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Mother Ocean Father Nation
A riveting, tender debut novel, following a brother and sister whose paths diverge--one forced to leave, one left behind--in the wake of a nationalist coup in the South Pacific
On a small Pacific island, a brother and sister tune in to a breaking news radio bulletin. It is 1985, and an Indian grocer has just been attacked by nativists aligned with the recent military coup. Now, fear and shock are rippling through the island's deeply-rooted Indian community as racial tensions rise to the brink.
Bhumi hears this news from her locked-down dorm room in the capital city. She is the ambitious, intellectual standout of the family--the one destined for success. But when her friendship with the daughter of a prominent government official becomes a liability, she must flee her unstable home for California.
Jaipal feels like the unnoticed, unremarkable sibling, always left to fend for himself. He is stuck working in the family store, avoiding their father's wrath, with nothing but his hidden desires to distract him. Desperate for money and connection, he seizes a sudden opportunity to take his life into his own hands for the first time. But his decision may leave him vulnerable to the island's escalating volatility.
Spanning from the lush terrain of the South Pacific to the golden hills of San Francisco, Mother Ocean Father Nation is an entrancing debut about how one family, at the mercy of a nation broken by legacies of power and oppression, forges a path to find a home once again.
On a small Pacific island, a brother and sister tune in to a breaking news radio bulletin. It is 1985, and an Indian grocer has just been attacked by nativists aligned with the recent military coup. Now, fear and shock are rippling through the island's deeply-rooted Indian community as racial tensions rise to the brink.
Bhumi hears this news from her locked-down dorm room in the capital city. She is the ambitious, intellectual standout of the family--the one destined for success. But when her friendship with the daughter of a prominent government official becomes a liability, she must flee her unstable home for California.
Jaipal feels like the unnoticed, unremarkable sibling, always left to fend for himself. He is stuck working in the family store, avoiding their father's wrath, with nothing but his hidden desires to distract him. Desperate for money and connection, he seizes a sudden opportunity to take his life into his own hands for the first time. But his decision may leave him vulnerable to the island's escalating volatility.
Spanning from the lush terrain of the South Pacific to the golden hills of San Francisco, Mother Ocean Father Nation is an entrancing debut about how one family, at the mercy of a nation broken by legacies of power and oppression, forges a path to find a home once again.
336 pages, Hardcover
First published June 7, 2022
37 people are currently reading
11399 people want to read
About the author
Nishant Batsha
2 books68 followersNishant Batsha is a writer of fiction and history. A Paul and Daisy Soros Fellow, he received his doctorate in history from Columbia University.
(Photo courtesy of Libby March)
(Photo courtesy of Libby March)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 128 reviews
June 19, 2022
On an unnamed South Pacific island, a military coup has put the original inhabitants in control. They had been under British rule and the colonialists had brought Indian workers to the island. The descendants of those workers now form the middle class on the island. They own the shops and run the bureaucracy and are the focus of simmering resentment after the coup. No one can predict what the military will do and the Indians find themselves subject to constantly changing rules and restrictions, arrests and acts of violence.
Bhumi and Jaipal are the children of an Indian grocer. Bhumi is a university student and her older brother Jaipal works in a hotel, until the tourist business dries up. Bhumi accidentally becomes a target of the military and manages to escape to California to seek asylum. Jaipal and their parents are unable to leave when she does. Then the military shuts down all departures and determines that anyone who has already left will be stripped of their citizenship, so Bhumi can never return.
I found this book slow at the beginning and didn’t really get engaged with the story until about the point when Bhumi left the island. After that, I became very interested in the different challenges faced by the siblings, the way they handled them and the decisions that they made. Each was a strong character who experienced growth and had to decide what really mattered to them when faced with chaos. Once I got past the slow part, I enjoyed the writing style and the narrator of the audio book did a very good job.
Bhumi and Jaipal are the children of an Indian grocer. Bhumi is a university student and her older brother Jaipal works in a hotel, until the tourist business dries up. Bhumi accidentally becomes a target of the military and manages to escape to California to seek asylum. Jaipal and their parents are unable to leave when she does. Then the military shuts down all departures and determines that anyone who has already left will be stripped of their citizenship, so Bhumi can never return.
I found this book slow at the beginning and didn’t really get engaged with the story until about the point when Bhumi left the island. After that, I became very interested in the different challenges faced by the siblings, the way they handled them and the decisions that they made. Each was a strong character who experienced growth and had to decide what really mattered to them when faced with chaos. Once I got past the slow part, I enjoyed the writing style and the narrator of the audio book did a very good job.
July 5, 2022
This is the story of two siblings, Jaipal and Bhumi whose stories are told in turn throughout the book. It is set in an unnamed country in the 1980's, where Indians had come in earlier generations mostly as indentured servants. There is a military coup and a general who is very unsympathetic to the Indian population, has taken control. Bhumi is the first to leave as she was at university and is followed much later by Jaipal and his mother, when all Indians are forced off the island.
Each sibling finds freedom and love the best way they can. Jaipal finds the family he wants in the bed of those he is attracted to and Bhumi in her studies, especially of botany. However, it is not until each is forced to flee, do they really come into their own.
I found interesting the observations, especially by Bhumi of so much of what we take for granted. I can see why the author chose to keep the country as a fictional place, but as a reader I kept trying to place it myself. There were a couple of subplots that I would have liked to have heard more about. They added to the understanding of the characters, which is why they were probably introduced, but were intriguing enough to want to know more.
Each sibling finds freedom and love the best way they can. Jaipal finds the family he wants in the bed of those he is attracted to and Bhumi in her studies, especially of botany. However, it is not until each is forced to flee, do they really come into their own.
I found interesting the observations, especially by Bhumi of so much of what we take for granted. I can see why the author chose to keep the country as a fictional place, but as a reader I kept trying to place it myself. There were a couple of subplots that I would have liked to have heard more about. They added to the understanding of the characters, which is why they were probably introduced, but were intriguing enough to want to know more.
July 30, 2022
Couldn’t care for anything in this book. The writing dragged. The characters aren’t interesting. I was asking myself where the story was the entire time.
June 8, 2022
MOTHER OCEAN FATHER NATION is a gut-wrenching family saga, spanning over various countries through the struggle of colonization and the process of immigration. The year is 1985 on an unnamed Pacific Island country, and brother and sister, Jaipal and Bhumi, are dealing with an island nation in turmoil. With a growing rebellion and military coup, the island's Indian community is being attacked by both native islanders and the white colonizers and government powerhouses.
After they hear that a local Indian grocer was attacked, after a series of other attacks against their community, the two realize that racial tensions on the island are becoming too much to handle. Bhumi is studying in the island's capital city's university, but when her friendship with the daughter of a governmental official puts her life at stake, Bhumi flees for asylum in the United States (specifically, California). Jaipal is left on the island to find work and help his parents. Jaipal struggles with finding work and starts falling down the rabbit hole just to put food on the table. At the same time, Jaipal is struggling with his sexuality in a conservative and restrictive country and he doesn't know how to navigate both battles.
MOTHER OCEAN FATHER NATION showcases a world in which is not like our own current political climate. Nishant Batsha does a perfect job using this book as a metaphorical example that everyone should reflect upon. This book had me in tears and yet, I was still hopeful. Both Jaipal and Bhumi are strong characters that could've led the book on their own, and also are very human. We aren't given unrealistic protagonists dealing with uncertain doom—they are juggling these hurdles the best way they know how. If you like family saga novels, this book will be a perfect read for you. I will think about this book for awhile.
After they hear that a local Indian grocer was attacked, after a series of other attacks against their community, the two realize that racial tensions on the island are becoming too much to handle. Bhumi is studying in the island's capital city's university, but when her friendship with the daughter of a governmental official puts her life at stake, Bhumi flees for asylum in the United States (specifically, California). Jaipal is left on the island to find work and help his parents. Jaipal struggles with finding work and starts falling down the rabbit hole just to put food on the table. At the same time, Jaipal is struggling with his sexuality in a conservative and restrictive country and he doesn't know how to navigate both battles.
MOTHER OCEAN FATHER NATION showcases a world in which is not like our own current political climate. Nishant Batsha does a perfect job using this book as a metaphorical example that everyone should reflect upon. This book had me in tears and yet, I was still hopeful. Both Jaipal and Bhumi are strong characters that could've led the book on their own, and also are very human. We aren't given unrealistic protagonists dealing with uncertain doom—they are juggling these hurdles the best way they know how. If you like family saga novels, this book will be a perfect read for you. I will think about this book for awhile.
March 27, 2022
It is 1985, and on an unnamed island in the South Pacific, a military coup has ousted the elected government, with plans for natives of the island to take back what, to them, was stolen by the Indian community who had been brought onto the island by the colonizing empire. Layers upon layers of trauma brought on by colonization, stolen land, indentured servitude, racism, classism, homophobia, and filial piety, to name a few. One of the most beautiful, painful, and poignant novels I've read this year, Mother Ocean Father Nation tells the story of two siblings separated in the wake of a military coup: one forced into exile in the US, the other made to stay in their home country as their people are being thrown from positions throughout government and society.
The golden child of her family and the first one to go to university, Bhumi's friendship with the daughter of a government official compromises her own ability to stay in the country. Forced to put a pause on her college degree because Indian students like herself are being expelled from the university, Bhumi finds herself having to start from scratch across the ocean in California - a land whose coasts have Pacific water lapping at their shores, but which otherwise bear no resemblance to the island she had to leave - as a woman stripped of her citizenship, with no way to go back home.
On the other hand, Jaipal is left running the family store as their father's health deteriorates. Formerly a bartender at a hotel on the international strip of the island, he is used to striking up conversations and affairs with expats, hearing all about their lives outside the island that he has never left. His life becomes dictated by new announcements every day, announcements that further restrict his movements and his rights as an Indian person on the island.
This novel was hard to get through, primarily because of its proximity to what's happening in our world now and the atrocities that are being committed against those who were born with a target on their backs. The choice to leave the nation unnamed made this a story about events that could have happened in the past, are happening now, and can happen in the future. Still, there were moments of such tenderness and such humanness in these characters that it left me holding out hope for them. Nishant Batsha explores the complexities of political instability and the horrific acts of a military junta agains the background of two characters coming of age and discovering their own identities. There is a bird's eye view of the coup in one moment, and then we zoom in to the delicate, mundane lives of Jaipal and Bhumi in the next. A beautiful debut that looks at how the endless struggle for power moves through systems and impacts the generations of people that keep on fighting for their freedom.
Thank you to the publishers for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
The golden child of her family and the first one to go to university, Bhumi's friendship with the daughter of a government official compromises her own ability to stay in the country. Forced to put a pause on her college degree because Indian students like herself are being expelled from the university, Bhumi finds herself having to start from scratch across the ocean in California - a land whose coasts have Pacific water lapping at their shores, but which otherwise bear no resemblance to the island she had to leave - as a woman stripped of her citizenship, with no way to go back home.
On the other hand, Jaipal is left running the family store as their father's health deteriorates. Formerly a bartender at a hotel on the international strip of the island, he is used to striking up conversations and affairs with expats, hearing all about their lives outside the island that he has never left. His life becomes dictated by new announcements every day, announcements that further restrict his movements and his rights as an Indian person on the island.
This novel was hard to get through, primarily because of its proximity to what's happening in our world now and the atrocities that are being committed against those who were born with a target on their backs. The choice to leave the nation unnamed made this a story about events that could have happened in the past, are happening now, and can happen in the future. Still, there were moments of such tenderness and such humanness in these characters that it left me holding out hope for them. Nishant Batsha explores the complexities of political instability and the horrific acts of a military junta agains the background of two characters coming of age and discovering their own identities. There is a bird's eye view of the coup in one moment, and then we zoom in to the delicate, mundane lives of Jaipal and Bhumi in the next. A beautiful debut that looks at how the endless struggle for power moves through systems and impacts the generations of people that keep on fighting for their freedom.
Thank you to the publishers for sending me an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
January 3, 2023
Even though it’s intentional that the setting is unnamed, I enjoyed reading a book set in Fiji. This is dark story that reveals the complicated history that comes with being a former colony. Even though I lived here for years, I never fully explored the Indo-Fijian plight. This book helped me further understand the complexity of the race relations in Fiji.
January 13, 2022
As an Asian American, I was expecting to sort of relate to the immigrant aspects of this book. I didn't expect to get completely sucked into the personal lives of the two main characters.
We follow alternating stories of a brother and sister, who are Indian residents of a small island in the Pacific. The Indian community was brought to this island to work the cane fields and, although they are prosperous now, there is a revolution brewing. The natives have explicit control of the land and government, and they feel slighted by the outsiders' prosperity. Slowly, we witness as the ordinary rhythms of Bhumi and Jaipal's lives become completely disrupted. Bhumi is the stereotypical "golden child" of the family and is single-mindedly ambitious in her studies. Jaipal, the older brother, is less academically inclined and instead reluctantly follows in his father's footsteps as a shopkeeper. Both feel fear and resentfulness towards their father, who is prone to violent outbursts and adultery.
This could be the setup to any story but there is a calmness to the writing—and beneath that, the warning drums of danger lurking around the corner. Batsha writes knowingly of the tension between independent wants and familial expectations, of discerning between selfishness and self-sufficiency. I liked that he never pounded the reader over the head with these themes; they were implicit in the questions that the characters asked themselves. I was engrossed by how their perceptions changed as their external lives became more chaotic. In particular, Jaipal's struggles with his sexuality were written vividly and with great empathy. These twin strengths of subtle character development and narrative suspense made this a memorable read.
My only criticisms would be that the figurative language felt a bit forced or wooden at times...too many similes that hit the same note. In addition, I wasn't entirely convinced by Bhumi's impulsiveness and random bursts of anger. Sure, maybe she has a dominant personality, but I wished her internal monologue was more nuanced.
Overall, would highly recommend—especially for those into down-to-earth accounts of being an immigrant and/or queer. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
We follow alternating stories of a brother and sister, who are Indian residents of a small island in the Pacific. The Indian community was brought to this island to work the cane fields and, although they are prosperous now, there is a revolution brewing. The natives have explicit control of the land and government, and they feel slighted by the outsiders' prosperity. Slowly, we witness as the ordinary rhythms of Bhumi and Jaipal's lives become completely disrupted. Bhumi is the stereotypical "golden child" of the family and is single-mindedly ambitious in her studies. Jaipal, the older brother, is less academically inclined and instead reluctantly follows in his father's footsteps as a shopkeeper. Both feel fear and resentfulness towards their father, who is prone to violent outbursts and adultery.
This could be the setup to any story but there is a calmness to the writing—and beneath that, the warning drums of danger lurking around the corner. Batsha writes knowingly of the tension between independent wants and familial expectations, of discerning between selfishness and self-sufficiency. I liked that he never pounded the reader over the head with these themes; they were implicit in the questions that the characters asked themselves. I was engrossed by how their perceptions changed as their external lives became more chaotic. In particular, Jaipal's struggles with his sexuality were written vividly and with great empathy. These twin strengths of subtle character development and narrative suspense made this a memorable read.
My only criticisms would be that the figurative language felt a bit forced or wooden at times...too many similes that hit the same note. In addition, I wasn't entirely convinced by Bhumi's impulsiveness and random bursts of anger. Sure, maybe she has a dominant personality, but I wished her internal monologue was more nuanced.
Overall, would highly recommend—especially for those into down-to-earth accounts of being an immigrant and/or queer. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.
May 21, 2022
Thanks to Ecco and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Set in a Pacific Island (I'm guessing Fiji or modeled after Fiji), Indian descendants of indentured persons are vilified by the native government after a military coup. As their rights are increasingly restricted, a brother and sister struggle to adult and launch under increasingly oppressive conditions.
I appreciated this story for being innovative and offering a fresh perspective. And this was timely to read for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The experiences of this immigrant family were emblematic and universal.
I felt the storytelling could have been more affecting as the emotions felt flat and remained only descriptive. For instance, the backstory of Jaipal and Bhumi and their positions in the family was repeatedly explained but it didn't feel like it was "lived."
I would be interested in reading more from Batsha as he develops his storycrafting.
Set in a Pacific Island (I'm guessing Fiji or modeled after Fiji), Indian descendants of indentured persons are vilified by the native government after a military coup. As their rights are increasingly restricted, a brother and sister struggle to adult and launch under increasingly oppressive conditions.
I appreciated this story for being innovative and offering a fresh perspective. And this was timely to read for Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The experiences of this immigrant family were emblematic and universal.
I felt the storytelling could have been more affecting as the emotions felt flat and remained only descriptive. For instance, the backstory of Jaipal and Bhumi and their positions in the family was repeatedly explained but it didn't feel like it was "lived."
I would be interested in reading more from Batsha as he develops his storycrafting.
April 14, 2022
Fantastic story. I was enthralled by the characters, how real and relatable they felt. I quite liked that the island was unnamed, but it made it rather difficult to describe the book to others. I will be recommending to everyone.
February 24, 2022
MOTHER OCEAN FATHER NATION |
is an absolutely riveting, heart-breaking/loving debut novel.
1985 on a south Pacific island, there's been a nationalist military coup. An Indian grocer was attacked and killed. As a first wave of action, the General leader has decreed that all Indian university students must exit the country. A young woman studying Botany at the South Pacific University must quickly pack her bags, leaving behind her brother to look after his dad's store, and their parents.
The story unfolds from the daughter (Bhumi) and son's (Jaipal) POVs. They both face uncertainty and a lack of belonging in different places. While Bhumi has escaped the threat of violence, she has no country to return to and lives in a liminal space without citizenship and no way to continue her studies. Jaipal like the other remaining Indians face a recession of rights and the threat of citizenship being revoked, forced to live in turmoil with the threat of violence ever near.
I cried at least 5x during this novel and I would have read it in one sitting if I wasn't forced to bed, it was so captivating. Batsha's writing is beautiful, and he's able to describe such feelings and emotions that are indescribable, so small yet so intimate, that everyone has certainly felt before. And he has crafted so much love around this family, and those forced to flee, who first and foremost fight for the right to survive. Certainly, another quite different story could have been told about the previous generations of natives that had felt usurped and left powerless in the wake of British imperialism. The power struggles of a few at the top always have devastating life-or-death repercussions for those who don't have the means or influence to flee at first fear.
As with most intergenerational sagas there is a tug of war between familial responsibilities and personal desires.
I cannot believe this is a debut and am very excited to read more from this author (5)
is an absolutely riveting, heart-breaking/loving debut novel.
1985 on a south Pacific island, there's been a nationalist military coup. An Indian grocer was attacked and killed. As a first wave of action, the General leader has decreed that all Indian university students must exit the country. A young woman studying Botany at the South Pacific University must quickly pack her bags, leaving behind her brother to look after his dad's store, and their parents.
The story unfolds from the daughter (Bhumi) and son's (Jaipal) POVs. They both face uncertainty and a lack of belonging in different places. While Bhumi has escaped the threat of violence, she has no country to return to and lives in a liminal space without citizenship and no way to continue her studies. Jaipal like the other remaining Indians face a recession of rights and the threat of citizenship being revoked, forced to live in turmoil with the threat of violence ever near.
I cried at least 5x during this novel and I would have read it in one sitting if I wasn't forced to bed, it was so captivating. Batsha's writing is beautiful, and he's able to describe such feelings and emotions that are indescribable, so small yet so intimate, that everyone has certainly felt before. And he has crafted so much love around this family, and those forced to flee, who first and foremost fight for the right to survive. Certainly, another quite different story could have been told about the previous generations of natives that had felt usurped and left powerless in the wake of British imperialism. The power struggles of a few at the top always have devastating life-or-death repercussions for those who don't have the means or influence to flee at first fear.
As with most intergenerational sagas there is a tug of war between familial responsibilities and personal desires.
I cannot believe this is a debut and am very excited to read more from this author (5)
April 7, 2022
Enjoyable read but a harrowing look into the evils we can inflict upon each other.
I thought the ending came together a little too easy, but am glad it was a happy ending.
I thought the ending came together a little too easy, but am glad it was a happy ending.
November 14, 2022
I picked this up as an ebook because it was available immediately and it was decent. Things moved slowly for a bit and then very quickly. The beginning was well-written and drew me in, but there were definitely parts that dragged a bit. I found Bhumi's plot far more engaging than Jaipal's, so his chapters dragged a bit for me. Overall a decent read, even if things ended a bit too cleanly and suddenly.
August 23, 2022
Mother Ocean Father Nation was pretty okay for a debut novel. Batsha has great potential as an author. The premise of the book was fantastic, and I was fond of our two main characters, Jaipal and Bhumi (except for when she ). They are complicated characters and--while I'm not sure I'd say they're layered--they do have various defining attributes, positive and negative. Each has their own unique motivations.
Why I'm not rating this novel higher is because I felt distanced from almost everything that happened. The island where this all takes place is not named. Most happenings were told directly, little showing was going on, and a lot of the dialogue was... off. For example, there is a part where the doctor confides critical information to Jaipal instead of his mother. Rather than having an emotional reaction, Jaipal only asks "Why not tell Ma this?". Naturally, Jaipal later conveys this to his mother, who says "He didn't tell me . . . That doctor is a coward. Can't look me in the eye. He finds it easier to hide behind other men.". While I appreciate the message here regarding sexism and how women are viewed, it was told too directly, and that being someone's first reaction to information that a person close to them will die is too bizarre.
Here's another example of strange dialogue. It's not a spoiler but just long.
With some polish this really has potential to be a great book, and you may still be able to love it if you don't mind reading from a distance.
2.5*~
Read for prompt: Use a color wheel and pick a book matching said color (Color: Dark green)
Why I'm not rating this novel higher is because I felt distanced from almost everything that happened. The island where this all takes place is not named. Most happenings were told directly, little showing was going on, and a lot of the dialogue was... off. For example, there is a part where the doctor confides critical information to Jaipal instead of his mother. Rather than having an emotional reaction, Jaipal only asks "Why not tell Ma this?". Naturally, Jaipal later conveys this to his mother, who says "He didn't tell me . . . That doctor is a coward. Can't look me in the eye. He finds it easier to hide behind other men.". While I appreciate the message here regarding sexism and how women are viewed, it was told too directly, and that being someone's first reaction to information that a person close to them will die is too bizarre.
Here's another example of strange dialogue. It's not a spoiler but just long.
With some polish this really has potential to be a great book, and you may still be able to love it if you don't mind reading from a distance.
2.5*~
Read for prompt: Use a color wheel and pick a book matching said color (Color: Dark green)
May 14, 2022
"Mother Ocean Father Nation" is a story told from two juxtaposed perspectives of two siblings in the South Pacific Islands in the 1980s: Bhumi, the family's hope and academic standout and her brother, Jaipal, who is framed as the family's black sheep. Their lives are thrown off with the political unrest in their homeland, and after Bhumi makes friends with Aarti, the daughter of a high-level government official, and is mistakenly associated with them, she is expelled from college and forced to leave her home.
We get to see the side-by-side perspectives from Bhumi, as she's forced to begin her life again as an undocumented immigrant in California, facing the prejudices that her race and gender force onto her. Jaipal, as he remains with their parents in the Pacific, also deals with his own inner demons, including coming to terms with his own sexuality and the realities of his relationship with his parents and sister. There are a number of weighty topics of Nishant Batsha handles with care and grace in this novel, and he's managed to portray Bhumi's and Jaipal's perspectives with clarity and kindness.
What I did struggle with at times was the lack of place in the novel; there aren't any specific locations mentioned, aside from "a small island in the Pacific", and even the political figures are vaguely named (ex. "The General"). Perhaps this was intentional, or my own background of history during this time is lacking, but I didn't feel as though there was enough context given to the situation at hand.
Thank you Ecco Press for the advance copy of this novel!
We get to see the side-by-side perspectives from Bhumi, as she's forced to begin her life again as an undocumented immigrant in California, facing the prejudices that her race and gender force onto her. Jaipal, as he remains with their parents in the Pacific, also deals with his own inner demons, including coming to terms with his own sexuality and the realities of his relationship with his parents and sister. There are a number of weighty topics of Nishant Batsha handles with care and grace in this novel, and he's managed to portray Bhumi's and Jaipal's perspectives with clarity and kindness.
What I did struggle with at times was the lack of place in the novel; there aren't any specific locations mentioned, aside from "a small island in the Pacific", and even the political figures are vaguely named (ex. "The General"). Perhaps this was intentional, or my own background of history during this time is lacking, but I didn't feel as though there was enough context given to the situation at hand.
Thank you Ecco Press for the advance copy of this novel!
July 19, 2022
I really wanted to like this novel. It’s an interesting location, a story that needs to be told, the immigrant story. I just found I wasn’t rooting for the characters. I didn’t feel invested in their lives. The overall theme is pretty hopeless, which I know is the lived experience of those in this unimaginable situation. It ended up feeling a bit dry and formulaic. I’m actually sad I didn’t like it more.
April 9, 2022
I received this book by entering a goodreads.com giveaway sponsored by the publisher, Ecco (HarperCollins). A galley edition, this book is scheduled to be released June 2022, so it may be subject to revision depending on its prepublication reception.
The novel is set in a nameless South Pacific Island in the 1980s. Said island is occupied by “Nativists” and “Indians.” When a military coup occurs, putting the Nativists in power, life becomes challenging for the Indians (their ancestors plopped there several generations earlier). The natives claim that Indians have stolen all the jobs, the property that should be theirs. From the Indian perspective, they themselves have worked industriously as farmers and merchants to better their lives, and have gained a certain amount of wealth. One family is split apart, when the only daughter, Bhumi, two years into her university career on the island, must escape to the United States to begin a new life. This leaves her brother, Jaipal, and her parents behind. Their father is an alcoholic who owns his own small grocery, and their mother is a strong but quiet woman nearly worn down by her husband’s abuse. Jaipal’s life is complicated by the fact that he is gay, against which there exists an official stricture. If he is to meet anyone, he gathers with others of his ilk in “hotels” (largely abandoned one must assume) at night with no lights, only their widening irises as they become accustomed to the dark (nice metaphor). Bhumi’s life in northern California is no picnic either. She applies for asylum with the U.S. government but will hear nothing for months and months. In the meantime, to support herself as a would-be student (she audits classes) she works as a nanny for an Indian family. Even so, the woman who hires her is condescending, and the child she must care for is a brat. She ultimately leaves. To tell how the plot is resolved would be to spoil the ending, which is a realistic yet satisfying one.
Nishant Batsha’s writing is commendable, combining excellent plotting in which there is little or no coincidence; most events seem to lead by way of a natural cause and effect to the next event. His characterization is satisfying, he releasing more and more information about characters as time passes. Readers have a sense of what they look like, who they are. He tackles the subjugation of one group by another (hinting of a genocide to come if the last 50,000 Indians do not leave the island when ordered to) with sensitivity and warmth. It provides a certain resonance for our own times, consider what Russia is doing in Ukraine, and what has happened to people of color in our own country for centuries. I wish Mr. Batsha good luck with Mother Ocean Father Nation. It is a new must-read.
As this edition is a galley, some errors are excusable, for ostensibly the MS has not been run through the final rounds of copy editing. That said, however, there are some that editors might wish to take a look at if they haven’t already:
The novel is set in a nameless South Pacific Island in the 1980s. Said island is occupied by “Nativists” and “Indians.” When a military coup occurs, putting the Nativists in power, life becomes challenging for the Indians (their ancestors plopped there several generations earlier). The natives claim that Indians have stolen all the jobs, the property that should be theirs. From the Indian perspective, they themselves have worked industriously as farmers and merchants to better their lives, and have gained a certain amount of wealth. One family is split apart, when the only daughter, Bhumi, two years into her university career on the island, must escape to the United States to begin a new life. This leaves her brother, Jaipal, and her parents behind. Their father is an alcoholic who owns his own small grocery, and their mother is a strong but quiet woman nearly worn down by her husband’s abuse. Jaipal’s life is complicated by the fact that he is gay, against which there exists an official stricture. If he is to meet anyone, he gathers with others of his ilk in “hotels” (largely abandoned one must assume) at night with no lights, only their widening irises as they become accustomed to the dark (nice metaphor). Bhumi’s life in northern California is no picnic either. She applies for asylum with the U.S. government but will hear nothing for months and months. In the meantime, to support herself as a would-be student (she audits classes) she works as a nanny for an Indian family. Even so, the woman who hires her is condescending, and the child she must care for is a brat. She ultimately leaves. To tell how the plot is resolved would be to spoil the ending, which is a realistic yet satisfying one.
Nishant Batsha’s writing is commendable, combining excellent plotting in which there is little or no coincidence; most events seem to lead by way of a natural cause and effect to the next event. His characterization is satisfying, he releasing more and more information about characters as time passes. Readers have a sense of what they look like, who they are. He tackles the subjugation of one group by another (hinting of a genocide to come if the last 50,000 Indians do not leave the island when ordered to) with sensitivity and warmth. It provides a certain resonance for our own times, consider what Russia is doing in Ukraine, and what has happened to people of color in our own country for centuries. I wish Mr. Batsha good luck with Mother Ocean Father Nation. It is a new must-read.
As this edition is a galley, some errors are excusable, for ostensibly the MS has not been run through the final rounds of copy editing. That said, however, there are some that editors might wish to take a look at if they haven’t already:
p. 31 — …but it was always her…
Change to …but it was always she…
p. 58 — Aarti pulled Bhumi off to the side, still within earshot of her parents, but far
enough away to have a sidebar.
Both actions are not possible. Make clearer.
p. 61 — …the one given to her by David in [an] act of flirtation…
Insert article “an” between “in” and “act”
p. 67 — His father sitting in the sitting room…
Unnecessary repetition of “sitting”
p. 82 — …revealing his upper teeth, piss yellowed from a lifetime…
Delete “ed” from “yellowed”
p. 88 — …to feel any connection with to the child with the serious look…
Unnecessary repetition of “with”
p. 113 — Bhumi had always been a few inches taller than her mother…
Not possible for a child “always” to have been taller than her mother. Try “For some time, Bhumi had been taller…”
p. 176 — “They’re going to make it [sugar refinery] government rum.”
Is the refinery going to be government run
or is it [sugar] going to be made into government rum? Unclear.
p. 184 & 188 — On 184, Vikram’s room is described as “tidy and spartan.” Only his
desk is strewn with papers and books. On 188, Vikram’s room is “messy.”
Change to “messy desk” or reconcile the seeming contradiction a different way.
p. 301 — “What if I never see you again?”
“Bhumi saw him begin to tighten up again.”
Unnecessary repetition of “again” in close proximity.
April 29, 2022
Mother Ocean Father Nation tells the story of the fallout of a military coup on an unnamed island in the South Pacific. We follow 2 siblings as they navigate these turbulent waters: golden child Bhumi and her somewhat bitter elder brother Jaipal. This story was beautifully told and explores so many aspects of living through a conflict of this nature. The native inhabitants of the island are rising up against the Indian population that was brought in by colonizers to work the farms and left behind to fend for themselves. The transplanted workers have done well for the themselves, as the native population was lower on the hierarchy of the Commonwealth. The coup gives an outlet to the generations of built up anger and aggression for the natives against the Indian residents and Bhumi and Jaipal are caught in the mess.
Bhumi is forced to flee the country after a fateful run-in with the new military while out with her government-connected roommate. We see the turmoil from the outside through her eyes as she settles in California and tries to get her bearings while her family is behind in a breaking nation. Jaipal, meanwhile, struggles to take over the mantle of main-earner for the family as his father loses faith in the world and tailspins through alcoholism and declining heart health. We watch through his eyes as the country continues to make racism into policy and push the Indian residents further and further, nearing the breaking point.
This is a beautifully told story that keeps a calm and even pace without ever losing the undercurrent of dread. Each character travelled a complete and natural arc that never felt too archetype-y; these were full people with personal, familial, and national struggles. The plot pulls you along without losing you in the weeds and you will genuinely want to turn the page and watch how these battles are fought. The author really manages to focus the narrative on these 2 people without losing view of the entire conflict - it was a joy to read.
**Thank you NetGalley and Ecco for the eARC**
Bhumi is forced to flee the country after a fateful run-in with the new military while out with her government-connected roommate. We see the turmoil from the outside through her eyes as she settles in California and tries to get her bearings while her family is behind in a breaking nation. Jaipal, meanwhile, struggles to take over the mantle of main-earner for the family as his father loses faith in the world and tailspins through alcoholism and declining heart health. We watch through his eyes as the country continues to make racism into policy and push the Indian residents further and further, nearing the breaking point.
This is a beautifully told story that keeps a calm and even pace without ever losing the undercurrent of dread. Each character travelled a complete and natural arc that never felt too archetype-y; these were full people with personal, familial, and national struggles. The plot pulls you along without losing you in the weeds and you will genuinely want to turn the page and watch how these battles are fought. The author really manages to focus the narrative on these 2 people without losing view of the entire conflict - it was a joy to read.
**Thank you NetGalley and Ecco for the eARC**
October 1, 2022
Mother Ocean Father Nation is set on an unnamed, fictional South Pacific island nation in the mid-1980s. It follows the story of a brother and a sister, Jaipal and Bhumi. Their country is falling apart as a military coup happens in the background, fueled by nationalism. The book follows the two siblings during this uprise and scary time. Bhumi eventually leaves the country as a refugee and heads to California, whereas Jaipal seizes an opportunity and remains behind in a country in complete turmoil.
This is a beautifully told story while managing a thread of turmoil and chaos. The author weaves history into fiction so that we, as readers, learn a lot about the British Empire and how it impacted India and the South Pacific with decisions. Meanwhile, we are fully invested in these two fictional characters and need to know what happens to them as they take different paths.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
This is a beautifully told story while managing a thread of turmoil and chaos. The author weaves history into fiction so that we, as readers, learn a lot about the British Empire and how it impacted India and the South Pacific with decisions. Meanwhile, we are fully invested in these two fictional characters and need to know what happens to them as they take different paths.
To listen to my interview with the author, go to my podcast at:
https://www.momsdonthavetimetoreadboo...
June 18, 2022
The story takes place in 1985 on an unnamed Pacific island experiencing a coup and racial tensions, causing immense fear in the local Indian community. Siblings Jaipal and Bhumi are separated due to the unrest - one left behind and one forced to leave. The book alternates POVs following their experiences.
It took a while for the story to warm up and grab my attention, but I became more invested as it progressed. The complicated family relationships plus themes of identity and belonging tugged at my heartstrings.
I wish a few of the many layers were further developed, but I thought one component was really well done. Even without directly showing all of the political turmoil and working in the construct of a fictional country, Batsha definitely makes you feel the personal impact on Jaipal’s and Bhumi’s lives.
Overall, Mother Ocean Father Nation is a touching portrait of colonialism, family, and the meaning of home.
It took a while for the story to warm up and grab my attention, but I became more invested as it progressed. The complicated family relationships plus themes of identity and belonging tugged at my heartstrings.
I wish a few of the many layers were further developed, but I thought one component was really well done. Even without directly showing all of the political turmoil and working in the construct of a fictional country, Batsha definitely makes you feel the personal impact on Jaipal’s and Bhumi’s lives.
Overall, Mother Ocean Father Nation is a touching portrait of colonialism, family, and the meaning of home.
January 2, 2023
(thank you to the publisher for my copy of this book!)
"'It is announced with sadness that Ram Bahadur was burnt alive last night,’ the broadcast began.”
How’s that for the opening sentence of a book? I was invested in this book from the very first page. OK, maybe even from when I first saw the cover.
Mother Ocean Father Nation is a book unlike anything I've ever read before. It takes place on an unnamed island in the South Pacific in 1985. A military coup has ousted the elected government and natives are planning to take their island back from the Indian community.
We get the perspectives of both college student Bhumi and her brother Jaipal. Bhumi is forced to leave school and decide whether or not to flee the island. Jaipal is trying to carry on his father's business while losing his rights to live and work on the island. Violence is all around them. This certainly isn't an easy read, but it's very engaging and I ended up really enjoying it.
"'It is announced with sadness that Ram Bahadur was burnt alive last night,’ the broadcast began.”
How’s that for the opening sentence of a book? I was invested in this book from the very first page. OK, maybe even from when I first saw the cover.
Mother Ocean Father Nation is a book unlike anything I've ever read before. It takes place on an unnamed island in the South Pacific in 1985. A military coup has ousted the elected government and natives are planning to take their island back from the Indian community.
We get the perspectives of both college student Bhumi and her brother Jaipal. Bhumi is forced to leave school and decide whether or not to flee the island. Jaipal is trying to carry on his father's business while losing his rights to live and work on the island. Violence is all around them. This certainly isn't an easy read, but it's very engaging and I ended up really enjoying it.
May 27, 2022
What is harder? Being left behind or being the one forced to leave? This is only part of the struggles Bhumi and Jaipal are forced to face when there is a power shift in the small island their family had immigrated to several generations ago. At times I was startled while reading as the prose flipped from being a basic story telling to beautiful lyrical language. It was almost as if there were two authors, each with a very different style, trying to help each other tell the story. But I think this did a great job of reminding me that life isn't simply good or bad at any point in time, it is a combination just like how the book was written. I wish I had gotten to know Bhumi and Jaipal more. I felt like we only saw them as they reacted to things around them. I think there was more there that could have been brought forth. Maybe it wasn't to allow more space for the plot? I look forward to what might come next from this new author.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
Thanks to NetGalley and Ecco for a copy of the book. This review is my own opinion.
April 9, 2022
Mother Ocean Father Nation is a literary, historical fiction, LBTQ+ debut novel from Nishant Batsha. Mother Ocean Father Nation explores themes of strained relationships, power, oppression, self discovery, and the meaning of home. The author alternates perspectives from sister and brother, Bhumi and Jaipal. I loved that their perspectives were different and their stories were separate yet interwoven. I also liked how the author touched suppression, immigration, and the feeling of belonging. The plot is intriguing, but the pacing of the story felt either way too show or everything happens at once. The author touches upon some heavy themes in here, but I felt there was too much to dive into and some things were unexplained. It was a good start to a debut that was heartbreaking yet filled with hope. I’d recommend reading this one if you love character/driven stories.
Thank you Ecco Books for the free advanced copy.
Thank you Ecco Books for the free advanced copy.
November 14, 2024
I really enjoyed this novel about a fictional Pacific Island going through political turmoil. A military general decides to go after the citizens with Indian descent due to dissatisfaction with their power in society, even though they have lived on the island together with the native population for generations. While the novel is not linked to a specific country, it builds on similar developments in former colonies where the colonial powers often decided to bring Indians across the globe as they were more "trusted" to perform certain tasks and responsibilities, which was often questioned after the countries gained independence. It was an interesting and wholesome read which posed relevant questions about belonging, surviving oppression, and daring to start over.
[Audiobook, 4 ☆]
[Audiobook, 4 ☆]
July 3, 2022
i got this from Goodreads and it took me approx. one million years to finally finish it but here i am? i suppose i should write something proper since this is from a giveaway....
An enjoyable dual-narrative story following two siblings navigating societal instability and social upheaval following a coup in their small South Pacific island nation. The novel weaves in and out of the brother and sister's lives in a way that kept me interested in them both throughout the book. I liked it a lot-- a great mix of political and social themes, self-discovery and identity, transience, and history. It took me a bit to get into, particularly the first part, but I read the second part in a matter of days. Would definitely recommend.
An enjoyable dual-narrative story following two siblings navigating societal instability and social upheaval following a coup in their small South Pacific island nation. The novel weaves in and out of the brother and sister's lives in a way that kept me interested in them both throughout the book. I liked it a lot-- a great mix of political and social themes, self-discovery and identity, transience, and history. It took me a bit to get into, particularly the first part, but I read the second part in a matter of days. Would definitely recommend.
Read
November 24, 2024DNFed at 5%. (which i understand is two chapters). although i only got through two chapters and understand that the beef of the story will be further down the line… i could NOT stand the pacing of this story. it felt clunky. some parts felt under explained, others over explained. the authors writing style is just not for me.
August 24, 2022
This book was very well written, touching on topics of refugees, what it means to belong somewhere, racial/ethnic conflict, colonialism, sexual identity…the descriptions placed you into the characters feelings and were beautifully done.
March 16, 2023
A beautifully written book that speaks to a part of history that is not covered nearly enough. The mess that the British and other Empires left in their colonies has led to the death and exodus of many. Those after effects will continue for much longer. Can’t do part stars here, so would more realistically give it a 4.75/4.5.
August 7, 2022
maybe more of a 3.5 stars: a very interesting story but I felt the characters fell a bit flat when they had all the potential to be more
December 26, 2022
thoughts coming shortly
October 23, 2025
This was a good book I wonder how much of it was true or like based on true things.
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