A lovely atmospheric dual time line novel about three women in India. Three women you will root for. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

This was a brilliant read. As soon as I started reading this book I just knew I was going to love it. Highly recommended

It’s been a minute since I’ve read a book by Renita D’Silva, now I’m asking myself why.
I know why.
I had other book commitments that got in the way so….that aside, I need to catch up on her books because I love how heartfelt, compelling and inspiring plus heartbreaking her stories can be.

If you’ve not read one of her books, you are missing out.

Really enjoyable read. Good characters and a Good story. Well worth a read. Think others will enjoy.

breathtakingly beautifully written story that really takes you to the places and times the book follows, with wonderful characters and a great overall plot.
I loved this book and can only recommend it to anyone interested in it!

Published by: Bookouture (26th May 2017)



ISBN: 978-1786811783



Source: Netgalley



Rating: 5*



Synopsis:

1929. When a passionate love affair threatens to leave Lucy in disgrace, she chooses a respectable marriage over a life of shame. With her husband, coffee-plantation-owner James, she travels to her new home in India, leaving her troubled past behind her.

Everything in India is new to Lucy, from the jewel-coloured fabrics to the exotic spices. When her path crosses that of Gowri, a young woman who tends the temple on the plantation’s edge, Lucy is curious to find out more about her, and the events that lead her to live in isolation from her family…



Now. With her career in shatters and her heart broken by the man she thought was her future, Kayva flees from bustling Mumbai to her home town. A crumbling temple has been discovered in a village nearby, and with it letters detailing its tragic history – desperate pleas from a young woman called Gowri.



As Kavya learns of Gowri and Lucy’s painful story, she begins to understand the terrible sacrifices that were made and the decision the two women took that changed their lives forever. Can the secrets of the past help Kavya to rebuild her life?



Review:

Wow. What a myriad of emotions A Daughter's Courage evokes. I am feeling so many different things right now! This book is so touching, heartbreakingly sad yet uplifting and heartwarming. This isn't a book that I'd typically pick up and read, it was recommended to me by my very good friend, and fellow book blogger, Jules (who I'm so pleased to see get a mention in the book acknowledgements :))



The three main characters, Lucy, Gowri and Kavya are all so well written. They are such distinct personalities and so different from each other. I defy anyone not to fall in love with Gowri, her soul shines through. Lucy is so different from Gowri and I just couldn't wait to find out where the story would go next. When the two women meet, the interaction is so brilliantly described, it really felt as if I was stood right there, breathing in the rich Indian aromas as I witnessed the meeting. Kavya is different again and thoroughly modern. I really enjoyed how the threads of their individual stories intertwined and then came together.



India really came to life from 'the pages' (my kindle) as it was just depicted in such a wonderful way. The colours, from the jewel brights of the saris to the dirty brown of the mud, everything felt as though I was actually seeing it myself. Renita D'Silva has such a fantastic way with words. I also loved all the descriptions of the food that Gowri and the others were preparing; I've taken notes! A Daughter's Courage may have been the first of the author's books that I've read but it certainly won't be the last! Thanks to Bookouture and Netgalley for the ARC, and to Jules Mortimer for another great recommendation.

What a breathtaking story. This is the first story I have read by Renita and what an introduction. The way she has connected the characters from the 1920's to her modern day characters is very good and at first you are wondering how this is all going to fit together but the way Renita brings her subjects together against the beautiful backdrop of India is very clever. I enjoyed it from start to finish.

This was my first book by Renita D'Silva and I was left stunned. The author has written vivid descriptions of India in 1929. She has remained authentic to her roots and her genuiness is well evident in this book.
There is a great maturity in her writing which I have not seen in an author in recent times.
I liked the way she has amalgamated past and present together in a great mystery which is intriguing. Her words wrenched my heart of its emotions, tears flowed freely at times. Her characterisation was just spot on. All the 3 main characters be it Lucy, Gowrie, or Kavya, they were well developed and they touched my heart in one way or the other.
The book was a little slow to get into but once it gripped me, I had to see it to its finish line.
There is a huge dose of reality and social issues in this book which sadly India is still being plagued with.
On the whole, the author has made me see India in a different way. A great book and a great author

I was torn on how to rate "A Daughter's Courage". On the one hand, the writing is beautiful and the plot set in the 1920s is really interesting and touching. The characters from the 1920s storylines, Gowri especially, are well-developed and I really felt for all of them.

On the other hand, the modern-day narrative, especially Kavya's, didn't really connect with me. The modern-day storylines seems rather tacked on at times and I would have preferred reading more about Gowri and Lucy, especially since the modern-day characters are nowhere as interesting or well-developed as Gowri. Also, the idea of fate became rather heavy-handed in the last couple of chapters and the coincidences piling on took away some of my enjoyment for the story.

The last thing that bugged me was the female characters' tendency to define themselves by their children and their child-bearing ability, especially in the last part of the novel. This, and the rushed relationships mentioned in the last chapter, rubbed me the wrong way because it somehow implied that children and relationships are something that women should define themselves by and I felt that this was somewhat out of step with the rest of the novel.

Overall, this is a really beautifully written novel with a great plot and an emotional center.

I started reading A Daughter’s Courage by Renita D’ Silva on Tuesday morning before work. I read a few more chapters at lunch time and then a few more before bedtime. At 2:00am, I was woken up by the sound of dogs barking and couldn’t sleep again. So I decided to read a few more chapters and that is how I ended up staying up until 4:30am on a work night until I finished this book. It’s the kind of book that draws you in slowly such that when you aren’t reading it, you are thinking about it. It haunts you and occupies your thoughts. I thought about the characters throughout the day and even now that I have finished reading the book, I am still thinking about it.

The setting was magical. Anyone who knows me knows that I like books set in India. This country has such a rich culture and I have always been curious about it and its people. One thing that you need to know about Renita D’Silva is that she has a way with words. She can paint a picture with her words. She described India in a way that I have never read before. Everything came alive from the scents, sounds and the people. She even describes language in a way that gives it life. I have never heard of Kandhala but she made it hear it. I could see the characters and hear them. And India, my goodness. The bad and the good were captured in this book. The lush greenery , wild animals with elephants roaming the streets and tigers prowling the jungles, it felt magical.

However, not everything is magical and beautiful at the setting. There are a lot of ugly things going on. The story begins with Gowri, a young Indian girl full of dreams. She was smart, one of the best performing students at her school. Gowri had dreams of becoming a teacher. Her life drastically changed when a statute of a goddess was discovered in her father’s land. Gowri ends up being dedicated to the goddess. She lives in seclusion near the temple built for the goddess and spends her days serving the goddess and the priest at the temple. What is even worse, she has to serve the man who owns the land in which the goddess was found. The landlord buys Gowri and she becomes his property. He sleeps with her, gives her to his friends for their entertainment and pays her a sum of money which she gives her parents. At fourteen, Gowri is now a prostitute.

The other main character is an English lady, Lucy who ends up in India after marrying her new husband. Lucy has her own struggles but nothing compares to the havoc brought into her life after meeting Gowri. There are other two characters who are also narrators. Sue, an English woman who is recently widowed and Kayla, an Indian woman who is going through a difficult period. Other minor characters include Kayla’s mother and grandmother.

The story is narrated through the alternating POVs with Gowri and Lucy as the main characters. Gowri’s narrations are written as letters to the goddess. There are few chapters by Sue and Kayla. In addition, there are different timelines; Sue and Kayla are in the now. Gowri begins her narrations in 1928 and so did Lucy although at some point, alternating chapters had narrations of Gowri in 1928 and Lucy in 1929. All these elements are masterfully interwoven to create the masterpiece that this book is.

There are a number of heavy themes in the book including child prostitution and grief. Religion is also a theme and in this case, it is used to explain the circumstances around Gowri. The author did a fantastic job in explaining this religion. It is something unusual and hence not easy to understand. However, we don’t have to understand it. Instead, we just need to understand the impact that it had on the characters. We get to experience it through Gowri and in this way, what may otherwise seem ridiculous starts to make sense.

There is a lot that I can say about this beautiful story and the women at the heart of it. All the MCs were female hence making it even more special. They covered so many different aspects of a woman’s life such as mother and daughter relationships (the complicated kind), husband and wife, friendships between women. I feel like it was a relatable although quite emotional read. A Daughter’s Courage by Renita D’Silva is the kind of book that I recommend to everyone. I wish my book-club could read it so that we can discuss the beauty of this book. I just want everyone to experience the book especially all women.

Another fabulous, emotional and beautiful story from Renita D'Silva.

This was a beautifully written book with just enough sumptuous descriptions to make me believe I was there, but not to too many that I lost interest. It had me holding my breath at times and at others putting my hand to my mouth. It really did transport me back in time

I thought this would be similar to a Dinah Jefferies novel, and in some ways it was, so why didn't a love it?

For me it lacked the story progression to live up to that expectation for me which was a shame, it didn't have the same pace so I got bored and nearly DNF at the 30% mark, and it was a little predictable.

Saying this I would pickup more of Renita's novels. I enjoyed the read, I just didn't love it.

I don't know very much about India, and even less about devadasis. This bo0k was an emotional look into the lives of four women who are all facing very difficult life situations. Sometimes I struggled to keep track of all four storylines as the narrative switched between the women, but it paid off in the end with a bittersweet resolution. A beautiful story.

Excellent storyline follows the lives of three generations across the continent.Like the way the author divides the chapters for each person and keeps the reader interested in the story line by giving snips of the story as you read it is a book that you do not want to put down.
I would have liked to have followed the lives of Lucy and Market Boy once they arrived
In England and also Elizabeth maybe a sevond sequel.

I will not be writing a review of this book. Thanks!

Gowri and Lucy to me, are the main protagonists. Gowri, banished into the world of Devadasis and Lucy, married to a tea plantation owner. Their lives appear to be very distinct and yet when you are greater acquainted with their stories, their motives and apparent compromises, their lives to an extent, seem to mirror one another. Apart from Gowri and Lucy, we also have Kavya and Sue. Now, are their lives inter connected at all and how can this be traced back to the lives of Gowri and Lucy? Also, does the title of the book ‘A Daughter’s Courage’ allude to a commonality across these characters – all women, all daughters?

Do read my full review on Desi Lekh, please follow link below.

I'm not very good at writing reviews but just want to say that I loved this book. You really felt like you were there and just wanted to take Gowri away from it all. Also liked the way everyone connected at the end. Highly recommended.

This is the first book that I have read by Renita and certainly won't be my last. After reading rave reviews from Joseph Calleja over at relax and read reviews I felt very intrigued to read Renita’s latest novel after seeing that beautiful book cover. A cover that I just want to jump into!
So after reading the prologue I was like WOW I am loving Renita’s writing. Now that I have finished it I am like OMG what a mesmerizing beautifully written story, nothing like I have read before which has totally blown me away.
Renita transports us back to 1920 in India and the UK where we follow a story written from four women's point of view over a time scale from then until now. Keeping the reader guessing what the connection between the characters is. Telling a story about heartache and family secrets.
Everything about this story felt so real including the characters.
This is one truly captivating, breathtaking emotional read that will pull on your heartstrings with descriptions that will make you feel right there in the story they are simply stunning.
What more can I say but I loved this book which I cannot recommend enough giving it 5 massive stars.

A Daughter's Courage is the second book I have read from Renita D'Silva and once again she has written another stunning story which showcases the deep passion she has for the country of India. In this story she has highlighted the customs and traditions which bound the people that live there and in doing so has written a book full of family secrets, heartbreak and tragedy. All these elements combined to make for a read that once you got started it was hard to leave out of your hands unless really necessary to do so.

I will admit there were a lot of characters for the readers to familiarise themselves with and without the chapter headings saying what character would be featured I would have become very confused. This was only in the initial stages of the book as once I felt the book had found it's rhythm and the story was starting to develop I could keep the characters, their settings and the different time frames clearer in my head. I found myself trying to establish connections between the characters far too early on and grasping at dropped hints but I was playing the guessing game far too soon and was glad I had not guessed the eventual outcome until the author herself felt it was time for the reveal and to tie the loose ends together.

Each chapter alternates between four different women's viewpoints and at different time frames and places, stretching from the 1920's right up to the present day. The settings vary too from that of Mumbai to a more rural Indian setting and for a short while England. Having four different women it was inevitable I was going to prefer one or two over the others and that turned out to be the case. It must be challenging for any author to keep four strands separate until the pivotal moment of connection and realisation but here the author carried it off easily, yet still at the same time I found myself wanting to read more about some characters than others. I suppose some elements of the story really grabbed me and held me in their thrall whereas at other points I was racing through some chapters to return to the person I really was intrigued by.

As with Renita's previous book I found A Daughter's Courage to be a really visual story and also a feast for the senses. Right from the subtle prologue as the author created a picture for the reader of a temple long ago abandoned and now overrun with vines and trees as well as the little cottage beside it. I could easily visualise this scene in my head and brief though the prologue was it provided many questions which I desperately wanted the answers too.

Kavya is living in Mumbai, a busy city where she worked in a café while attempting to launch herself onto the Bollywood scene. She is a woman who lives life on her own terms but recent events have caused her stress and strain. She has admitted to herself that she has to return home to her family, to concede defeat even though she has tried so hard. Underneath it all Mumbai has seriously wounded her and although she attempts to keep things secret you can tell all is not well and she has been scarred by what she has gone through. Having a pushy mother who never wanted her to go away in the first place doesn't help matters. Kavya's life had long been mapped out for her so to go against the grain caused plenty of upset. Kavya's mother seems almost gleeful that she will return home but an event which makes national headlines on the television and in the newspapers takes the matriarch’s eye off her daughter's life. An elephant has gone on the rampage near a small village and in doing so has unearthed something near a long forgotten temple and cottage. National outcry abounds but just what connection has Kavya's grandmother to the area so recently thrust into the spotlight? I did wonder were there too many female lead characters in this book. Yes Kavaya's story was heartbreaking but I felt it could have been explored in greater detail, that we barely scratched the surface as to what was going on with her. In the end I realised she was essential in joining the dots so to speak but I never fully warmed to her.

In the modern day as Sue is in London grieving for her husband, she receives some unexpected news which at any other time would be most welcome but now she doesn't know how she should feel about things. How can you fully enjoy happiness when you are so mired in grief and everyday is a battle just to keep yourself going? I felt every bit of the pain Sue was experiencing through such honest, heartfelt writing. She did pop up quite suddenly midway through the story and I thought not someone else but again I was quite surprised by the role she would play. The incident in India catches her eye and sparks something within her and maybe this is what will help her emerge from the cloud of grief she is in. Maybe it will not heal her but help her along the way.

We meet Lucy living in England in 1927. She has had a privileged upbringing and is embarking upon her début season with best friend Ann. Ann has quickly become engaged and Lucy feels put out that she will be left on the shelf and the closeness and the bond she has with Ann will disappear. Lucy seemed quite flighty and was not going to venture along the path her mother had all neatly planned for her. Lucy dreams of travel, of going to far flung destinations to see the complete opposite to her world. Unfortunately an event sees Lucy in disgrace and marriage to anyone who would take her is the only option. What exactly went on in shrouded in secrecy but one can read between the lines. How on earth could Lucy be connected to a temple in India? It's only the more we move forward in the story it becomes clear and Lucy in my opinion became a much better character to read about. She is taken from all her comforts and everything that is familiar to her and transported to a very different exotic world, one in which tradition and respect play such a vital role. Lucy has been through an awful experience and the reader can clearly see moving to India and marrying someone you virtually just met is very very difficult but something or someone may provide what she didn't even know she was looking for.

The main female character who stands apart from the rest and who was my favourite to read about was that of Gowri. We first encounter her aged 14 in 1924, her family don't have an easy life yet Gowri herself has big dreams and aspirations and her teacher Vandana Ma'am would love to see her fulfil them. The discovery of a golden statue by her father whilst ploughing is believed to be fate, good luck, the fortunes of the family will transform. Unfortunately for Gowri this is not the case, she is almost like an animal being sacrificed. Everything she has so desperately wanted for herself is gone in an instant and all due to tradition and custom. A new temple is constructed and Gowri is forced to forever leave her family and leave in the cottage alongside. Gowri will be the devotee to the goddess of the temple. Her life will never be her own again. Every hope and aspiration has vanished. I found this custom of devada's fascinating and appalling in equal measure. It's a side to India's history we don't hear about yet the author has brought it to life on the pages and provided such a balanced viewpoint. How can it be right for women to be kept from their families and then left to dedicate their lives to a goddess. Through this system they became pariahs and isolated and were treated with absolute disdain. The landlord character was abhorrent and treated Gowri like a piece of meat.

It's through the letters Gowri writes to the goddess that we became familiar with how she is feeling and how she copes on a day-to-day basis with the situation she finds herself in. This was an excellent means of getting inside Gowri's head as she cannot interact with many other characters bar the landlord and one other male character at some points. Her loyalty to her family prevents her from running away for fear of what may happen to them if she does so. Time and time again I felt such pity for Gowri but in my mind she was the strongest of all the female characters, she showed such spirit, courage and tenacity. The lonely lifestyle she led would have driven anyone else mad but there was something deep inside her that was driving her on and if she left go of this she may not have continued on. I enjoyed the fact that at later points in the story she began to have elements of happiness and though if something similar would occur in today's society I would not necessarily approve of it yet back in the Gowri's time because of everything she was experiencing I felt she deserved some happiness no matter how big or small.

What ties the four women together? Well at times I thought I had figured everything out when in fact I was grasping at things and making far too big assumptions without concrete facts on which to base them. The twist when it came wasn't as mind blowing as I had hoped for but I think that's simply because I had built everything up so much in my head. Will all the family secrets come to light or will it even be possible to find resolution and some acceptance. Or has the rediscovery of the temple just opened a can of worms best left closed? All the answers await you in A Daughter's Courage and through such wonderful, elegant and deeply captivating and emotive language Renita Di'Silva has written a thoroughly enjoyable book that historical fiction fans will love and those who love the country of India will love too.