Gita Desai Is Not Here to Shut Up

by Sonia Patel

It's eighteen-year-old Gita Desai's first year at Stanford University, and it's a miracle she's here and not already married off by her traditional Gujarati parents. She's determined to death-grip her good-girl, model-student rep all the way to medical school, which means no social life or standing out in any way. Should be easy: If there's one thing she's learned from her family it's how to chup-re—to "shut up," fade into the background.

But when childhood memories of her aunt's desertion and her then-uncle's best friend resurface, Gita ditches the books night after night in favor of partying and hooking up with strangers. Still, nothing can stop the nagging voice in her head that's growing louder and louder, insisting something's wrong... and the only way she can burst forward is to stop shutting-up about the past.

Genres: Fiction, Dark Academia, Contemporary, Young Adult, Mental Health, Realistic Fiction, Coming Of Age

400 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 10, 2024

About the author

Sonia Patel is a first-generation Indian American born in New York and raised in Hawai’i. Her break-out novel, RANI PATEL IN FULL EFFECT, was a finalist for the William C. Morris Debut Award, a YALSA and Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book, and received four-starred reviews. Her subsequent YA novels JAYA AND RASA: A LOVE STORY and BLOODY SEOUL both received the In the Margins Book Award. She contributed a short story—NOTHING FEELS NO PAIN—to the YA anthology AB(SOLUTELY) NORMAL: SHORT STORIES THAT SMASH MENTAL HEALTH STEREOTYPES. Her fourth YA novel, GITA DESAI IS NOT HERE TO SHUT UP, will be published Summer 2024. As a child and adolescent psychiatrist trained at Stanford University and the University of Hawaii, Patel has spent over twenty years providing psychotherapy to youth and their families. She lives in Honolulu with her husband and teenage son, and misses her daughter who’s away at college.

Reviews

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I need to start off with, I know Gita has dealt with and is dealing with trauma that has happened to her and she’s dealing with it in her own way. However, what I just can’t wrap my head around is a girl who has worked her butt off to do what she wanted, not listen to her parents, pushed off an arranged marriage to become a doctor, who studies and does what she can to be best in her class ends up in the situations she ends up in. Who gets into Stanford pre-med and ends up getting sucked into “peer pressure” situations this easily? I can see why she works her butt off to get the life she wants and that’s also another way she deals with her trauma but to automatically flip a switch, especially when she doesn’t feel good enough just seems so out of character in my mind. It feels a little fake to me. Like if this was going to happen I feel like this would have happened in high school, not college, especially Stanford.

Of course, I feel bad for Gita and everything she had and has to deal with, especially having conservative traditional parents but something just didn’t feel authentic about this story.

Also, I could not stand how many times the word “Chup-re” was used in this story. If I never see that word ever again I would be so happy! It was wayyyyyyyy over used and honestly quite annoying and made me hate the story a little bit more. This has nothing to do with what the word means or anything. It just felt like it was over used and took away from the story.

I really wanted to like this story, especially because a lot of things young women go through are brought up and not sugar coated, but it just didn’t grab my attention the way I hoped it would.

[ash ³³ ᵈᵘ ᵈᵘ ᵈᵘ]

(note: part hindi pre-review)

have not read this but it looks really interest. i'm always drawn towards desi book recs, especially those with high achieving indian women because i can relate with those so much than 'carefree' 'bold' classic booktok white fmc's.

almost every indian girl has been told to shut up, chup raho, or whatever language you speak, by parents, mentors, family members whatever. indian culture has very strict ethics about respecting your elders, something that has been drilled into our heads before we even learn to babble.

and gita chup raheti hai, jaise hum bhi chup rahete hain. but everyone has a breaking point, when you finally get and say "nahi. nahi chup rahungi" because you need to speak up, no matter how much you are

i've seen a lot of reviews that say the chup-re is used too many times and while once again, i haven't read this book, you have to understand that this a mantra for us. chup raho. shut up. don't speak. just listen. on repeat, in our heads, all the time. a warning, a a guideline, an unbreakable code. i know what if feels like, gita knows what it feels like, we all know what it feels like.

anyway. excited to read this

[Stephanie Affinito · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was an emotional rollercoaster, one that I could not get off and still cannot shake from my mind. It's that raw, real, powerful, emotional and moving. Gita is starting her freshman year at Stanford with all intentions of focusing on her studies so she can heal others as a doctor. But when one night of drunken sex turns into another and another, Gita starts to unravel. Told both in the present and in the past, Gita starts to uncover memories that were pushed down and silenced from years ago as she unknowingly reenacts them in the present day. Honestly, this book was hard for me to read at times as it was filled with such emotion, such shame, such questioning and such abuse. But please don't let that stop you from reading it. The undercurrents of family, friendship and worth were so strong and the transformation that takes place is worth the emotional ride. No more chup re.

[Ashby Dodd · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an emotional ride Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up by Sonia Patel takes you on! Although this novel might technically fall into the Young Adult category, it’s anything but a light read. The book dives deep into real and difficult subject matter, dealing with trauma, family dynamics, and the often overwhelming mental health challenges that arise when we don’t, or simply can’t, confront our past.

The story centers on Gita Desai, a young woman who seems to have it all figured out at Stanford University—until she doesn’t. As Gita starts acting out, sabotaging the life she worked so hard to build, her past creeps back, threatening to destroy everything she thought she knew about herself. Sonia Patel doesn't shy away from the messiness of mental health and trauma, and Gita’s slow unraveling is painfully relatable in its raw honesty.

I have never read Sonia Patel before, but this book hooked me. Her writing is so visceral and real that it almost feels like reading someone’s private journal. Gita’s pain and confusion are laid out in a way that makes you squirm, but that’s part of the brilliance. It’s uncomfortable in all the right ways, forcing readers to sit with the emotional weight of Gita’s journey without rushing through it.

If you're looking for a book that challenges you and stays with you long after you've read the final page, Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up is the one. Trust me, you won’t regret diving into this intense and emotionally charged story. Patel has made me a fan, and I’ll definitely be picking up more of her work in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the advanced reader's copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a heavy book about living up to expectations, cycles of trauma, sexual abuse/rape, family secrets and soooo much more. Definitely recommended for older YA readers, this is an important, heartfelt book about the struggles one Desi college ed goes through when she gets raped and then goes down a spiral of drugs, alcohol and partying instead of getting the help she needs. Good on audio and worth picking up but take care if this subject is triggering for you in any way.

[Gina Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Omg, was this book intense. It's set in the 90s when Gita is starting college and by chapter 2 she's already delved into voyeurism!!

Gita is fun and quirky but this book definitely doesn't have much of a fun tone - Gita is both kind of losing herself in sexual encounters that she's usually barely consenting to and also slowly remembering some stuff that happened in her childhood that kind of explains her need to just shut up and deal with whatever happens to her.

She's Indian and there's a lot of fuss from the adults in her life about being in an arranged marriage when she finishes medical school, so the fact that she even ends up having sex at all is taboo, let alone the frequency. But like I said, "having sex" is kind of applied loosely here because a lot of the encounters really border on rape and some don't even border on rape, they kinda just are rape.

She makes two pretty good friends and has the typical college girl struggles with them - party rules, how much to share about your personal life with new friends, not being the "pretty friend" in the group... one of the girls is literally a model. Oh, and, awkwardly, one of them is the one she watched have sex at the beginning of the book (it comes up later, don't worry)

I really liked this and thought it was approachable even with the tough topics, and I think Gita's detached emotions about some of the things that happen to her honestly work in the book's favor, because it feels matter-of-fact most of the time and not too emotionally heavy, even knowing that she's going through bad stuff.

Her relationship with her family ends pretty well too - she's always been tight with her brother, but her parents have a complicated relationship with her (read: pretty controlling and dismissive) plus she had an aunt that lived with her as a child who literally disappeared one day and only sends birthday cards every year and the way that storyline ended was so bittersweet.

I do recommend this, but definitely after the reader has checked trigger warnings for SA and rape related things.

[Aparna]

For me, this book can’t be rated - it’s well written but parts of it were deeply unsettling to read and I almost had to put it aside at several times.

[brontësaurus]

pre-read

the way i need this more than therapy-

[Caitie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my god, this was so good. There’s heartbreaking moments and moments that will lift you up. I almost cried listening to the audiobook at work. I also liked the 1992 setting and the mentions of how songs/music make people feel different things. Highly recommend!

[Lectus · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just finished this audiobook, and while the narration was on point, Gita… seemed like a character pulled straight from a script.

Gita is a premed student, and she’s seriously wondering if she can get HIV from swallowing?

One minute Gita is pitying herself about never even being kissed, and the next, she's jumping into bed with just about anyone who looks her way. Like, seriously? And then, she’s bummed out because men just want to use her body. Duh!

It got me thinking—do women really need to go out, get drunk, and hook up randomly to figure themselves out? Is that really what empowerment looks like? It feels like the book is saying that the only way to find yourself is through a whirlwind of parties and one-night stands, which is a pretty narrow view.

The whole issue with Gita not really wanting to have sex but feeling too awkward to say no…typical. I’d love to see a character who owns her sexuality and enjoys it without all the guilt and tears that authors give them.

And don’t even get me started on that moment when she was wondering, “Was I raped last night?” because she never said yes, but didn’t say no either. Seriously? And later, hurting because that guy is out dining with some girl., she wonders why he didn’t ask her out too instead of just having sex with her. Hmmm…

As for her friendship with Jane and Marisol—it felt so forced! Gita claims they’re her “girls” after, what, a hot minute? And then there’s the whole thing where they’re seriously concerned about Gita’s hickey. Didn’t Jane have a wild session with her doors wide open, which poor Gita had to witness? And Marisol—total flirt while she’s right in front of her boyfriend… both acting all concerned about Gita disappearing for 30 minutes at a party. It all felt hypocritical and just didn’t vibe with me!

Gita, judging a guy because he left his wife and child at the hotel to attend a party. Now, don’t be hatin’ because he was taken and wasn’t a cheater!

I became exhausted with Gita’s constant whining about her fake-sounding life 😢😢😢.

Honestly, this book follows the same tired storyline: the pressure of an arranged marriage, a messy self-discovery phase, and then, after hitting rock bottom, some sort of enlightenment. It feels like I've read this story a million times before, and I was really hoping for something fresh and different.

[Stacy40pages · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gita Desai Is Not Here to Shut Up by Sonia Patel. Thanks to @penguinteen for the gifted Arc ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Gita has started her first year at Stanford despite her traditional Gujarati parents’ wish for an arranged marriage. She has always studied hard and learned to chup-re (shut up) and fade into the background. Until memories begin to resurface and lead to partying and hookups.

I tend to forget how serious and meaningful young adult books can be and this was a reminder of that. This deals with some very heavy topics and in a very relatable way. I loved Gita’s experience of college after growing up in a strict household. It takes place in the nineties as is full of cultural references. While a difficult read with triggering topics, the addition of supportive friends and family softens the pages.

“The more pain I lock up, the more I hurt the people I love with it.”

Gita Desai Is Not Here to Shut Up comes out 9/10.

[Eden]

DNF @30%

This was way too heavy for me.

[Jo · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book needs a massive child SA warning.

[Anvi Emani · Rating 4 out of 5]

honestly I had no business reading this book with how I’ve been lately 😂😂😂 extremely heavy read

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

"What good is learning and wisdom if you hurt people with it? What good is pleasure if it brings someone pain ?"

[Sophie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a messed up story about a girl who clearly has mental health issues stemming from childhood trauma. The problem is that the writing wasn’t that good, so to me it lacked the depth I expected for this kind of read. I still gave it 3 stars because the ending was very emotional and because although I didn’t love the writing, it was a story that needed to be told.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4
SHUT UP. Or, in Gita’s culture, the word is “chupre”. This is what Gita is told all her life. It’s her freshman year and she’s already drinking way too much and feeling shame over most of her decisions.

Gita is an ultra high achiever, first generation Indian in her first year pre-med at the elite Stanford University. But her parents have other ideas…one being an eventual arranged marriage.

Gita is like a hurricane headed for a path of destruction unless maybe, she can find her still, small voice buried deep down inside herself.

A great read about the enduring power of friendships and family to stand beside us as we struggle for our truth.

Pub date: September 10, 2024

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

[Danni]

DNF

I read 70% and can’t get myself to care enough to finish it.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

While this book is well written, I couldn't help but feel that this is torture porn. Nearly every sexual encounter that Gita has is rape (Steve being the exception, although he did sleep with Gita to get Marisol's phone number). I understand that the questionable sexual encounters are a means to uncover Gita's childhood sexual trauma (see, it keeps piling on) but it just feels like too much to happen to one woman in one book covering such a short time frame. I understand that this could be the reality for some people but I read as an escape and this one made me feel caged.

I would never recommend this to a teen reader. This one's going to the New Adult pile.

[Meg Howell-Haymaker · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my favorites.

[Oliwier Boss · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5*

[Bethany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gita has her life at Stanford all planned out, even though her parents prefer her to marry a man to support her instead of studying. However, when she gets there, she finds herself straying from her strict timeline. Choosing to go out with new friends instead of studying, Gita starts to fall behind. She also gets into uncomfortable situations and instead of speaking up, she holds her tongue and tells herself to shut up. That is, until things boil over and become too much.

GITA DESAI IS NOT HERE TO SHUT UP is an emotional rollercoaster that will crush your heart. It’s a contemporary coming of age story that’s all about learning from your bad decisions in life. Gita makes lots of horrible mistakes but learns to find her voice. I do want to mention trigger warnings for sensitive topics like racism and rape. Gita comes from a family of immigrants and struggles to break out of there old fashioned demands of her. She wants her own identity and not the one her parents try to force upon her. The author isn’t afraid to tackle all of these sensitive themes and we’re given a story full of raw emotion.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this story to older teens and adults who like gritty, sensitive contemporaries. This book will rip you apart and get your mind spinning.

[Mai H.]

ANHPI TBR

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dial Books

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Gita Desai is Not Here to Shut Up by Sonia Patel is a first person-POV YA contemporary exploring sexual assault, trauma, and the dangers of holding things in. Gita Desai has wanted to be a doctor her entire life but her parents aren't as enthusiastic, believing she should get married and have a family as soon as possible. They agree to let her go to Stanford to get her medical degree but an arranged marriage is waiting for when she finishes. On a double-date with her roommate, Gita is assaulted by her date and things from the past start coming back to her as she tries to take control of her narrative.

The early 90’s setting really added to the story as not only do we get those 90’s references, such as TLC and Freddie Mercury, but Gita makes reference to safe sex and STDs, which were a really big topic at the time. Even readers who have had quality, comprehensive sex education could always use a reminder to practice safe sex and that STDs are transmitted in a variety of ways.

Chup-re, translated as ‘shut up’, is very often repeated by Gita whenever she gets close to coming forward and talking about what happened to her or asking questions about other people’s trauma. It becomes a manta in the narrative of ‘repress, keep it down’ instead of bringing ugly things to the light to finally start healing. Even Gita’s brother, Sai, does some chup-re of his own in relation to a family friend who hurt Gita and her aunt. Chup-re is meant to keep her quiet, keep her obedient, but acts as a double-edged sword because it stops her from telling her parents about what happened and protects her abuser.

As we go further into Gita’s past and the things she’s been holding in start demanding her attention, it can get really hard to read. Sonia Patel does not hold back in depicting the horrors of CSA, traditionalist views towards women, and how it impacts teenagers and adults years later. I cried several times and cried at the end when I read the author’s note. It’s a deeply powerful book that some people will absolutely need and will help teens and college-age students who are in a similar position see themselves.

Content warning for depictions of colorism, anti-Black racism, anti-Islam attitudes, and graphic depictions of sexual assault.

I would recommend this to readers looking for a realistic, hard-hitting depiction of the impact of sexual assault, fans of YA contemporary that explores difficult topics in candid ways, and those who need books like this in the world.

[Barbara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one is a 3.5 for me. Eighteen-year-old Gita Desai has big plans for her future, and going premed at Stanford is just the start of reaching her goals. Although she loves her Gujarati-Indian parents, she has resisted their efforts to broker an arranged marriage, and she embraces the freedom college offers. A hard-working, efficient student, she and her older brother Sai have been taught to chup-re [shut up], not argue, and fade into the background. For somewhat vague reasons other than shared musical tastes on the part of Jane, who lives across the hall in the dorm, Jane and Marisol, a model, take her under their wings. Gita finds herself drinking, hung over, having casual sex, and emotionally distracted. While there's nothing inherently wrong with having multiple sex partners, she doesn't always know their names or consent to the activity, somehow unable to say, "No" or to ask them to stop. As she stumbles from one bad experience after another, her performance at the lab where she works suffers as do her grades--at least temporarily. She also experiences flashbacks to similar instances when she was just a child, but since her Pinky Aunty is no longer in California, she isn't sure what they mean, other than that she has been taught to respect and never say no to adults. With support from various friends, including Jane, Marisol, and Sora, who works in the same lab, Gita finally finds her voice and stands up for herself. Despite/Because of this book's subject matter, reading it is an intense experience, not for the faint of heart. Even with possible cultural differences and the time period [1992, complete with the appropriate musical references], this is a story in which many of us will be able to see ourselves, quiet, compliant girls whose silence poses a danger to their well-being. There is much to like about this book, especially the development of Gita as a character and how she grows, and her wonderfully supportive brother, but I wondered how she possibly managed to make A's in her courses, including Organic Chemistry, with all her extracurricular activities, and all that partying and those hangovers. I also wondered how Gita's story might have been different or stayed the same had the book been set in 2024. How much have things changed? This one is definitely worth a read.

[Lost in Book Land · Rating 5 out of 5]

Welcome Back!

It’s been very wintry lately, which has given way to a lot of reading! I have also been picking up a lot of books I am enjoying. Some of these picks have been serious while others have been just entertaining to read. However, today’s read was one I saw way before it came out and I knew I needed to read it from just seeing the cover alone. I never read a summary or description of this book but I hit the pre-order button and I am so glad I did.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Gita is attending Stanford University for her freshman year. Her entire family is incredibly proud of her and her older brother has even skipped college to work to help pay for Gita’s college education. Her parents own a business and are very proud of everything they have accomplished. They wanted Gita to follow tradition and have an arranged marriage but Gita wants to go to college, get an amazing job as a doctor, and choose her own path in life. Gita has never been in love or even real-like with anyone. But college is different she is away from home and able to make her own choices. After meeting two new friends, Gita begins to flip her entire life upside down with partying, drinking, and more. As Gita navigates her first year of college she also starts to have memories spring up from her childhood and it appears things might not have been wonderful for her like she remembered, but the only person who might be able to confirm that is her aunt. Her aunt has not spoken to any one of the family members in years and only sends cards on birthdays, no one has her address or phone number. But Gita is almost sure what she is starting to remember happened and she thinks her aunt knows the whole truth.

I loved Gita’s story. I loved seeing her craft her freshman year and sometimes compare what she thought her life would be (studying day and night) to what it actually became. I felt heartbroken for Gita about her aunt and her childhood abuse. I loved Gita’s relationship with her brother and seeing her create a totally different relationship with her friends. I know it is very early in 2025, but this might be a favorite read of 2025 for me!

Goodreads Rating: 5 Stars

[Brittney Jade · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this book thanks to the publishers*

So I didn't love this book but didn't hate it either; I feel very neutral about this book. Some people may really love it, others may really hate it so I consider this a read at your own risk book.

This is a YA coming-of-age book that takes place in 1992. Gita Desai is a first generation born Gujarati Indian and attends Stanford University. She has a set plan for her life and that is becoming a doctor, even though her parents are pushing her to get married (in an arranged marriage).
Gita's plan only involves studying, going to class and taking small breaks to exercise and eat. This all goes out the window when she meets Jane on move in day. They become instant friends, becoming a trio with Jane's friend Marisol. The 3 begin to go out partying and drinking, with Gita drinking to excess. Every time she drinks, she does things that she would not normally do and instantly regrets her actions. However, this brings up dormant memories from her childhood.

The dormant memories will tug at your heartstrings and you just want to hug Gita. There were other times that present-day Gita made me want to just hug her and tell her things will be okay. She is a typical 18 year old and just trying to find herself.
There were also times that I got secondhand embarrassment from Gita. But overall, she is a sheltered 18 year old finding herself and newfound independence.

I think this would be a great book for kids 16-18, right before they enter college. It could be used as a learning tool to show how alcohol impairs your judgement and that if something is bothering you, you shouldn't hold it in.
The book is written very realistically is that is a plus; and was written well enough to keep your interest but like I said this book is not for everyone.

If you are a sensitive reader, please look at the trigger warnings as there is talk of SA and suicidal ideation so just double check!

Thank you again to the publishers for my ARC.

[Kiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book really details how being hurt so intimately by a family member can affect a person for life. Good depiction of how family knowingly and unknowingly protects dick wads who deserve death. I’m glad Gita had so many friends, life could’ve continued how it did in her childhood where she experienced all those things without anyone to talk to. Her behavior was infuriating but understandable at the same time, she, just like all of us wanted to find love, and there’s a multitude of people who find the love of their life in college, and if she was one of them she could get out of the arranged marriage her parents wanted for her, but at the very least she wanted to fit in and be considered attractive like Jane and Marisol and didn’t know or consider the full implications of that. I feel like it’s a good depiction of how we covet things but since we don’t know what it’s truly like and how it feels we don’t know what to do if we actually get it. I’m so glad Marisol was understanding about the Joey situation though. I feel like this book had all the things that made it a good ending, and I’m glad it did for sure as I complain enough about books not having good endings, but I feel like realistically in someone else’s life they didn’t get the support they needed, they had a Marisol who blamed them for the assault similar to Pinki’s situation. I feel like Gita lashing out at Jane and Marisol made sense, infuriating for it to happen but it’s a very realistic and predictable reaction. Also does a good job at depicting how our past unconsciously affects our present through Gita not even having the real willpower to fight back or cause any problems and later realizing it’s due to having experienced similar things in her youth. Really good book, and I like that it included resources at the end as well

[Bethany Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eighteen-year-old Gita struggles to balance her traditional upbringing with her desire for independence as she navigates her first year at Stanford. As she confronts her family's expectations and unresolved past traumas, Gita begins to break free from her silence and embrace her true self.

Wow. This book is powerful in so many ways. First, Gita’s struggle to know herself personally and intimately is so relatable. Her past trauma really did a number on her, especially with what she repressed. The constant shame, the fear of disappointing or upsetting her elders, her sadness over being looked past by guys she was interested in… it hit me in the heart. I have been (and still sometimes am unfortunately) the person who is on the outside looking in, who is passed over, who feels shame. That is a hard feeling to get over and one that is so incredibly easy for me to relate to.

This book tackles so many tough issues and does it well. I loved Gita’s relationship with Jane and Marisol. I adored Sora. I loved her closeness with her older brother and how much they care for each other. Her willingness to forgive her aunt was so brave and she had a lot of strength to do that. Her fear of telling the ones she loved broke my heart. I’m so glad they were supportive.

Don’t miss the author’s note.

I really liked this one. I would suggest looking up content warnings as well.

*I received a digital ARC of this book for review by the publisher, all thoughts are my own.*

[Pooja Palimar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sonia Patel’s “Gita Desai Will Not Shut Up” is a powerful exploration of identity, trauma, and the complexities of immigrant life. While the narrative is undeniably excellent, it’s also incredibly challenging to process. The book delves deep into themes of sexual abuse and assault, making it a difficult but necessary read.

Patel masterfully weaves in layers of cultural identity, portraying a freshman who has lived a disciplined life, yet finds herself confronting the harsh realities of campus life. The intricate relationship dynamics between first-generation Indians and their immigrant parents are depicted with gut-wrenching authenticity, illuminating the struggles many readers may find relatable.

However, it’s important to note that this book should come with a trigger warning. The various forms of assault are depicted in a way that captures the self-doubt and embarrassment often felt by victims. Patel's writing is both horrible and beautifully articulated, resonating with the sentiments many young women experience on college campuses.

“Gita Desai Will Not Shut Up” is an exploration of pivotal issues that deserve attention, even if they are difficult to digest. It’s a book that will stay with you, challenging readers to confront uncomfortable truths while celebrating resilience amid adversity.