A stunning - if heavy - debut novel that dives into the often dark world of human trafficking, migrant workers and what it means to be “family.” I would’ve loved to see even more of Maya’s contemporary life on the page!

Thank you to the publisher and author for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you have ever read anything by Khaled Hosseini and loved it (even though they are haunting and tough to read), I would 100% recommend you read this book! It follows a girl as she immigrates to America illegally (against her will) and struggles to find her place in the world. She suffers abuse and hardships and weaves a tale of lies that eventually catches up to her. However, amidst all of this, she shows true resilience and love for her family and those she meets along the way. This book will stick with you for a long time after reading.

Nanda Reddy’s debut novel is a touching exploration of identity, survival, and the immigrant experience. We follow Maya, a seemingly ordinary suburban wife and mother whose carefully constructed life begins to unravel when she receives a letter from her long-lost sister. The letter plunges Maya into a harrowing journey through her past, a time when she was known only as Sunny—a twelve-year-old girl sent to America from Guyana with the promise of a better future. That promise, however, was a lie.

The novel skillfully moves through two timelines: Maya's present life as a successful woman in an upscale Atlanta neighborhood, and her traumatic past as a young girl enduring the horrors of an abusive situation after being sent to the U.S. under false pretenses. The story’s dual narrative gives the reader a deeper understanding of Maya’s layered identities and the internal struggles she faces as she tries to reconcile her past with her present.

Reddy’s writing is both beautiful and evocative, pulling readers into Sunny’s grim reality full of betrayal, hardship, and occasional glimmers of hope. As Maya/Sunny/Neena/Synthia transitions through different identities, we feel the weight of her choices, the relentless pressure of survival, and the heartbreaking sacrifices she must make to protect herself and her loved ones.

What truly stands out is the emotional complexity of the protagonist. Despite the moral ambiguity of some of her actions, you can’t help but root for her. She faces impossible decisions and constantly navigates dangerous terrain, yet her resilience and determination to rise above her circumstances are incredibly compelling.

Pros:

Compelling Protagonist: Maya’s character, and her previous iterations as Sunny, Neena, and Synthia, is incredibly well-crafted. Her vulnerability and strength make her easy to empathize with, even when her choices are ethically murky. Facing an abusive family without any support of any adult is a difficult situation for anyone to be in, in this environment, Sunny is forced to make decisions that no child should ever have to make that are rooted in survival rather than freedom of choice. Her sense of right and wrong becomes blurred as she navigates a world where the adults around her are either indifferent to her suffering or actively contributing to it.

Beautiful Prose: Reddy’s writing is poetic and emotionally rich, vividly bringing to life both the idyllic sugar cane fields of Guyana and the harsh realities of immigrant life in America. Nanda Reddy is really good at crafting expansive, visually imaginative prose that brings both the physical settings and the emotional landscapes of her characters to life.

Themes of Identity and Survival: The novel tackles complex issues like identity, assimilation, and the immigrant experience with sensitivity. It also delves into the question of what it means to “survive”—how much of ourselves we must sacrifice along the way. The book strikes a perfect balance between heartbreak and hope. Sunny’s journey is filled with trauma, yet there are moments of light that suggest redemption is possible.

Cons:

Pacing in Some Areas: While the dual timelines provide depth to the narrative, there are points where the pacing feels uneven, especially in Maya’s present-day sections. At times, the urgency of the present storyline doesn’t quite match the emotional intensity of the past.

Conclusion

Reddy’s debut is a moving and insightful exploration of a woman’s fight for survival across multiple identities. It tackles immigration, trauma, and the complexities of identity with grace and power, making it an unforgettable read. While the narrative stumbles in pacing at times, the emotional core of the story remains strong, particularly through Maya’s journey of self-reckoning.

This novel will resonate with anyone who has grappled with the question of who they are, how their past shapes them, and the lengths they will go to protect the future they’ve built.

I really enjoyed this book. The storyline was great. I would’ve liked a bit more of ‘Sunny’s’ present day. A great read.

Twelve year old Sunny is sent to America to live with the family of a dead girl. Her parents think this will make it possible for the whole family to get the papers needed to move them to the US from Guyana. Little do they know the man who set up the arrangements can not be trusted, and nothing he says is true. Using her wit, determination and yearning to see her sister again she tries to find a way out of the situation she is living in. Over the course of the next few years she will meet some who save her, who can be trusted and some who lead her down dark paths.


The story is also told from the present day, the girl that Sunny became. Maya has kept this dark past from everyone in her current life. No one knows who she really is because she was afraid she would be deported, sent to prison or worse, if anyone ever found out she was illegally in America. She has a life, is a mother, a wife and a tax paying citizen when a letter arrives from her sister, making her think deeply about her past, and how it will affect the present. Your heart breaks for Sunny, at every turn she must make choices in order to save her life. I also found myself cheering for her, and waiting for her to find her happy ending.

Zibby books does it again with another great debut, bravo Nanda Reddy!
Thank you for allowing the advance reading of this fabulous book.

Have you ever had a piece of mail delivered that changes your future? Get ready to learn more about what happens when a wife and mother opens an envelope to her past in Reddy's novel. The book's expansive story, which is mysterious, hopeful, sad, and triumphant, will draw you in. Thanks to Zibby Books and NetGalley for the ARC. I think book clubs will enjoy this title as it will provide great discussion topics.

What an amazing read. Sunny is sent to America from Guyana to potentially pave the way for the rest of her family to follow. Once she gets to America she realizes that all of the things that she was promised were lies. She is placed with a couple and has to endure years of hardship and abuse.

This book is at times heartbreaking and uplifting. Sunny/Neena/Synthia/Maya goes through some unimaginable traumatic events but she also gathers a small group of people who are in her corner trying to help her.

The writing is beautiful and the story is told in such a way that no matter what Sunny does I was always rooting for her!!!

Thank you Zibby Books and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book!!!

I really enjoyed this story. I do wish that we could have had some more scenes in present day dealing with how the family copes and communicates.