Gilded Spirits: A Novel

by Amrit Kallar

In the world of Gilded Spirits, the boundaries between work and life are not all that are blurring . . . When Georgia-born Emily Jones joins a mining party heading West with the Gold Rush of 1849, she dreams not merely of wealth, but of personal freedom. With her lively wit and her love, Jonah, by her side, the future seems to glitter—until fate delivers her, scarred though still holding fast to hope, to San Francisco. Nearly two centuries later, Meera, a factory worker from small-town India, emerges from a mental health crisis to pursue a new future in California—a decision that leads her to her soulmate, Rahul, and the start of a family of her own. To make ends meet, Meera accepts a position at Silicon Valley's tech conglomerate WC Terra—only to discover an allegiance-based, profit-fixated culture that rains abuses upon employees and consumers alike. As Meera finds herself unraveling under stress and isolation, it seems that not even her irreverent wit, her numbers-savvy mind, or her family's love can shield her in her efforts to address the corruption all around her. Yet behind the veil of spirits, a cosmic intelligence has borne witness to each woman's journey, and it knows that Meera cannot take on her burdens alone. But before moving forward, Meera will first have to accept that the boundaries of reality are far thinner than she ever imagined—and that she really does have the power to change the world

Genres: Historical Fiction

312 pages, Paperback

Published September 16, 2025

Reviews

[READER VIEWS · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Gilded Spirits” by Amrit Kallar is a compelling and intricate journey and intersection of two women, Emily and Meera, who overcome pain and heartache against the backdrop of historic California. Emily flees from Savannah, Georgia amidst the Gold Rush era, 1849, in hopes of finding her path with Jonah, a Black man she is deeply in love with. She heads west, where she meets a woman named Libby and faces another crushing loss. This all leads her into an insane asylum, where she still longs for true love and someone or some thing to belong to. Having suffered losses on all fronts, will she ever be able to recover?

This is where Meera comes in, at the start of the last decade – the roaring 2010s of the technology industry boom. Yes, quite a span of time lies between these two women, but Meera’s story ties in nicely when we find her leaving India for California. She deals with bipolar disorder and depression, and works toward an MBA, but that isn’t all. She marries and endures a tech job that is highly unpleasant. This is the pivotal moment where Meera and Emily meet in a supernatural but wholly believable way. Emily becomes a guiding light to bring Meera out of the shadows. This is where we discover the spiritual goals of the story, which involve Emily earning her wings by helping Meera attain a healthier and more satisfying work environment by creating their own company, Blackbird Sora.

Author Amrit Kallar has crafted an original story that is hard to put down. Narrated by Emily and Meera, we delve deeper into this unique relationship, which is supposed to be the perfect match, according to the Matchmaker. The plot is unique too–as we find ourselves connecting with Meera and her struggles in the workplace, and rooting for the solutions. If you’ve ever worked in a toxic environment, you will relate to Meera’s struggle, and if you’ve ever suffered loss and pain, then you will definitely understand Emily. It’s amazing what these two women accomplish when their paths cross.

This narrative is full of drama, emotion, and great dialogue, and that’s what I look for in historical romances. Plus, historic events and details are there to lend credibility. The setting of California is the perfect one to tell this intriguing story. Readers will love the characters’ energy and heart, even if they are from two different places in time and walks of life. The author’s style feels personal, especially the Acknowledgements at the end. The first-person POV brings us inside the characters, the conflict is gritty and realistic, and the descriptive details, from lists and letters to texts, bring us inside their everyday lives. Other characters besides Emily and Meera are well-drawn, from Libby to Jonah, to Rahul, to, of course, the Matchmaker, my favorite of all. When looking for an absorbing historical fiction that is satisfyingly different, “Gilded Spirits” by Amrit Kallar is a must-read debut novel.

[Masha M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautifully ambitious and spiritually resonant novel that weaves together the lives of two remarkable women across two centuries, united by their journeys to California and a struggle for autonomy against oppressive systems.

The narrative begins in 1849 with Emily Jones, a Georgia-born woman who joins the Gold Rush not just for wealth, but for personal freedom. Her hopeful journey with her love, Jonah, turns tragic, leaving her scarred but resilient in San Francisco. Nearly 200 years later, we meet Meera, a factory worker from small-town India who rebuilds her life in California after a mental health crisis. She finds love and family with Rahul, but to support them, she takes a job at WC Terra, a Silicon Valley tech conglomerate with a toxic, profit-fixated culture that abuses both employees and consumers.

Kallar masterfully draws poignant parallels between the exploitative gold mining frontier of the 19th century and the exploitative digital frontier of the 21st. Both Emily and Meera use their wit and intelligence to navigate these harsh landscapes, and both find themselves isolated and unraveling under immense pressure. The novel’s magical realist element is introduced with elegant subtlety: a cosmic intelligence or spirit world has witnessed both journeys and knows Meera cannot fight her modern battle alone.

[Sharmila Sengupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gilded Spirits left me with a quiet sense of wonder and reflection. I was especially struck by the moment when Meera realizes that her quiet resilience and wit can indeed challenge the powerful forces around her—that change starts from within and can ripple outward. The parallel stories across centuries felt intertwined in a way that made me contemplate how courage and hope endure, no matter the era. I appreciated how the book gently explored the fluid boundaries between reality and the spiritual, inviting me to see strength in the unseen. It made me think about the importance of listening to my own inner voice, even when the world feels overwhelming. Ultimately, it reminded me that we all have the power, in small and big ways, to reshape our worlds.

[Anne Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

The opening paragraph of Gilded Spirits sets the tone for the entire novel, using vivid and descriptive imagery that instantly pulls you into Emily’s journey out west during the Gold Rush era. Two hundred years later, Meera finds herself navigating the cutthroat world of Silicon Valley. Though separated by centuries, Emily and Meera share parallel journeys for newfound freedom and identity in places far from home. The novel blends history, the inner strength of these two women, and the realities of mental illness with sensitivity and depth. I found Gilded Spirits to be a powerful reminder to look past the surface and recognize the unseen struggles all around us. A great first novel for Amrit Kallar!

[Kat M · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed getting to read this book, it had that element that I was expecting from the first page. It uses the paranormal concept and enjoyed the overall blurring of the lines of spirits. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and enjoyed the overall journey of this book. It uses the paranormal thriller concept and enjoyed how strong the plot was in this. Amrit Kallar has a strong writing style and enjoyed the overall feel of this story and characters.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.