I went into reading GODDESS COMPLEX by Sanjena Sathian as a fan of the author's work. She writes deliciously messy characters and the protagonist of this book Sanjana Satyananda begins the story teetering on disaster. I appreciate how Sathian lets Sanjana make mistakes and then sometimes make them worse even if she was trying to fix something. The main character as well as Sathian's outstanding writing at the line level made this book a fantastic read. I'm not entirely sure the big shift in the novel worked, but I respect Sathian for going weird and going all in with the book she wrote. I look forward to sharing this book with students.

This was interesting, and then the end got really weird 😂.

Sanjana is dealing with a lot. She has dropped out of her masters program, gets married to an aspiring actor who then gets her pregnant, she runs away, has an abortion, and her husband ghosts her after she leaves when she tries to reach out for a divorce. Her family and friends think she’s a mess. Suddenly she starts getting strange messages and phone calls, people reaching out to congratulate her on her pregnancy when no one knew she’d been pregnant, and then someone sends her a photo of her ex that reveals a woman who seems to be trying to take over her former life and live has Sanjana.

I was pretty into this book, and then the like last third turned into a psychological thriller? Which, it says that in the description so I should have known in advance, but it felt like two different books. It was sort of culty in various sections, very messy, I thought the ending was going to be even darker than it was.

Overall, I thought this was fine. I think it would make a good book club book cause there’s a LOT to cover here.

Thank you @netgalley and @penguinpress for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

A year after leaving her husband, Killian, Sanjana is trying to pick up the pieces of her life. She’s struggling to finish her PhD dissertation, casually dating a guy almost 10 years her junior, and watching as friends hit the traditional milestones of adulthood without her. She can’t even get her ex to sign the divorce papers because he lives on the other side of the world and has essentially ghosted her. So she’s shocked when she starts getting messages from unknown numbers and old acquaintances congratulating her on the child she and Killian are apparently expecting. Sanjana knows she’s not pregnant, so what is going on? Is it a cruel prank? An elaborate mixup? Or is there another version of herself out there, living a life she would never choose?

I loved this book. Sanjana is a messy, fun narrator who I would absolutely want to be friends with. The plot is so twisty and fun, and I was eagerly turning the pages, desperate to figure out what was going on. The satire is SO on point, exaggerated enough to be fun yet believable enough that the story still felt true to life. This book is so unique, and it’s definitely going to be one I nag all my friends to read!

I really enjoyed the first part of the book and then the second half of the book left me confused. It was an interesting story about a woman trying to come to terms with whether a past decision was truly the best and trying to stop the pressures of doing what society and her family believes she must do because she's a woman.

The Goddess Complex forces one to look in on themselves and wonder is judging everything others do really was just projecting onto yourself. Really deep psychoanalysis into Sanjana's life and even more poetic descriptions of the mundane lifestyle she is forced to lead while trying to become a better person, whatever version that is supposed to look like. Throwing Sanjana into cult and not knowing what would happen to her, had me devouring the third act of the book, but just glad to not have her end on a cliffhanger, just another choice she can make if she wants to or not, but choosing not to judge herself whichever way she chose.

Succinct and to the point, this novel really taught me the lesson of just enjoying whatever life you choose to create for yourself, total masterpiece.

Goddess Complex by Sanjena Sathian is a well written story that was so hard to put down.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

I'm here for books about fertility from the Millennial perspective--especially when there's no happily-ever-after baby. 👏👏👏

Sanjana is a down-and-out grad student who has just left her actor husband, in India, after realizing she didn't want children. At 32, she is a adrift just as her best friend and sister go all in on motherhood. Sanjana begins to receive mysterious texts suggesting someone in India is impersonating her-- or is living her counterfactual life-- and returns to India to confront her.

Dark, hilarious, gothic, Hitchcockian at times, if Hitchcock took the inner lives of women seriously and had an absurdist bone in his body. This novel moved me to uproarious laughter, in parts-- but it also just moved me, especially the scenes with her mother. A brilliant book!

I’m not sure if the author was going for satire for the main character or if it was sincere/sarcasm. I struggle with reviews when people insist on their female main characters being likable. The men can behave however but the women have to have enough likability to make it through the book. So, I try to push that aside when reading. I’m also a sarcastic person & tend to appreciate the same in books that I read. That said, this book did not work for me at all. It was over the top to the point that I never connected with the story or the characters.

I didn't have many expectations going into this book, but it immediately sucked me in and I read this in one sitting. This presented and tackles the "women are crazy" trope in such a unique and interesting way, and also tackled fertility issues and pressures that are put on women. I was expecting this book to be more general fiction with the character going on a road of self-discovery, but I was surprised by some twists and mystery-elements that were done very well. In short, I really loved this book and recommend people go into it blind!

I recently reconnected with a college friend after a decade, and as I scrolled through her Instagram and the former classmates I came across through her, I saw photos of engagements, bachelorette parties, and weddings. Golden hour, black tie formal, stunning photos of these girls I once knew—now women—blissfully and beautifully in love. One after another. I called my mom and barely choked out a sentence before bursting into tears. I was bewildered by my reaction, scared, too, having prided myself on being a girl’s girl. Was I secretly a terrible person? 
 
But I realized that the real trigger was deeper than the superficial stimuli. I was overwhelmed by grief over the life I thought I would have when I was 19. The dreams and ambitions I had, whether they were mine or not. Never mind that what I wanted then is incongruous with who I am now. Never mind that I’d take this reality any day over those expectations. To be perceived, once again, by people who knew me and my insecurities at that age—a self that cringes out present day me—was mortifying. 
 
As I read GODDESS COMPLEX, I internalized my mom’s response that marriage is not the silencing of comparison culture and there will always be something up for criticism. Sanjena Sathian’s writing is languid but biting, and her sophomore release is delightfully weird. You should read with as little background as possible. Through Sanjana’s character, I was intrigued by the gatekeeping upheld by those with uteruses surrounding fertility and child rearing, especially the dangers of placing one’s sense of self in being a mother. I was enamored and frustrated by Sanjana’s unabashed selfishness, and I found myself wondering where in my socialization, eastern or western, this reaction had its origins. Where is the line between feminist agency and groupthink, Sathian probes. Part psychological thriller, part satire, I saw that, more than motherhood itself, GODDESS COMPLEX is about how our ideas about ourselves can meld our realities to the extremes and the struggle to discern duty from delusion. 
 
Thank you @penguinpress for the e-ARC. GODDESS COMPLEX is out now 💗

Sanjena is a mess. She's in her 30s, dropped out of her graduate program, trying to divorce a husband she can't find, and making poor life choices. The first half of this book was strong. Just like in "Gold Diggers", Sathian writes a story of a far-from-perfect child of a South Asian immigrant. However, the second half was fairly bizarre, leaning towards dystopian. Perhaps that was on purpose, but it was unexpected and didn't work for me.

An intriguing and different look at motherhood and the choices we make. Sanjana left her husband and now, a year later when she needs him to sign their divorce papers, she can't find him. Someone is sending her DMs about the life she might have had. And then there's Sanjena, This isn't going to be for everyone - I'm not sure it was for me. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. For fans of literary fiction.

This starts with the classic tale of a chaotic FMC going through a tough time, but really comes into its own when the strange occurrences start ramping up and we dive headfirst into psychological thriller vibes with a side helping of feminist satire and black comedy.

The unravelling of the truth is delightfully unsettling and was an unexpectedly perfect backdrop for Sathian’s insightful commentary on childbearing and the right to choose.

However, there is a passing reference to Israel and the IDF and I can find nothing online to confirm whether Sathian herself is pro-Israel, in which case I would not recommend this book.

Sanjena Sathian’s "Goddess Complex" is a daring, multi-layered narrative that expertly blends introspection with satire, taking readers on an unforgettable journey through themes of identity, societal expectations, and personal transformation.

The brilliant yet disoriented protagonist, Sanjana Satyananda, is caught in the chaos of a crumbled marriage, a stalled academic career, and a profound dissatisfaction with the rigid norms of femininity and Indian-American culture. Sathian’s storytelling is as sharp as it is whimsical, weaving a hallucinatory and engrossing tale that keeps readers hooked from start to finish.

The plot is both intricate and intriguing, as Sanjana’s quest to make sense of her life—sparked by mysterious DMs and a surreal encounter with her own doppelgänger—takes her from Connecticut back to India, where the story intensifies with unexpected twists and revelations. Sathian’s choice to integrate Gothic elements like doppelgängers and gaslighting adds a layer of suspense and intrigue, while the vibrant cultural backdrop enriches the narrative. The pacing alternates moments of page-turning tension with poignant introspection, keeping readers thoroughly engaged.

What truly elevates the novel is its characterization. Sanjana is a deeply flawed and compelling character whose struggles resonate on a profound level. Her vulnerability, sharp wit, and search for meaning make her journey all the more captivating. The supporting cast—ranging from her estranged husband and enigmatic influencer doppelgänger to her eccentric family—adds depth and complexity, with each character reflecting facets of the societal pressures Sanjana grapples with.

With its bold narrative, rich plot, and incisive commentary, "Goddess Complex" is a triumph of both storytelling and thematic exploration, delivering a reading experience that is both thought-provoking and immensely enjoyable.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin for this ARC!

3.5 stars a borderline 4 star for me.

The author is a bit too brash in the beginning which I found to be off-putting. The plot took awhile to develop as well. The last third of the book really wheeled me back in though. Would not classify it as a psychological thriller and felt a little rushed at the end. I would recommend it, it just wasn't quite what I was expecting.

This is a beautiful exploration of fertility, divinity, and the relentless societal gaze on women’s bodies. Sathian masterfully unpacks the insane expectations placed on women including how they are valued, revered, and scrutinized based on their choices (or lack thereof) about reproduction. The conversations surrounding motherhood, modern womanhood, feminism, social media, and pro-choice were so refreshing!

It made me sit with ways history and culture have shaped conversations about fertility — how womanhood is often tied to the ability (or willingness) to bear children and how those who choose otherwise are seen as incomplete or defiant. In Goddess Complex, Sathian refuses to let these narratives go unquestioned, instead offering a story that is tender, fierce, and beautifully unsettling.

I loved every moment of this — Sathian’s prose, the political commentary, the plot twists??? This was such a perfect read for Women’s History Month, reminding me that our power is not in what we can produce but in who we are. 💛✨

This one was a bit of a fever dream. Things started seemingly normal, at least as normal as it gets for the MC who doesn’t quite have her life together (at least by some standards of society) just as everyone else around her seems to be checking all the boxes. I thought the commentary around this was done very well (although perhaps could have gone deeper at certain points), from slightly not fitting in to being shamed for different desires around reproduction, what it means for selfhood to choose to not become a parent and all the reasons that surround these choices.
But there was also a big mystery around locating the MC ex and the MC’s doppelganger and that’s where things got really strange and the genre entirely shifted to psychological thriller territory. The nebulous and auto-fiction adjacent exploration on the second part really reminded me of a nightmare of multiple unresolved problems and I’m not sure I have untangled all the knots Sathian presented here.

3.5 stars -

What I liked: Sanjena Sathian is a master at writing deeply unlikeable characters. As someone who the main character would probably shudder at (a soon-to-be mother living in relatively traditional constraints of what society expects of women), I still found her messiness and bluntness as she questioned why the women around her made the decisions they did refreshing. It's rare to see a character like this, especially a South Asian woman.

Things I didn't love: The pace, however, was very slow for me - it really only picked up until we were already halfway through the book. And the sudden tone shift was a bit jarring for me - it felt like I'd picked up a completely different book. I even double checked that I had opened the correct book on my kindle at one point.


Thank you to NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review

This is an interesting read, but unfortunately, the plot left much to be desired. I liked reading about motherhood and feminism, but I wanted more substance. Every conversation felt very surface level and disingenuous. The writing style is nice, but this book left me wanting more.