use stories to process our history.

The prose was so beautiful, the characters voices felt so real and nuanced and they weren't perfect but they were interesting and felt real which is always my preference. The description of Karachi and chai and painting on apartment rooftops surrounded by laundry lines all felt so real it was like I was there. Truly cannot rave about how well written this book was enough.

Ultimately I think this book comes down to identity, how we define and identify ourselves within the context of our family history and the physical spaces we inhabit, and grief, for both people and individuals as well as futures and possibilities and regrets and how you can process and continue on with life even when you've made huge mistakes that feel like they should end everything. This book is also so strongly about hope and love and all of that wrapped in a big bow of the entire crux being that this family history is being told in the context of a queer sapphic love story is so important to me.

Highly recommend this book and can't wait to read more from the author!

"A Thousand Times Before" by Asha Thanki is women's fiction and historical fiction, but it is not sci-fi/ fantasy as it was listed on Netgalley. There is a tiny bit of magical realism, but not really enough to classify it that genre, nor fantasy.

This story covers several generations of Ayukta's family, starting with her grandmother Amla's childhood just before the Partition of India in 1947. Then we learn of her daughter, Vibha's, life. Next, we learn of Amla's other daughter, Arni's, life.

There is a tapestry with the women of each generation in Ayukta's family. As soon as the daughter's image is embroidered into it, they are able to access the memories of the former mothers and grandmothers of their line.

This book went very slowly to me, and I didn't really know about the Indian history mentioned.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 3/5
Pacing - 2/5
Unputdownability - 3/5
Enjoyment - 3/5
Cover - 3/5
Overall - 23/7 = 3 2/7, rounded down to 3 stars

Thank you to Netgalley, Penguin Group Viking, and Asha Thanki for providing this e-book in exchange for my honest review.

my rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

growing up, I immersed myself in the history of my country, India—the events that shaped and divided the country, impacting countless lives. asha thanki’s debut novel beautifully captures one such story, weaving together (quite literally) the lives of three generations of women and the lineage they carry forward.

remember those times you sat with your parents or grandparents, listening to their life stories and experiences that shaped who you are today? this novel takes you on that very journey.

it’s a wonderfully executed concept, reflecting on the stories we pass down through generations. it’s a book that makes you appreciate your relationships, leaving you with deep emotions of love, loss, passion, and compassion.

highly recommend 💯

I love a multigenerational family epic, and I love a historical fantasy, but A Thousand Times Before, by trying to be both, sadly fails to capture the spirit of either. The narrator sits down to tell her wife about the magical connection that she has with her female ancestors, dating back to the Partition of India, through a magical tapestry.

It’s unclear which character is meant to be the main protagonist- is it the narrator? Is it her grandmother, Amla? So much of the story was about Amla and her discovery of the tapestry’s magic, which served as exposition for us readers to understand it. But it felt like Amla was at a distance since another character was telling her story, and I never felt like I connected with the narrator or that her character got much development.

Sadly I was disappointed by this one. Clever idea, but failed in the execution.

For some time, Ayukta has been dancing around her wife's question of whether she wants children. To answer Nadya's question, Ayukta must open up to someone outside her bloodline about a generations-old tapestry allows her to access the memories of her mother and generations of women before her.

For Nadya, Aykuta relives the life of her grandmother Amla, The family has lived in Karachi for centuries, but following Indian Independence Karachi will be part of the Muslim nation of Pakistan and her family must flee to her mother's Indian state of Gujarat. Giving up her home is crushing to young Amla, but even more devastating is the loss of her dearest friend, a Muslim girl. Her mother had begun to explain the responsibilities of the tapestry and now Amla must maneuver the meaning of her inheritance alone. Does this impact the way she passes it to her daughter Arni, who should never have received it at all? Maybe.

"A Thousand Times Before" I richly written with each character vividly, with flaws and heart. The story encompasses two important historical periods in Indian history--the 1947 Partition and the student actions of the mid-1970s--and Asha Thanki's writing brings them blazing to life.

The Ayukta and Nadja section of the novel are the weakest part, but the stories of her mother and grandmother more than make this book a must read. It's hard to put down as it weaves tales of women's friendships and love.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this novel in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Net Galley and Viking for the ARC. I was excited for this because I like everything sapphic but unfortunately I expected more magic than there actually is in the story.

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me this copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book is a masterpiece, especially for a debut.

This is a story about a gift, passed down from generation to generation through the women in the family. The physical representation of this gift is a tapestry, and once you're sewn into it, you can access the memories of all the women who have come before you. In addition to that, when you come into your full power, through the power of art, you can create scenes that haven't happened yet, but once you create them, they will.

That alone was enough to capture my heart, The way this story is told through flashbacks, but not flashbacks told as stories, flashbacks experienced by the narrator, was so unique, and enrapturing. Thanki weaves a story with precision and beauty, capturing every emotion: pain, wonder, love, hope, loneliness, guilt, empowerment. It's all there within her pages.

Additionally, this book explores the partition of India, a topic I realized I was woefully uneducated about, under a lens that holds space for both care and nuance. Thanki puts her characters into situations that are painful and specific, and yet their plights are relatable to anyone existing in our present day.

My biggest critique of this novel is only that there were some parts that were beautifully written, but didn't quite match the rest of the novel, but that is only because I went searching for something, as I thought, "surely there must be something that makes this book less than perfect."

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for fiction that centers women. You'll love it.

Addresses the concept of generational curses and. how women pass down parts of themselves in their children especially their daughters.

Makes so concrete the burdens and responsibilities of parenthood. A touching story across generations of women that demonstrates the personal side of history. This book explores South Asian identity through time and different perspectives.

Great storytelling through the frame narrative of an inherited tapestry that places the reader right alongside Ayukta recalling these memories and struggling over the decision to have a child or not.

Historical fiction and magical realism that deals with the emotions of living through history.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.25 rounded down. The story shows the viewpoint of four women over many decades, beginning in India and ending in 21st century New York.

The Good: This story was well-written. It showcased generational trauma that can occur as immigrants, and the lasting effects they have. This is the type of book that you sit with. I have found myself coming back to this book and thinking about the lineage I came from, and how those women helped shape who I am today. More importantly, how who I am today will shape my daughters.
The Not-So-Good: The story dragged at times. Much of this book dealt with trauma, and I find myself only being able to read in small doses because of that.