The Direction of the Wind, Mansi Shah
The Direction of the Wind, Mansi Shah
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The Direction of the Wind
A Novel

Author: Mansi Shah

Narrator: Soneela Nankani

Unabridged: 9 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 02/01/2023


Synopsis

A heartfelt story that spans continents and generations, about a young woman who searches for answers about a mother she barely remembers.Sophie Shah was six when she learned her mother, Nita, had died. For twenty-two years, she shouldered the burden of that loss. But when her father passes away, Sophie discovers a cache of hidden letters revealing a shattering truth: her mother didn’t die. She left.Nita Shah had everything most women dreamed of in her hometown of Ahmedabad, India—a loving husband, a doting daughter, financial security—but in her heart, she felt like she was living a lie. Fueled by her creative ambitions, Nita moved to Paris, the artists’ capital of the world—even though it meant leaving her family behind. But once in Paris, Nita’s decision and its consequences would haunt her in ways she never expected.Now that Sophie knows the truth, she’s determined to find the mother who abandoned her. Sophie jets off to Paris, even though the impulsive trip may risk her impending arranged marriage. In the City of Light, she chases lead after lead that help her piece together a startling portrait of her mother. Though Sophie goes to Paris to find Nita, she may just also discover parts of herself she never knew.

About Mansi Shah

MANSI SHAH was born in Toronto to Indian immigrants and raised in the midwestern United States. Her novels, which include The Taste of Ginger and The Direction of the Wind, centre on Gujarati characters and speak to generational differences across the Indian diaspora. Now based in Los Angeles, Shah left her long-time career as an entertainment attorney in Hollywood to travel the world and write full time. She loves to cook and frequently experiments with culinary creations that blend Indian flavors with those of other cuisines, and food often plays a prominent role in her books. 


Reviews

Goodreads review by Khurram on May 21, 2024

Family and tradition A good heartbreaking story. A very good mix of traditions and cultures. An interesting contradiction as cultures tend to change over time, traditions try and remain the same despite the times. All families have secrets. When Sophie's father dies, she learns that her mother, she be......more

Goodreads review by Karren on January 30, 2023

When Sophie Shah’s father Rajiv suddenly passes away, a couple of weeks later she discovers he’s been keeping a secret from her and she’s stunned. Twenty-two years ago, a six year old Sophie returned home from school and her father told her her mother Nita had died in a tragic accident. The truth wa......more

Goodreads review by Em on August 19, 2022

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review! This book didn't quite live up to expectations. The imagery used in this book is very vivid and I really enjoyed reading about Ahmedabad and Paris. It was very easy to picture those locations as I was reading.......more


Quotes

“An absorbing and emotional read that follows two women on their journeys to self-discovery while breaking from social confines.” BooklistThe Direction of the Wind is an unexpected and compelling exploration of the way culture shapes us. This is a gritty, lyrical, heartbreaking, and deeply moving novel. I found myself reading far into the night, unable to leave behind the quest of these two women, a generation apart. Mansi Shah writes with a fresh voice and clear eyes.” —Barbara O’Neal, USA Today bestselling author of When We Believed in Mermaids“A tender novel about the push and pull between families and independence, obligation and freedom, and the past and the future. The Direction of the Wind will both break your heart and send it soaring. Bravo, Mansi Shah!” —Allison Winn Scotch, bestselling author of The Rewind