Someone You Love Is Gone is a thoughtful, multi-generational family drama about grief and the many ways it can be dealt with in a family. It is paced slowly, but the voices are strong and interesting to read. This strongly reminded me of Jhumpa Lahiri in both theme and style - it is a lovely, emotional read about the strength of family.

A short beautifully written story of a family in grief after the loss of their matriarch. It delves into the journey of loss through the different stages. The only thing I really didn't like was the supernatural part. I thought it was unnecessary. This book is much more than about loss, it's about love and acceptance.

This book looks at grief in a multitude of ways. Not only does it focus on the actual moment of loss, it also depicts the stages and transitions one makes in the days that follow. It is a long and painful journey, and the reader feels every emotion that the main character does. As someone who has been fortunate enough to not have experienced the loss of a loved one, this was an eye-opening journey. There are so many nuances, so many elements to this state of being that I would never have thought possible. And the author allows each one to manifest itself and be understood by the reader. I really liked that the author flitted back in time and even delved into Simran's mother's past. This novel showed me the different ways people deal with grief, and how some accept and move on while others struggle to do so. This story is powerful even though it has a quiet voice, as it makes the reader aware of the strength it takes to carry grief in your heart and yet, continue to live life. I'm so glad that I had the chance to review this ARC and would recommend this book to anyone looking for a thought-provoking story.

Someone You Love is Gone by Gurjinder Basran is a highly emotional novel that delves deep into the psychology of grief, how it affects individuals, and how it affects those around them. The stages of grief are also explored, from shock to disbelief to anger and beyond.

Flipping back and forth between past and present, Simran not only struggles to accept the loss of her mother, but also the buried secrets of her family's past. The book is an easy read and it definitely tugs on the heartstrings. There are several subplots that flip between different storylines and decades; a tragic love and romance, the love for siblings, and the disintegration of a marriage in addition to the loss of a beloved parent. There is also an exploration of reincarnation which I found fascinating.

A beautifully written story about love, loss, and grief in all its many aspects and relationships. Very highly recommend. This book is destined to be a wonderful winner!

I am always looking to discover Canadian novelists to add to my repertoire, so when I discovered Gurjinder Basran and found out her newest novel, Someone You Love Is Gone, was publishing this month, I added it to the top of my TBR pile.

Initially, I was finding this story downright depressing. Simran, the lead character and whose narrative voice is most heard throughout the story, has just lost her mother and is still grieving over the disintegration of her marriage and the loss of her child. As her life is unraveling, she begins to question all sorts of incidents in her child, especially those involving her younger brother, and the past comes flooding back.

Told through alternating time periods, the present (dealing with her mother’s funeral, family relationships and her own grief) and remembering the past (her brother being sent away, talk of arranged marriage and trying to balance a patriarchal culture with what teenaged Simran wants) the author is able to delve into and dissect so many issues within very few pages. Someone You Love Is Gone packed a serious punch!

Grief is obviously explored throughout the pages, but, in the end, this story became an investigation into all sorts of loss: loss of one’s self, loss of another, loss of a dream, loss of a path.

It was very diverse; I loved that the characters were Indian and various forms of the Indian culture and customs was discussed throughout the pages.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys adult contemporary fiction; it was dynamic, well written and will absolutely stay with you long after you have turned the final page.

Such an incredibly moving book! Never before can I recall a novel that personified its title as beautifully! Her work captures loss in all its myriad of presentations, with style and grace.