The Girl and the Goddess: Stories and Poems of Divine Wisdom

by Nikita Gill

Bestselling poet, writer, and Instagram sensation Nikita Gill returns with a collection of poetry and prose exploring Hindu mythology and legend.

Let her be a little less human, a little more divine
Give her heart armor so it doesn't break as easily as mine

Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart, and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of Partition in India, we follow her as she crosses the precarious lines between childhood, teenage discovery, and realizing her adult self. In the process, Paro must confront fear, desire and the darkest parts of herself in the search for meaning and, ultimately, empowerment.

Nikita Gill's vivid poetry and beautiful illustrations have captured hearts and imaginations--but in The Girl and the Goddess, she offers us her most personal and deeply felt writing to date: an intimate coming-of-age story told in linked poems that offers a look into the Hindu mythology and rich cultural influences that helped her become the woman she is today.

Genres: Poetry, Mythology, Fantasy, Fiction, Feminism, LGBT, Queer

352 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 2020

About the author

Nikita Gill is a Kashmiri Sikh writer born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and brought up in Gurugram, Haryana in India. In her mid twenties, she immigrated to the South of England and worked as a carer for many years. She enjoys creating paintings, poems, stories, photos, illustrations and other soft, positive things. Her work has appeared in Literary Orphans, Agave Magazine, Gravel Literary Journal, Monkeybicycle, Foliate Oak, MusePiePress, Dying Dahlia Review, The Rising Phoenix Review, Eunoia Review, Corvus Review, After The Pause and elsewhere.

Reviews

[Nikita Gill]

My first ever novel in verse. Still cannot believe it is out in the world finally. ❤️

EDIT: MAJOR NEWS: LENA HEADEY IS PRODUCING A TV ADAPTATION OF THIS BOOK!!

https://deadline.com/2021/09/the-girl...

[The Story Girl (Serenity) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, this book blew me away. It took me a while to realize this wasn't a collection of poems about the author herself but a novel in verse. Once I realized that though, I was sucked into Paro's story of growing up in war torn Kashmir, then Delhi, before her move to London where she could truly be free and herself. It was so feminist and powerful, and this is why I'll read anything Nikita Gill writes.

[mohini☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got lucky enough to have this masterpiece in the middle of a festival of goddesses!

This was my first Gill, and I’m thoroughly impressed.

More than poetry, it was more like a verse novel. You follow Paro, a Kashmiri girl, from her childhood to womanhood who is taught the ways of life by gods and goddesses themselves.

The book deals with several dark topics, all too real and relatable. Paro, like a true goddess, fights every monstrosity that society throws at her- war and separation from loved ones, misogyny, sexism, patriarchy, bigotry, body shaming, child abuse, sexual assaults, homophobia.

I’ve never read quite something like this before and I’m still a bit stunned, actually. The world is sinister and full of asuras, yet when you need it most & least expect it, a goddess comes, she takes you by hand and leads you out of the poisonous fog that blurs your vision all while she recounts a story-her story.

I’m absolutely in awe at the way Author has woven Indian mythology’s most popular and celebrated legends of our gods & goddesses like Durga, Draupadi, Shashti, Lakshmi, Kali, Sita, Ganesh, with a mortal’s constant endeavors as they try to make sense of themselves and this unforgiving world.

It also becomes quite unnerving as you hear the same tales from a goddess’s perspectives-a woman’s perspective-a perspective we tend to often erase to suit our own palette.

My personal favorite parts were “How to leave a paradise”, “The Sailor” and every story those god and goddess told, especially Shikhandi’s.

I can’t help but love Nikita for (not at all subtly) pointing out the deep-rooted, often glossed over connection between Indian mythology with homosexuality. I’d just had a huge discussion/debate on this two weeks ago with my cousin and grandmother- with a goal is to-one homophobic less at a time.

I wish this book was in my regional language, so I could make every woman in my family read it.

PS. Those stunning illustrations!💖

Thanks to NetGalley and Ebury Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Ari · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 a book that was perhaps not written for me stars

I wanted to love this book, I really did, but something about the way Gill wrote this just rubbed me the wrong way. I am also Indian, and I am a Bengali. The myths she wrote on, are stories we grew up with, but maybe I'm just too jaded, because although I am a feminist, the aggressive undertone of all the writings really felt chaffing.

I am one of those people who believe that a woman should be respected because respect should be afforded to all living things, irrespective of their gender and sexuality, and not because I believe that womanhood is synonymous with godhood. Maybe this book is just not for me, which, I will agree with wholeheartedly, but I am also a woman, and rather than feeling empowered, I feel more numb the more I read this. It is not a hard book to read, per say, but the blandness of it permeates through and stains your vision, until you're compelled to put it down.

I felt for the Paro, in a way I would perhaps feel for a faceless name on the news, sympathetic, but at the same time I could've moved on and not remembered her or her story. I only wish that the writing was more compelling, because I could hardly blame the character for the way they're portrayed by the writer.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you, Nikita Gill for making me cry a river. I loved everything about this book. A page turner indeed!

This is my second favorite book of Nikita next to Wild Embers.

[Lorelei · Rating 5 out of 5]

~~~5 Stars~~~

For some reason, that rating doesn't sit well with me. I feel like I should have more critiques but I can't find them. Ughhhhh.

Anyway, this book brought me to tears multiple times. Our main character's journey takes us through her entire life. We see her darkest memories and her brightest ones. This book has such a powerful and uplifting message to all of the females, LGBTQIA+, and minority groups. I found myself hanging on for each new poem to see what Paro would discover about herself. I also loved how the Goddesses were incorporated into the story. Gill managed to write a book where the reader truly gets to know the main character. I don't know about any of you, but I don't find that very often.

Characters
On the topic of characters, each new character had so many layers to them. They weren't just your stereotypical archetypes, they actually had some personality. I loved the amount of LGBTQIA+ representation and how much of the book was dedicated to Paro's struggles as a bisexual woman. She managed to keep peeling away layers upon layers of falsities leaving you to read the honest truth. I swear my heart broke for her at least 27 times throughout the book. Her fear to come out as bi and to just be herself around her other classmates resonated with me a lot more than I thought it would. The poem that really brought hurled me over the edge was The Introvert Tries to Make a Friend. If you don't already know my personality is 99% introverted, so this poem shook me to my core. I think I cried 7 times in two days over this book. That has got to be a new record for me. I also loved the elements of art and tarot that were mixed into the story. Everything about the book seemed to have a purpose, instead of just being thrown into it to add some uniqueness.

Plot
Ok, the plot was beautifully done. Why was everything in this book so good???? Paro was facing some of the most alarming things by the time she was 5. She was ripped away from her only childhood friend because they practiced different religions. She was raped at the age of 7 and then bullied throughout her entire middle & high school life. I mean this girl has seen and experienced a lot of shit from humanity.

Final Thoughts
WOW WOW WOW
I don't read much poetry/verse but this book may have gotten me started on that track. I just want to say the people in London are amazing and Devon is the best. The blunt, to the point writing about some of the world's greatest issues like homophobia, racism, and religious persecution, got to me and made me realize just how much we don't know. We might not be fully ignorant, but we sure as hell can't fully comprehend what some people go through. I REALLY recommend this book to everyone, even if you hate verse/poetry, you need to read this to understand life and the way each individual person struggles. Even when you can't see it on the surface, the struggle is always hiding just beneath ready to break free at any time.

[Daria Marchis · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is easily one of my favorite books I have ever read!! It’s so so so beautiful I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s about finding yourself in the process of loosing. It’s about the divine energy and what it’s like to be a girl is a hurtful world. It’s about understanding and loving who you truly are.
I can’t describe the love I have for this book.

[jules ⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes all it takes
to help someone survive
anything brutal
are those six words:
'None of it was your fault'

nikita gill never fails to impress me 😩 she's my favorite poet ever since i read fierce fairytales this time last year. i admire how she incorporates poetry and storytelling, it's so cool when a story is told in verse. paro coming out as bisexual to her mother made me cry and the ending! parvati and shiva reincarnated 🥺

[Morgan Boyd · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic way to start of 2021

[Makayla Samountry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m… incredibly impressed 😮‍💨

[Sonali Dabade · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my freaking gosh!!!!

Review to come soon! Goodness!

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Euuughhhhh. I think I'm too old for this.

And I feel bad about it because this is obviously semi-autobiographical and who am I to judge how someone wishes to express their life story and struggles? But I was just a little... meh on this whole book.

I can imagine that for a lot of teens and young adults, especially those who are questioning their identities and their sexualities, this would be a great read but unfortunately I just feel like I am a little beyond that and how it was written. I found myself skim reading certain parts. And even though the inclusion of Hindu mythology was fantastic, even that felt a little stale towards the end.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a beautiful coming-of-age story written in verse form about a girl named Paro.

She is visited by goddesses and gods who tell her Hindu myths to teach her the lessons she needs to help her throughout her life.

The book covers many common, difficult topics such as racism, classism, mysogeny and sexual abuse, to name a few, but the main theme throughout is the message of love, self acceptance and self power.

This was a different type of book for me, but one I enjoyed completely!

[Shameless.bookslut · Rating 2 out of 5]

"𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘂𝗺𝗮 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 𝗺𝗲 𝗶𝗺𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗺𝘆 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲."
—us moment.

[Aurora · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second mythology inspired book by Nikita Gill I’ve read and I think the novel in verse format really suits her style. I was captivated by Paro’s journey from the aftermath of war and partition in Kashmir to Delhi and London, glittering big cities with their own dangers. I love the seamless way stories from Hindu mythology are woven through the narrative, along with some truly gorgeous illustrations. Though the mythical aspect was definitely my favorite, I also really appreciate that Gill explores important topics like racism, homophobia, sexual assault and sexism. Sometimes I wish she’d approach those themes with a little more subtlety, but the ending was so perfectly crafted it more than made up for it. I got chills.

[steph · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting off the year on a strong note, I love that for me personally but aside from Nikita's stunning writing, this is an ode to family, culture, strength in femininity and a reminder that the foundation of who you are centers you in a world that's determined to strip your identity away to nothing. Couldn't recommend this one enough honestly

[Fanna]

October 23, 2020: AYEEE, I can finally read this! After loving Fierce Fairytales so much, I think I'll love any and everything by Nikita Gill.

[Chrysa · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Everything about you
may look like someone else,
but that spirit was my gift to you
and no one else."

I devoured this book. Thank the world for work-free Sundays at my job, because I just spent the day eating up the words, loving every single page of it.
So much strength and emotion is expressed within these pages that I couldn't put it down.
Freeing, feministic, LGBTQIAA, poetic, colourful, expressive, vulnerable...does it show that I'm a fan?
After reading Fierce Fairytales, Nikita Gill became one of my favourite writers and this book was no exception.
If the theme is something you like and you still haven't read this, you're missing out.
I absolutely love it.

[Rachel Bridgeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is hard, and near impossible, to encapsulate the feelings evinced by the journey a reader takes through poems and prose as they travel alongside Paro,from before she is born to adulthood.

Her journey is accompanied by the tales whispered to her by the Goddess who visits her 9 times. She tells these stories as guiding lights on the path that Paro takes to becoming herself, a unique individual weighed down with expectation of her family, history and the myths of the Hindu religion. Through them she discovers her strength, her agency and what makes her, her.The life lessons she learns, as she grows, from her family and her surroundings which are uprooted from Kashmir to Delhi after Partition, is incredible.

In acknowledging her past, her future is re-written in the strength running through her- fuelled by myths, she creates her own as a woman in a world which sees the feminine as something to be absorbed, subsumed and exist as a carrier of the next generation. It is a journey both into, and outside of herself to connect with a world which is both welcoming and repulsing. It is through the pain, the growth, the situations outside of her control that she learns how to be at peace with her feelings, her journey and how to tell stories.

It leaves you with the desire to know so much more about the mythologies which Nikita Gill introduces in a voice which is uniquely hers,it is fierce,and unashamedly feminist.As peaceful as it is warriorlike, soothing as it is unsettling, as heartrending as it is heart mending, this is a wonderful, transcendant experience which will leave you breathless and hungry for more.

Some books find you at exactly the time that you need them, even if you didn't have a concious awareness of that fact. This is one of them. Treasure it, recommend it, buy it for your friends and family and read it aloud. Every word deserves to be savoured.

[Art Hyrst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review will be live on my blog on October 22: https://inkandplasma.com/2020/10/22/t...

Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Trigger warnings, taken from the front of the book: anxiety, bigotry, biphobia, body shaming, bullying, child abuse, depression, guilt, homophobia, internalised misogyny, misogyny/sexism, poverty, racism, sexual assault, terrorism, violence, war.

Thanks to Ebury Press for the eARC of this book, it has not affected my honest review.

I honestly have never requested anything so fast. I love Nikita Gill's work so much and I always wait impatiently for the next thing she produces. I saw this one and instantly requested, and the second my review copy came through I abandoned what I was already reading so I could dig in. The Girl and the Goddess is a little different than Nikita's previous work, as it's actually a full novel told in verse. Still I devoured it just as quickly as ever, because Nikita's storytelling is as lyrical and beautiful in a full length novel as it is in instagram snippets and the poetry anthologies.

The Girl and the Goddess is packed with stories within a story. Paro is told the stories of her gods and goddesses throughout her life, the deities appearing to her when she most needs the lesson that they have to offer her. I don't know much at all about Hindu deities and mythology, or, in all honesty, much about the partition of India other than what I've learned this year through a little online reading. While that's not the focus of this book by any means, I found it both accessible and intriguing. I got enough information that I didn't feel lost at all in the story, but I've still finished the book with a strong desire to raid my library for books on Hindu mythology. Each of the deities stories were heartwarming and distinct in tone, and I liked the way that they knitted into Paro's story neatly to show Paro relating to her faith at different times of difficulty in her life. I also liked that the deities addressed inconsistencies in their stories, and how myths can reflect the intentions and biases of the storyteller.

While there's a lot of ways that I obviously can't relate to Paro personally (as an extremely white British reviewer), I felt the queerness and self-discovery in this book vividly. The struggle of a loving, but not understanding, family is one I identify with in a lot of ways and I loved the way that Paro learned to empower herself but was still tied to her family closely. I also got excellent found family vibes from the friendship group, and we all know that I'll do literally anything for a group of queer women supporting each other. Paro's story was wonderful and beautiful, even in the painfully raw parts, and I loved the whole thing fiercely. It has all the magic of Nikita Gill's usual retellings, plus an interesting and vivid story of self-discovery, and I wish I could have had a copy of this in my hands when I was a confused and worried queer teenage girl. The illustrations are particularly gorgeous and I can't wait to see a finished copy of this book so I can see them properly on the page.

[Sammi]

“Grandmothers are a gift not to be taken lightly. So many lose them, before they are old enough to know their magic. I am glad my bones were born with this knowledge. She taught me how to become a good ancestor. At least this - loving her presence, appreciating her wisdom - is something I know how to do well.”

A lot of beauty and wisdom in this little book. It is a bit of a mixed "media": art, poems, myths and a modern-day narrative written in verse. It explores a lot in a young girls life as she grows up and faces the world around her while mixing in Indian mythology.

Nikita Gill is a literary gift.

MAYthology '23.

[soph · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a powerful and incredible story about girls, empowerment, love, and goddess. So many lessons told beautifully.

“There is nothing to fix. There is nothing broken about you.”

[Naomi Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

An intense, powerful, beautiful story <3

[Sarah De Rissi · Rating 5 out of 5]

10 🌟
Coup de cœur absolu. Entrée directe dans le top 3 des 10 dernières années.

[Alina · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautifully written book I'll recommend to everyone, loved every second of reading this! (Sometimes with a heavy heart)

[Saima · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars.

What an immensely beautiful and moving book. It's hard to believe that this is Gill's first book in verse, because the writing was so lovely and natural, and the story flowed together so well.

The Girl and The Goddess explores the life of Paro, and her life from experiencing the effects of the Partition in India, feeling out of place in school, discovering her sexuality and more - all the while, being visited by different gods in Hindu mythology and learning their stories.

I was so intrigued learning more about the Partition and the Hindu Gods, which I had only briefly learnt about in school. The writing was so moving and heartbreaking, reading the effects of the Partition and how displaced Paro and her family felt after it, and just how deeply the actions of colonialism had effected everyone. It was fuelled with anger and passion, and I wish more books covered the topics.

Paro's life is not an easy one, but she also is aware of the privileges she has, such as being able to go to school. Truly, she does go through a lot of hardships and trauma, but these things are written about so gently that as a reader you still know that things can and will get better. It helps that after tragic events, Paro is visited by different Gods who share their stories and words of wisdom. The illustrations that went along with this were absolutely gorgeous, and added so much more to the story.

There are so many other things I could go into, so many ways I related to Paro in terms of her want to please her parents, her struggles with sexuality, her feelings of displacement among her peers. Overall, this was a beautiful book covering adolescence, empowerment, and mythology all in one.

[Gunjan Nehra · Rating 2 out of 5]

"The Girl and the Goddess: Stories and Poems of Divine Wisdom" falls short of expectations. While the concept of blending stories and poems to convey divine wisdom is intriguing, the execution here disappoints. The narratives lack depth and fail to evoke a strong connection with the characters. The poetry, although well-crafted, often feels disconnected from the overarching theme. The book struggles to strike a balance between storytelling and spiritual insight, leaving readers wanting more substance. Ultimately, it's a missed opportunity to explore profound themes, resulting in a lackluster reading experience that warrants just two stars.

[Charley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deeply moving, thought provoking and at times uncomfortably relatable collection of poems and stories that I urge everyone to read, no matter their gender, age, sex, sexual orientation or ethnicity.

I find the ability to so deeply relate to others experiences regardless of glaringly obvious differences to be divine in and of itself.

Nikita Gill has a way of taking concepts that not everyone knows well or has belief in and making them accessible at their base level for everyone. I cannot stress enough how beautiful this book was and how much I admire Nikita Gill for her raw honesty and the unapologetic way in which she speaks of the many facets we possess as women, including, but never limited to, our power, our vulnerabilities, the ways in which we are taught, the ways in which we are sheltered and our mistakes and how they both define us but also allow us to move forward, through and past.

I am someone who often only pays attention to her weaknesses, therefore forgetting the power I hold as a woman but reading this book allowed me to remember that duality is not only possible but is a gift from the cosmos, no matter how that expanse, divinity and its inhabitants appear for you.

[Marthabethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing novel in verse!!
This novel is full of poems and sections which are in beautiful prose. The language is lyrical, empowering and a wonderful exploration of Indian culture and Hindu gods and goddesses. I loved this and learned so much whilst reading. Paro was such a great character and I loved the focus on her emotions throughout. It was really moving to read and I also really liked the bisexual representation and how she learned to love herself and her identity.

I loved how feminist this book was. I felt really bolstered and strong when I read this. Particularly the poem which focused on telling your daughters to love their bodies - this was beautiful and quite emotional. I also really enjoyed the exploration of sisterhood and the strength that we can get from our female friendships and bonds. Definitely recommend this one and I love Nikita Gill’s writing!

[&#x1f336; peppersocks &#x1f9e6; · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
“‘Paro!' - even my own name sounded like
sin.
'Paro!' - I looked for disappointment within
my own name”

This took me a few attempts to get the feel for it, as I’m not sure that I initially understood the scale, but I’m glad that I persevered to get into the poetry, poetic narrative, diary entry style sections all wrapped around part imagined fables. Is it more about the growing up part, the family attachment/detachment, the love stories, or the brutality and treatment of awful life events encountered - I’m not sure but I know that I’d recommend it to empower any just post teen girl to try and make sense of how the world can be weird, terrible and enchanting at that age from one minute to the next

“Paro: I wish I wasn’t different.
Paro: How do I fix it?
Shikhandi: There is absolutely nothing to fix. There is nothing broken about you”