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The Direction of the Wind
A heartfelt story that spans continents and generations, about a young woman who searches for answers about a mother she barely remembers.
Sophie Shah was six when she learned her mother, Nita, had died. For twenty-two years, she shouldered the burden of that loss. But when her father passes away, Sophie discovers a cache of hidden letters revealing a shattering truth: her mother didn’t die. She left.
Nita Shah had everything most women dreamed of in her hometown of Ahmedabad, India—a loving husband, a doting daughter, financial security—but in her heart, she felt like she was living a lie. Fueled by her creative ambitions, Nita moved to Paris, the artists’ capital of the world—even though it meant leaving her family behind. But once in Paris, Nita’s decision and its consequences would haunt her in ways she never expected.
Now that Sophie knows the truth, she’s determined to find the mother who abandoned her. Sophie jets off to Paris, even though the impulsive trip may risk her impending arranged marriage. In the City of Light, she chases lead after lead that help her piece together a startling portrait of her mother. Though Sophie goes to Paris to find Nita, she may just also discover parts of herself she never knew.
Sophie Shah was six when she learned her mother, Nita, had died. For twenty-two years, she shouldered the burden of that loss. But when her father passes away, Sophie discovers a cache of hidden letters revealing a shattering truth: her mother didn’t die. She left.
Nita Shah had everything most women dreamed of in her hometown of Ahmedabad, India—a loving husband, a doting daughter, financial security—but in her heart, she felt like she was living a lie. Fueled by her creative ambitions, Nita moved to Paris, the artists’ capital of the world—even though it meant leaving her family behind. But once in Paris, Nita’s decision and its consequences would haunt her in ways she never expected.
Now that Sophie knows the truth, she’s determined to find the mother who abandoned her. Sophie jets off to Paris, even though the impulsive trip may risk her impending arranged marriage. In the City of Light, she chases lead after lead that help her piece together a startling portrait of her mother. Though Sophie goes to Paris to find Nita, she may just also discover parts of herself she never knew.
308 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2023
6349 people are currently reading
12821 people want to read
About the author
Mansi Shah
4 books293 followersBorn in Toronto to Indian immigrants, Mansi Shah is the author of A Good Indian Girl, The Taste of Ginger, and The Direction of the Wind, which center on Gujarati characters and speak to generational differences across the Indian diaspora. Now based in Los Angeles, Mansi left her long-time career as an entertainment attorney in Hollywood to travel the world and write full time. She loves to cook, and food often plays a prominent role in her books. When she's not writing and traveling, you can find her swimming laps or playing tennis.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 910 reviews
July 30, 2023
3.5*
A girl's quest to look for her mother takes her to Paris and she learns new facts about her mother and herself.
A girl's quest to look for her mother takes her to Paris and she learns new facts about her mother and herself.
May 21, 2024
Family and tradition
A good heartbreaking story. A very good mix of traditions and cultures. An interesting contradiction as cultures tend to change over time, traditions try and remain the same despite the times.
All families have secrets. When Sophie's father dies, she learns that her mother, she believed dead 22 years ago, actually ran away to pursue her dream life in Paris. Now, Sophie is faced with a similar break with tradition to find and learn about her lost mother. However, she will learn more than she ever imagined about life and herself.
The book is told from both Sophie and Nita's points of view in the present Sophie and the past Nita. It is a very emotional story with great realistic characters and issues. I do know more about the Indian traditions than the French. So I can say the Indian ones are spot on.
A good heartbreaking story. A very good mix of traditions and cultures. An interesting contradiction as cultures tend to change over time, traditions try and remain the same despite the times.
All families have secrets. When Sophie's father dies, she learns that her mother, she believed dead 22 years ago, actually ran away to pursue her dream life in Paris. Now, Sophie is faced with a similar break with tradition to find and learn about her lost mother. However, she will learn more than she ever imagined about life and herself.
The book is told from both Sophie and Nita's points of view in the present Sophie and the past Nita. It is a very emotional story with great realistic characters and issues. I do know more about the Indian traditions than the French. So I can say the Indian ones are spot on.
January 30, 2023
When Sophie Shah’s father Rajiv suddenly passes away, a couple of weeks later she discovers he’s been keeping a secret from her and she’s stunned. Twenty-two years ago, a six year old Sophie returned home from school and her father told her her mother Nita had died in a tragic accident. The truth was his wife had ran away from their arranged marriage and daughter and traveled to Paris. Leaving behind her family, husband, daughter and comfortable life in Ahmedabad, India, and for the unknown.
Nita arrives in Paris in her sari, she’s in her early thirties and wants to be an artist. She has nowhere to live, she has never been in charge of her own finances before, drank alcohol or worn western style clothes. Nita meets a street artist called Marais, he’s charming and charismatic and she falls under his spell.
Sophie’s aunts have arranged for her to get married, as a single woman she can't live alone, she leaves her fiancé behind and boards a plane to Paris. Sophie is rather wet behind the ears like her mother, despite being twenty-eight and an accountant. She sets about trying to find Nita, all she has is an old photograph and some letters. As Sophie slowly uncovers snippets of information about Nita, she discovers her father looked for her mother for years and couldn’t find her.
I received a copy of The Direction Of The Wind by Mansi Shah from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. It’s a really interesting story and it looks closely into Indian culture, the practice of arranged marriages and how restricted the young women’s lives were. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in such a way, it would be very claustrophobic and frustrating.
The narrative focuses on the two main characters struggles and is written from their points of view. For Sophie it’s a journey full of shocks and surprises, she discovers her parent’s personal struggles, flaws, secrets, weakness and the mistakes they made. By finding out what happened to her mother Nita, it brings her closure, now Sophie can work out what she wants to do, make up her own mind about getting married and if she does it needs to be on equal terms. Four stars from me, the story made me feel so many emotions and it really made me think, I felt sad, shocked, angry, compassionate and most of all thankful for being able to make my own decisions, follow my dreams and not be controlled by others.
Nita arrives in Paris in her sari, she’s in her early thirties and wants to be an artist. She has nowhere to live, she has never been in charge of her own finances before, drank alcohol or worn western style clothes. Nita meets a street artist called Marais, he’s charming and charismatic and she falls under his spell.
Sophie’s aunts have arranged for her to get married, as a single woman she can't live alone, she leaves her fiancé behind and boards a plane to Paris. Sophie is rather wet behind the ears like her mother, despite being twenty-eight and an accountant. She sets about trying to find Nita, all she has is an old photograph and some letters. As Sophie slowly uncovers snippets of information about Nita, she discovers her father looked for her mother for years and couldn’t find her.
I received a copy of The Direction Of The Wind by Mansi Shah from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing in exchange for an honest review. It’s a really interesting story and it looks closely into Indian culture, the practice of arranged marriages and how restricted the young women’s lives were. I can’t imagine what it would be like to live in such a way, it would be very claustrophobic and frustrating.
The narrative focuses on the two main characters struggles and is written from their points of view. For Sophie it’s a journey full of shocks and surprises, she discovers her parent’s personal struggles, flaws, secrets, weakness and the mistakes they made. By finding out what happened to her mother Nita, it brings her closure, now Sophie can work out what she wants to do, make up her own mind about getting married and if she does it needs to be on equal terms. Four stars from me, the story made me feel so many emotions and it really made me think, I felt sad, shocked, angry, compassionate and most of all thankful for being able to make my own decisions, follow my dreams and not be controlled by others.
January 13, 2023
idea had potential but poorly written and boring
Really disappointing book. The idea was good but so poorly executed. Writing was dull and unimaginative. Story unbelievable. And never seemed to end, should have ended a few chapters earlier than it did
Really disappointing book. The idea was good but so poorly executed. Writing was dull and unimaginative. Story unbelievable. And never seemed to end, should have ended a few chapters earlier than it did
February 19, 2023
A book that confounded me. Baffled me. And still intrigued me enough to finish reading it.
‘The Direction of the Wind’ began on a promising note. A daughter grieving the loss of her father and being rushed into an ‘arranged marriage’ while discovering that the mother she thought was dead wasn’t really dead.
Interesting. The story then alternates between Nita's life in Paris after leaving her marriage and daughter, and Sophie’s own journey to find her mother in Paris. The writer seamlessly blends in past and present here, and these were some of the best parts of the book.
I can understand why an Indian AND a Western audience would love this story. I loved that Mansi depicted Nita as she did - someone who ran away from her marriage in the 1980s to pursue her passion for Paris and art. Nita is not your typical Gujarati wife - she fights it out in Paris and somehow makes a living there. Unconventionally, she is shown to love her dope and live-in with a struggling artist. Sadly, Mansi doesn't allow that unconventionality to linger - if you leave your marriage, you will end up on the streets, destitute and drugged seems to be the message.
But it’s Mansi Shah’s depiction of Ahmedabad that leave me a bit cold. It almost looks like the author, who wasn’t born in India, set the city in 2002 and not 2019. Sophie lands in Paris and finds her ‘mobile phone isn’t working.’ Ok. Data may not work unless you have international roaming. But what young, educated woman doesn’t use WiFi? She uses a computer in the hostel to access the net and print maps. Like what? No mention of things like WhatsApp. She calls ‘collect.’ And there is talk of how she and her dad used to pay in cash on credit at the local grocery shops in Ahmedabad. I found it hard to believe when by 2019, India was already the leader in cashless payments using UPI. I pay for bananas by scanning a QR code, even in the most remote parts of my state.
But well, these are minor irritations. The story reads well - it’s entertaining. My quibbles are just that.
‘The Direction of the Wind’ began on a promising note. A daughter grieving the loss of her father and being rushed into an ‘arranged marriage’ while discovering that the mother she thought was dead wasn’t really dead.
Interesting. The story then alternates between Nita's life in Paris after leaving her marriage and daughter, and Sophie’s own journey to find her mother in Paris. The writer seamlessly blends in past and present here, and these were some of the best parts of the book.
I can understand why an Indian AND a Western audience would love this story. I loved that Mansi depicted Nita as she did - someone who ran away from her marriage in the 1980s to pursue her passion for Paris and art. Nita is not your typical Gujarati wife - she fights it out in Paris and somehow makes a living there. Unconventionally, she is shown to love her dope and live-in with a struggling artist. Sadly, Mansi doesn't allow that unconventionality to linger - if you leave your marriage, you will end up on the streets, destitute and drugged seems to be the message.
But it’s Mansi Shah’s depiction of Ahmedabad that leave me a bit cold. It almost looks like the author, who wasn’t born in India, set the city in 2002 and not 2019. Sophie lands in Paris and finds her ‘mobile phone isn’t working.’ Ok. Data may not work unless you have international roaming. But what young, educated woman doesn’t use WiFi? She uses a computer in the hostel to access the net and print maps. Like what? No mention of things like WhatsApp. She calls ‘collect.’ And there is talk of how she and her dad used to pay in cash on credit at the local grocery shops in Ahmedabad. I found it hard to believe when by 2019, India was already the leader in cashless payments using UPI. I pay for bananas by scanning a QR code, even in the most remote parts of my state.
But well, these are minor irritations. The story reads well - it’s entertaining. My quibbles are just that.
August 19, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for a review!
This book didn't quite live up to expectations. The imagery used in this book is very vivid and I really enjoyed reading about Ahmedabad and Paris. It was very easy to picture those locations as I was reading. However, the characters fell flat for me. Each thought and feeling is described in so much detail that it leaves little room for the reader's interpretation. A lot is told to you rather than shown and it felt like there was a lot of repetition in the way feelings were described, to the point where I thought I was re-reading pages.
I wanted to finish the book to see where it would go but I didn't really connect with the characters or the story.
This book didn't quite live up to expectations. The imagery used in this book is very vivid and I really enjoyed reading about Ahmedabad and Paris. It was very easy to picture those locations as I was reading. However, the characters fell flat for me. Each thought and feeling is described in so much detail that it leaves little room for the reader's interpretation. A lot is told to you rather than shown and it felt like there was a lot of repetition in the way feelings were described, to the point where I thought I was re-reading pages.
I wanted to finish the book to see where it would go but I didn't really connect with the characters or the story.
January 28, 2023
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the advanced copy of this title in return for an honest review.
I knew this would be an emotional read right from the get go. And I wasn’t wrong. It’s so touching and wonderfully tender.
I will firstly say there are a few tough subjects such as death and grief, abandonment, drug addiction, relationship and money troubles. And whilst I appreciate these may be difficult things to read about, they’re handled so sensitively that they do wonders to frame the main story.
I love reading about other countries and cultures, be it fictional or fact. I’ve always admired India - I have a number of friends from there - the colours, the noise, the atmosphere, but it’s not a country I know much about. But I’ve felt Mansi Shah has depicted it in such a glorious way that even though her background is in Canada and the US (according to her online bio) you can clearly feel her love for India in this book.
I’d love to know what her inspiration for this book was. Some books you can sort of read their inspiration in the book, but this has so much heart I feel it must have come from a deeper personal place.
Everything is described so vividly, from the heat of Ahmedabad to the seemingly exotic nature of Paris, down to the food eaten and the jewellery worn. There’s a clear cultural difference between the characters which was really interesting to read.
It is heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measures. She doesn’t go into this lightly, it really packs an emotional punch.
There’s a dual narrative/timeline going on with the two main characters, and whilst distinct, there was a slight blurring between the two which helped accentuate the relationship between them.
At first I thought the resolution was a bit rushed - we’d spent 200+ pages on this incredible journey, only for it to be wrapped up within a chapter or two. But now I’ve had time to think about, I think it was absolutely the right way to conclude the story.
It leaves you with questions. What does it mean to be a mother or a wife? What does it mean to be a woman in different countries? What would you be willing to give up to follow your dreams?
When I finished it, it was like having to say goodbye to an old friend.
If I had to sum this book up in one word, it would be gorgeous.
I knew this would be an emotional read right from the get go. And I wasn’t wrong. It’s so touching and wonderfully tender.
I will firstly say there are a few tough subjects such as death and grief, abandonment, drug addiction, relationship and money troubles. And whilst I appreciate these may be difficult things to read about, they’re handled so sensitively that they do wonders to frame the main story.
I love reading about other countries and cultures, be it fictional or fact. I’ve always admired India - I have a number of friends from there - the colours, the noise, the atmosphere, but it’s not a country I know much about. But I’ve felt Mansi Shah has depicted it in such a glorious way that even though her background is in Canada and the US (according to her online bio) you can clearly feel her love for India in this book.
I’d love to know what her inspiration for this book was. Some books you can sort of read their inspiration in the book, but this has so much heart I feel it must have come from a deeper personal place.
Everything is described so vividly, from the heat of Ahmedabad to the seemingly exotic nature of Paris, down to the food eaten and the jewellery worn. There’s a clear cultural difference between the characters which was really interesting to read.
It is heartwarming and heartbreaking in equal measures. She doesn’t go into this lightly, it really packs an emotional punch.
There’s a dual narrative/timeline going on with the two main characters, and whilst distinct, there was a slight blurring between the two which helped accentuate the relationship between them.
At first I thought the resolution was a bit rushed - we’d spent 200+ pages on this incredible journey, only for it to be wrapped up within a chapter or two. But now I’ve had time to think about, I think it was absolutely the right way to conclude the story.
It leaves you with questions. What does it mean to be a mother or a wife? What does it mean to be a woman in different countries? What would you be willing to give up to follow your dreams?
When I finished it, it was like having to say goodbye to an old friend.
If I had to sum this book up in one word, it would be gorgeous.
February 20, 2023
Dull and overexplained. I could have started reading this on chapter 23 and I'd still follow the story just fine. I slugged through because I was hoping for an interesting reunion between Sophie and her mother, Nita.
Sophie was told that her mother died when she was six. The story begins with her father's death. She finds old letters in a closet or somewhere I dunno don't care.
Hark! Nita is not dead! She actually had run off to Paris abandoning them! Alrighty.
Sophie leaves for Paris to track her down. Finally, she meets up with one of Nita's old friends - Sorry, Soph! She's dead (for reals this time). Sorry again to tell you that it's due to a heroin overdose. Oh! And she had another child! Another old friend of your mom's, Simon (possibly the only likeable character), took him away from his drug addict father to live with him in California.
Now Sophie is off to Cali seeking Simon, sibling, and sunshine. Simon? Shit sorry - he's dead too.
Anyways, everyone is dead except for her brother and I suppose everything wraps up with everyone who's still alive living mediocrely ever after. I dunno I don't care.
Sophie was told that her mother died when she was six. The story begins with her father's death. She finds old letters in a closet or somewhere I dunno don't care.
Hark! Nita is not dead! She actually had run off to Paris abandoning them! Alrighty.
Sophie leaves for Paris to track her down. Finally, she meets up with one of Nita's old friends - Sorry, Soph! She's dead (for reals this time). Sorry again to tell you that it's due to a heroin overdose. Oh! And she had another child! Another old friend of your mom's, Simon (possibly the only likeable character), took him away from his drug addict father to live with him in California.
Now Sophie is off to Cali seeking Simon, sibling, and sunshine. Simon? Shit sorry - he's dead too.
Anyways, everyone is dead except for her brother and I suppose everything wraps up with everyone who's still alive living mediocrely ever after. I dunno I don't care.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 6, 2023
3 75. I love reading books about India bc regrettably I feel like I know so little. This is a great book about those that font fit into the India that they were born in. A great book about mothers and families and what happens when you want more than society will let you have.
October 6, 2022
Incredible story telling about finding yourself when others would prefer you blend in over standing out. Sophie and Nita's lives are explored in ways you can see the intersecting challenges and growth and how each made choices for themselves and the consequences they face because of them.
Shah's voice grabs your heart by the fist and doesn't let go in this immersive novel that expands the genre of Gujarati narratives.
Shah's voice grabs your heart by the fist and doesn't let go in this immersive novel that expands the genre of Gujarati narratives.
August 16, 2022
'The Direction of the Wind' follows Sophie, a Gujarati woman whose father has just died leaving her as a bit of a problem for her aunts. A woman in her late 20s can't be allowed to just live alone - she must be married off as quickly as possible before people start to gossip. It was OK to be well over marriageable age whilst looking after her father, but with him gone, things need sorting out quickly. We are told that the Gujarati way is to do things quickly. Most people would spend more time choosing a new car than Sophie's aunts put into finding her a husband.
Sophie has the shock of her life when she discovers letters amongst her father's things; letters that reveal that her mother who had died in a car crash when Sophie was a child, didn't. She learns that her mother, Nita, left her father and took off to Paris to pursue a life as an artist. Before Sophie can settle down to life as a wife and, potentially, a mother, she needs to find out what happened to Nita. She flees to Paris in search of answers.
With dual timelines and different points of view, I prefer that there's a clear differentiation between the parallel stories. This isn't the case in this book although it's pretty easy to keep a track of who is who even though there are no significant style cues.
Some of what happens can seem quite hard to follow. The amount Sophie achieves in a very short time seemed unbelievable, but I could put that to one side for the sake of the story.
It's a well-worn technique to send protagonists off to India to 'find themselves' but this book sends Indians to Paris in search of their reasons to be. It's rather different for doing that. I liked Sophie leaving her privileged life of servants and support networks and finding herself penniless and working in a restaurant kitchen. I was very sad at Nita's terrible choices in men.
There's a lot that can't be said for fear of giving away too much. All in all, I found this a rather satisfying read and appreciated the care the writer took with Sophie, getting her a suitor who was better than we might have expected and giving her a happier ending than might have been predicted.
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for my copy
Sophie has the shock of her life when she discovers letters amongst her father's things; letters that reveal that her mother who had died in a car crash when Sophie was a child, didn't. She learns that her mother, Nita, left her father and took off to Paris to pursue a life as an artist. Before Sophie can settle down to life as a wife and, potentially, a mother, she needs to find out what happened to Nita. She flees to Paris in search of answers.
With dual timelines and different points of view, I prefer that there's a clear differentiation between the parallel stories. This isn't the case in this book although it's pretty easy to keep a track of who is who even though there are no significant style cues.
Some of what happens can seem quite hard to follow. The amount Sophie achieves in a very short time seemed unbelievable, but I could put that to one side for the sake of the story.
It's a well-worn technique to send protagonists off to India to 'find themselves' but this book sends Indians to Paris in search of their reasons to be. It's rather different for doing that. I liked Sophie leaving her privileged life of servants and support networks and finding herself penniless and working in a restaurant kitchen. I was very sad at Nita's terrible choices in men.
There's a lot that can't be said for fear of giving away too much. All in all, I found this a rather satisfying read and appreciated the care the writer took with Sophie, getting her a suitor who was better than we might have expected and giving her a happier ending than might have been predicted.
Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for my copy
March 12, 2023
I really had a hard time with this book, I think I didn't like it until the end.
I can never understand someone like Nita, making the decision to leave her life her husband, and her daughter, I do agree if you want to leave your husband well is up to you no problem at all but leaving your daughter just because you didn't feel like this was your dream?
Nita's character for me was very naib and also very selfish, if you have a daughter you raise her and love her and treat her well you dont leave her and act like you are single and sleep with the whole town of Paris.
So No I dont understand Nita and I never will, if you're not happy you make your own happiness however you can but you don't go and destroy and make feel other people's life just because you want to find your own happiness is just so egoic and selfish.
anyway, this story was a dual time, we get to read Nita's life why she decided to leave, and all the mistakes she made, including getting involved with someone who rather than help her to achieve her dreams only serves to destroy her life even more. so what is the case to leave your life for something so terrible that only will end up making you end up digging your own grave?
this is going to sound terrible but she deserves everything she went through, including her last moments on this earth, I know we all make mistakes but she was very naive and selfish, she never once regretted leaving her daughter, no matter what the author wrote, Nita was the first heroine I ever read who didn't deserve to be a heroine, her daughter was for me the real protagonist of the story, the one who deserved everything, every happiness and love.
Anyway, I've found a pattern whenever I read these books, they're always very dramatic and the family never cares about the daughters, if you're a woman in these stories you're always the outcast the less important, and the one who doesn't have a voice and a choice, but if you're a man then you're the one who has everything in life very sad.
the ending was good other than that I had a hard time with Nita, she wasn't likable at all very naive, and always making the wrong decisions no matter what
I can never understand someone like Nita, making the decision to leave her life her husband, and her daughter, I do agree if you want to leave your husband well is up to you no problem at all but leaving your daughter just because you didn't feel like this was your dream?
Nita's character for me was very naib and also very selfish, if you have a daughter you raise her and love her and treat her well you dont leave her and act like you are single and sleep with the whole town of Paris.
So No I dont understand Nita and I never will, if you're not happy you make your own happiness however you can but you don't go and destroy and make feel other people's life just because you want to find your own happiness is just so egoic and selfish.
anyway, this story was a dual time, we get to read Nita's life why she decided to leave, and all the mistakes she made, including getting involved with someone who rather than help her to achieve her dreams only serves to destroy her life even more. so what is the case to leave your life for something so terrible that only will end up making you end up digging your own grave?
this is going to sound terrible but she deserves everything she went through, including her last moments on this earth, I know we all make mistakes but she was very naive and selfish, she never once regretted leaving her daughter, no matter what the author wrote, Nita was the first heroine I ever read who didn't deserve to be a heroine, her daughter was for me the real protagonist of the story, the one who deserved everything, every happiness and love.
Anyway, I've found a pattern whenever I read these books, they're always very dramatic and the family never cares about the daughters, if you're a woman in these stories you're always the outcast the less important, and the one who doesn't have a voice and a choice, but if you're a man then you're the one who has everything in life very sad.
the ending was good other than that I had a hard time with Nita, she wasn't likable at all very naive, and always making the wrong decisions no matter what
February 2, 2023
The Direction of the Wind is a novel that took me by surprise. Although it may look like a simple story of a daughter searching for the mother she thought was dead, it delves into much bigger themes and leaves the reader with a new perspective.
In the late 1990s, Nita Shah abandoned her husband and daughter, leaving an easy and comfortable life in India for a life of striving in France. Though she’s 30 years old, Nita is naive and uncertain how to make her way in Paris. Some people she meets are kind and helpful; others will lead her down a difficult road. When her daughter Sophie searches Paris in 2019, she comes with some of the same naivety but also with more sure footing. Both come of age, in a way, while in Paris, but the conclusions they each draw may differ.
Early on, one element I enjoyed in The Direction of the Wind is the culture shock both Nita and Sophie experience in Paris. French culture—or Western culture more widely—is so different to what they’re used to in India! It’s in everything, from greetings (kisses on the cheeks!) to the openness with which people talk to each other to the way families interact. Nita, in particular, is determined to fit in, to assimilate to French culture. For her, this means dressing in jeans rather than a sari, drinking wine, smoking cigarettes.
Both Nita and Sophie get into some tough spots, and both learn how sheltered they’ve been up until now. The men in their lives paid for everything, the servants took care of everything, and family was always there to help (or control). In Paris, these two women need to earn money to survive, and both must learn who they can trust as they make their way forward.
One of the most impactful themes in The Direction of the Wind is the discussion of mental health. Nita describes a darkness inside of her. Why can’t she be happy? Will she always be chasing joy and fulfillment? She feels so out of place; will moving to a new country solve her problems? As Nita works towards being a painter, she ends up living the true lifestyle of the “starving artist.” With time, her perspective of Paris and of herself shifts… but how can she move forward now?
The Direction of the Wind goes in some surprisingly dark directions. I will admit that I had tears in my eyes towards the end. The book is so beautifully and tenderly written, I couldn’t help but feel for the characters. It’s a painful story of a fractured mother-daughter relationship, of the ways culture or family can confine you, of mental health and addiction and toxic people, and of how a home is more than just a physical place.
The Direction of the Wind is a heart-wrenching and impactful novel that will ignite your feelings and inspire thoughtful discussions. It’s a stunning sophomore novel by Mansi Shah, and I look forward to reading her first book, The Taste of Ginger, as well as any future books she publishes.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
In the late 1990s, Nita Shah abandoned her husband and daughter, leaving an easy and comfortable life in India for a life of striving in France. Though she’s 30 years old, Nita is naive and uncertain how to make her way in Paris. Some people she meets are kind and helpful; others will lead her down a difficult road. When her daughter Sophie searches Paris in 2019, she comes with some of the same naivety but also with more sure footing. Both come of age, in a way, while in Paris, but the conclusions they each draw may differ.
Early on, one element I enjoyed in The Direction of the Wind is the culture shock both Nita and Sophie experience in Paris. French culture—or Western culture more widely—is so different to what they’re used to in India! It’s in everything, from greetings (kisses on the cheeks!) to the openness with which people talk to each other to the way families interact. Nita, in particular, is determined to fit in, to assimilate to French culture. For her, this means dressing in jeans rather than a sari, drinking wine, smoking cigarettes.
Both Nita and Sophie get into some tough spots, and both learn how sheltered they’ve been up until now. The men in their lives paid for everything, the servants took care of everything, and family was always there to help (or control). In Paris, these two women need to earn money to survive, and both must learn who they can trust as they make their way forward.
One of the most impactful themes in The Direction of the Wind is the discussion of mental health. Nita describes a darkness inside of her. Why can’t she be happy? Will she always be chasing joy and fulfillment? She feels so out of place; will moving to a new country solve her problems? As Nita works towards being a painter, she ends up living the true lifestyle of the “starving artist.” With time, her perspective of Paris and of herself shifts… but how can she move forward now?
The Direction of the Wind goes in some surprisingly dark directions. I will admit that I had tears in my eyes towards the end. The book is so beautifully and tenderly written, I couldn’t help but feel for the characters. It’s a painful story of a fractured mother-daughter relationship, of the ways culture or family can confine you, of mental health and addiction and toxic people, and of how a home is more than just a physical place.
The Direction of the Wind is a heart-wrenching and impactful novel that will ignite your feelings and inspire thoughtful discussions. It’s a stunning sophomore novel by Mansi Shah, and I look forward to reading her first book, The Taste of Ginger, as well as any future books she publishes.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book!
* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *
January 9, 2023
Perhaps the title is prophetic…
It’s taken me days to read this book; not common for me. Dual POV’s and timelines are well marked but not integrated so the story can flow. Quite honestly, it was a slog. Moments of honest emotions were overwhelmed by excess; not only of the character’s prodigality, but the writing style succumbing to overindulgent prose.
Description doesn’t equate to character development. Author, Mansi Shah, also bailed out on the storyline involving the errant mother, Nita and her partner, Matthieu. Rather than letting those characters finish “living” and telling their stories, it comes by way of disjointed discoveries made by the daughter in her contemporary timeline.
There were some tender and heartfelt moments and Sophie is a remarkable and charming young woman, especially in light of all she learns about her family and then decides what she wants for herself. Her family relationships needed much more page time and exploration; a giant missed opportunity. There were many of them imo.
“The Direction of the Wind” is Shah’s sophomore novel and it’s plagued with some of the same issues her first offering suffered with: incorrect cultural assertions, overkill of words and ideas, underdeveloped characters and poor storyline plotting. Perhaps it’s time for some creative changes📚
It’s taken me days to read this book; not common for me. Dual POV’s and timelines are well marked but not integrated so the story can flow. Quite honestly, it was a slog. Moments of honest emotions were overwhelmed by excess; not only of the character’s prodigality, but the writing style succumbing to overindulgent prose.
Description doesn’t equate to character development. Author, Mansi Shah, also bailed out on the storyline involving the errant mother, Nita and her partner, Matthieu. Rather than letting those characters finish “living” and telling their stories, it comes by way of disjointed discoveries made by the daughter in her contemporary timeline.
There were some tender and heartfelt moments and Sophie is a remarkable and charming young woman, especially in light of all she learns about her family and then decides what she wants for herself. Her family relationships needed much more page time and exploration; a giant missed opportunity. There were many of them imo.
“The Direction of the Wind” is Shah’s sophomore novel and it’s plagued with some of the same issues her first offering suffered with: incorrect cultural assertions, overkill of words and ideas, underdeveloped characters and poor storyline plotting. Perhaps it’s time for some creative changes📚
January 24, 2023
3.5 stars ⭐️
Man, I was super excited about this book at the beginning so I’m sad to say it just fell flat for me. I was able to read it on Kindle First Read for January 2023.
I appreciate the idea behind the story and it had great potential, such as difficult topics like mental health and addiction intermingled with a traditional Indian culture, but both of the main characters just felt unremarkable and unrelatable. I also personally felt that Sophie did not act or think like a 25 year old. I understand she never had much independence but the way she would describe things gave me the impression of a child. Also, each thought and feeling of the characters is described in so much detail and analyzed to the point that it leaves no room for the reader to draw their own conclusions. A lot is told to you rather than shown and the way things got described got to be very repetitive.
I did finish the book but I didn't really connect with the characters or the story and was rather unsatisfied at the end. It’s not a happy book but there are some good things about it.
Man, I was super excited about this book at the beginning so I’m sad to say it just fell flat for me. I was able to read it on Kindle First Read for January 2023.
I appreciate the idea behind the story and it had great potential, such as difficult topics like mental health and addiction intermingled with a traditional Indian culture, but both of the main characters just felt unremarkable and unrelatable. I also personally felt that Sophie did not act or think like a 25 year old. I understand she never had much independence but the way she would describe things gave me the impression of a child. Also, each thought and feeling of the characters is described in so much detail and analyzed to the point that it leaves no room for the reader to draw their own conclusions. A lot is told to you rather than shown and the way things got described got to be very repetitive.
I did finish the book but I didn't really connect with the characters or the story and was rather unsatisfied at the end. It’s not a happy book but there are some good things about it.
August 12, 2022
Shah channels one of my favorites Sejal Bedani (Storyteller's Secret) in this touching story of finding oneself through one's history.
Sophie Shah lost her mother, Nita, at the age of six, so when her father dies years later, 28-year-old Sophie believes she's an orphan. Only, Sophie's mother didn't die. She abandoned her husband and daughter, leaving India and her rules and customs for the allure of Paris. Now Sophie is on a quest to reclaim what's she's lost.
This dual timeline follows Nita and Sophie as their fates intersect. A beautifully written tale of tradition and following one's heart, Shah captures the passion and pain that come from tough choices. Both moving and insightful, The Direction of The Wind manages to lead us on an extraordinary journey where home is deeply rooted in the heart.
Sophie Shah lost her mother, Nita, at the age of six, so when her father dies years later, 28-year-old Sophie believes she's an orphan. Only, Sophie's mother didn't die. She abandoned her husband and daughter, leaving India and her rules and customs for the allure of Paris. Now Sophie is on a quest to reclaim what's she's lost.
This dual timeline follows Nita and Sophie as their fates intersect. A beautifully written tale of tradition and following one's heart, Shah captures the passion and pain that come from tough choices. Both moving and insightful, The Direction of The Wind manages to lead us on an extraordinary journey where home is deeply rooted in the heart.
January 23, 2023
The good stuff:
The storyline was interesting, and I enjoyed reading about the contrasts between India and the west. I sympathized with Sophie and understood why she wanted to find her mother.
The not so good stuff:
Beyond that, I thought the story was undeveloped and repetitive in many places. The last quarter of the book was better paced and written, but I couldn't stomach the way Nita was made out to be a loving mother who simply lost her way, or the way the characters tried to comfort Sophie by telling her that her mum loved her and wanted what was best for her. How could they say that when they did not even know Nita even HAD a daughter until said daughter appeared on their doorstep? It felt very dismissive of what Sophie had been through.
The storyline was interesting, and I enjoyed reading about the contrasts between India and the west. I sympathized with Sophie and understood why she wanted to find her mother.
The not so good stuff:
Beyond that, I thought the story was undeveloped and repetitive in many places. The last quarter of the book was better paced and written, but I couldn't stomach the way Nita was made out to be a loving mother who simply lost her way, or the way the characters tried to comfort Sophie by telling her that her mum loved her and wanted what was best for her. How could they say that when they did not even know Nita even HAD a daughter until said daughter appeared on their doorstep? It felt very dismissive of what Sophie had been through.
January 17, 2023
The idea had so much potential but I felt I read the same thing over and over again. It's heavily overexplained and it's a shame as the plot twist was unexpected and could have been developed further.
February 21, 2023
The story follows Nita in 1998 and how she was unhappy in her life and wanted more.
And it follows Sophie in 2019 and how twenty years later she is trying to find the truth.
But 1998 feels more like the seventies
And 2019 feels more like the nineties
Nita arrives in Paris and is fascinated by the “Western clothing” like she’s seen on western shows on television!
Has she never been on the streets, has she never seen an Indian movie, it’s 1998 she’s never seen Kuch Kuch Hota Hai?
She comes from a privileged family and a comfortable life, she can speak English and is clearly educated. She left her good husband and daughter to pursue her dream of becoming an artist
She arrives in Paris totally clueless and conveniently finds a place to stay and immediately meets this artist that she hopes will help in her art, then it all goes down hill, and instead of finding herself she loses herself, to this guy and to drugs and alcohol. And even though she could have saved herself she didn’t
Why give her a good understanding husband and a good background and a good life and then make her run away from it?
She wanted to be an artist so bad she ran away from her life where she already had art
to what?
It just didn’t make sense to me.
And then we have Sophie, the daughter who just lost her very loving father and just discovered that her mother has not been dead for the last 20 years, she just left her and went to Paris
So Sophie leaves everything behind and goes to Paris to find the truth.
Now I understand Sophie’s need to find the truth and her trip makes more sense
What I don’t understand is what she feels after finding the truth, how could she be so forgiven and feels more attached to her mother after learning that her mother didn’t just abandon her for nothing but that she also had a chance of returning to her and didn’t take it.
And that she had a son and still didn’t try to be a mother to him as well.
Was Sophie really that naive
“her heart breaks that Nita wasn’t strong enough to leave someone like him and rebuild herself.”
She was strong enough to leave you and her really good life you don’t get to feel sorry for her for deciding to stay with a bad man.
“I’m sorry she wasn’t a better mother to you,” Sophie says.”
Seriously, you mean like she was really good to you by leaving you when you were 6?
But even though Sophie was a bit naive in some parts she finally showed maturity when she decided that her life in India was better for her and she decided to go back and stay.
Now the writing was good but it just told you so much and didn’t really give you a chance to feel it
And it was a bit confusing somehow by not capturing the feel of the times correctly
But I liked the ending
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 7, 2023
I read The Taste of Ginger and felt there was a really good story in there, but that the author was somewhat stilted and hadn’t reached her stride. But in this book, she has reached it!! I loved this book. I couldn’t put it down. I have read quite a few books set in India or about Indian-Americans/Brits/etc. but I’ve never read one quite like this. The rawness of Nita’s story, the reality of it, the bleakness of it was just…well, I don’t want to say wonderful because the story was painful to read, but the author wrote it wonderfully well.
I am so glad I chose this novel as my First Reads. I think it will stick with me for a while.
I am so glad I chose this novel as my First Reads. I think it will stick with me for a while.
March 16, 2023
I couldn’t even finish this book. I started reading it because the plot sounded interesting - sheltered Indian woman leaves family to pursue her artistic passion. Seemed pretty intriguing and I liked the angle about the daughter looking for her years later. But the book was so badly written I just couldn’t go on - as many other reviewers noted, the author didn’t seem to understand how to write in the settings of 1998 or 2019 - everything sounded like the 70s and 90s, kind of strange that she didn’t even know how to write for basically the present day timeframe. It also ended up being a cautionary tale not to ever follow your dreams apparently? That’s kind of a downer. But what really put the nail in the coffin was a scene where the mother is in Paris and receives a letter AT HER HOTEL from her husband where he tells her her that he looked everywhere in Paris for her and couldn’t find her…um, what? How did he know where to send the letter? I gave it 2 stars because it had potential, but overall was pretty disappointed.
November 14, 2022
I have no words for how good this book actually is. The writing is beautiful with an absolutely captivating storyline and well developed characters that I have taken to my heart. This is such a poignant and powerful novel that I thik everyone should read.
January 22, 2023
One of the best parts of this book was the experiences of arriving in another culture and realising you actually know nothing.
All along, whilst growing up in their home country, both MCs have never experienced true responsibility for their decisions because the people around them control all the choices they're presented with. Afterall, how can one have true accountability for their choices if they've never been given a real choice?
It's interesting to see how the two women handle this, and how feelings of pride and shame fall into the mix, and how they affect decisions both intimately end up making.
It's also funny that because Nita has never been given choices in her life, she equally does not know how to give others choices too.
Her husband continuously gave her chances and opportunities to come home, but she kept believing it was 'too late' for her and she had already brought enough shame on the family. Those are her thoughts, but they're not her husband's. By not telling him, she never gives him space or the opportunity to show who he really is.
Another example is when she's pregnant she doesn't want to even hope the real father might be Good Guy. Instead she assumes that if she tells GG that will ruin his life, and resigns herself to her fate with Shit Guy. She strips the decision of having a child from GG, even though he has said countless times that he would love to have her and her baby, even if it wasn't his.
These are only two examples, but its a common theme throughout her story and ultimately what she perceives to be predetermined outcomes end up destroying her in the end.
On the opposite end of the scale, we have Sophie, who faces wildly different circumstances but very similar trials. She felt like she gained a level of independence because she worked and has been working for a long time. However, in Paris she comes to realise that it's her father that got her the job, and actually what other choices did she have in her job hunt? As a woman, basically nothing else.
However, after this realisation hits, she doesn't discard all other forms of help and try to do it on her own. She still relies on others for help (albeit after a few mistakes like going to a bad area of town near midnight. The point is, she learns, okay?)
Another interesting thing is seeing both MCs dance the dichotomy between the French and Indian culture. One is very open and individualistic, and the other is conservative and collective. Both MCs get to experience the positives and negatives of both cultures, and seeing how they toe the line is very interesting.
Nita forces herself to follow the French way, believing she will never be accepted back in Indian society. Due to that she does many things that go against Indian cultural norms whilst still uploading herself to those values. As a result, beats herself up the whole way.
This "in for a penny, in for a pound" mentality can be seen basically throughout her whole relationship with Shit Guy. From her first sip of wine to her last dose of heroine. Why? Because of all that uncontrollable shame, baby. She believes she's a shit person and that's what she deserves.
Sophie, maybe because she has never had any intention of staying in the west, is accepting of the French culture but doesn't try discard her Indian heritage as soon as she notices the good parts of the new country. Equally, after getting robbed by people from her home country, she doesn't taint them all with the same brush. She's able to learn from her mistakes without beating herself up so badly. (Once again, maybe this all stems from the fact she doesn't harbor the deep seated shame that Nita does)
I know this story deals with addiction and mental health, but I'm not going to comment on them. The parts that resonated with me most have been touched on above.
Last note - Sophie makes a very interesting point that Self Reliance is different from Independence, and maybe this is the biggest difference in the chasm that divides our two MCs.
All along, whilst growing up in their home country, both MCs have never experienced true responsibility for their decisions because the people around them control all the choices they're presented with. Afterall, how can one have true accountability for their choices if they've never been given a real choice?
It's interesting to see how the two women handle this, and how feelings of pride and shame fall into the mix, and how they affect decisions both intimately end up making.
It's also funny that because Nita has never been given choices in her life, she equally does not know how to give others choices too.
Her husband continuously gave her chances and opportunities to come home, but she kept believing it was 'too late' for her and she had already brought enough shame on the family. Those are her thoughts, but they're not her husband's. By not telling him, she never gives him space or the opportunity to show who he really is.
Another example is when she's pregnant she doesn't want to even hope the real father might be Good Guy. Instead she assumes that if she tells GG that will ruin his life, and resigns herself to her fate with Shit Guy. She strips the decision of having a child from GG, even though he has said countless times that he would love to have her and her baby, even if it wasn't his.
These are only two examples, but its a common theme throughout her story and ultimately what she perceives to be predetermined outcomes end up destroying her in the end.
On the opposite end of the scale, we have Sophie, who faces wildly different circumstances but very similar trials. She felt like she gained a level of independence because she worked and has been working for a long time. However, in Paris she comes to realise that it's her father that got her the job, and actually what other choices did she have in her job hunt? As a woman, basically nothing else.
However, after this realisation hits, she doesn't discard all other forms of help and try to do it on her own. She still relies on others for help (albeit after a few mistakes like going to a bad area of town near midnight. The point is, she learns, okay?)
Another interesting thing is seeing both MCs dance the dichotomy between the French and Indian culture. One is very open and individualistic, and the other is conservative and collective. Both MCs get to experience the positives and negatives of both cultures, and seeing how they toe the line is very interesting.
Nita forces herself to follow the French way, believing she will never be accepted back in Indian society. Due to that she does many things that go against Indian cultural norms whilst still uploading herself to those values. As a result, beats herself up the whole way.
This "in for a penny, in for a pound" mentality can be seen basically throughout her whole relationship with Shit Guy. From her first sip of wine to her last dose of heroine. Why? Because of all that uncontrollable shame, baby. She believes she's a shit person and that's what she deserves.
Sophie, maybe because she has never had any intention of staying in the west, is accepting of the French culture but doesn't try discard her Indian heritage as soon as she notices the good parts of the new country. Equally, after getting robbed by people from her home country, she doesn't taint them all with the same brush. She's able to learn from her mistakes without beating herself up so badly. (Once again, maybe this all stems from the fact she doesn't harbor the deep seated shame that Nita does)
I know this story deals with addiction and mental health, but I'm not going to comment on them. The parts that resonated with me most have been touched on above.
Last note - Sophie makes a very interesting point that Self Reliance is different from Independence, and maybe this is the biggest difference in the chasm that divides our two MCs.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2023
Almost all of us have the notion at one time or another to run away and start all over in pursuit of a compelling dream. In this story, Nita leaves her upper caste home in India to become an artist in Paris, thus abandoning her young daughter Sofi and her husband. Rather than suffer shame, the family unites to tell Sofi the her mother died in an accident. She only discovers the truth with her father dies over 20 years later. Can Sofi find her mother after all this time and with little forethought or planning? And what did happen to Nita and her dream? By the time you finish the novel, you'll know the answers and you'll have come to care about a variety of characters in this well written novel.
Among the many things I enjoyed about the story was the way Shah described Paris. It brought back memories of the several trips I made there over the years. I've not been to India, but the descriptions evoked a real sense of place and culture. I would recommend this for book clubs. It raises many good questions about the nature of parenting, the role of family, keeping secrets and the rewards/downsides to taking risks.
Among the many things I enjoyed about the story was the way Shah described Paris. It brought back memories of the several trips I made there over the years. I've not been to India, but the descriptions evoked a real sense of place and culture. I would recommend this for book clubs. It raises many good questions about the nature of parenting, the role of family, keeping secrets and the rewards/downsides to taking risks.
December 14, 2024
2.5 ⭐. Compelling story of a daughter searching for a mother she was told was dead but actually fled to Paris (from Ahmedabad). The structure, in having short chapters oscillating between Nita (mother) and Sophie (daughter) as the focal points, helped create tension that kept me engaged right through to the end, staying up quite late to finish (though this is also likely bc I'm avoiding starting my EDLL502 assignment and other responsibilities).
But the writing was pretty poor/unimaginative and parts of it didn't make sense (e.g. the Gujarati uncle and auntie that swindle Sophie, Nita's first time smoking hash making her comfortable to pose nude, the framing of Simon as a "good man" even after he cheated when the same act brought shame to both Sophie and Matthieu). Also think her depiction of modern day India is quite archaic/outdated, but this is one diaspora kid's word against another.
Though entertaining, I don't walk away having gained much reading this book at all other than the fact that im happy women in India have gained more autonomy, esp on marriage. Also, Shah is right in that talking about mental health/addiction needs to be more normalised in the Indian community so people can seek appropriate help when they need it.
But the writing was pretty poor/unimaginative and parts of it didn't make sense (e.g. the Gujarati uncle and auntie that swindle Sophie, Nita's first time smoking hash making her comfortable to pose nude, the framing of Simon as a "good man" even after he cheated when the same act brought shame to both Sophie and Matthieu). Also think her depiction of modern day India is quite archaic/outdated, but this is one diaspora kid's word against another.
Though entertaining, I don't walk away having gained much reading this book at all other than the fact that im happy women in India have gained more autonomy, esp on marriage. Also, Shah is right in that talking about mental health/addiction needs to be more normalised in the Indian community so people can seek appropriate help when they need it.
June 1, 2023
A young woman leaves her town in India for Paris to pursue her passion for creating art. She abandons her young daughter and husband, feeling stifled by her culture. 20 + years later her adult daughter, being told her mother died when she was a child, discovers letters she wrote to her husband after her supposed death. The daughter flies to Paris in search of her mother and to seek answers. The story goes back and forth in time, telling the story of the mother in Paris and the daughter's search for her as an adult. The novel gives a glimpse of Indian culture and how difficult it is to adjust to a new language and culture. Mansi Shah takes us into the mind each of her characters including the mother. The author treats the mother with empathy but does not shy away from her responsibility for the flawed decisions she has made. Flaws the mother acknowledges herself. In the end this is a tale of the acceptance of the imperfect love of a mother by her daughter. For the daughter knows, in her own way, her mother did love her. Shah's writing is vivid. I found her story moving, sad and in the end even a little hopeful.
March 26, 2023
4.5 stars
this book oml.
I can't I just can't the amount of heartbreaks I had while reading this, the story line was perfect. it was a little bit confusing in the first two chapter but now that I've gotten past it it was absolutely beautiful. I love this book, everything about it is perfection. I loved it sm
this book oml.
I can't I just can't the amount of heartbreaks I had while reading this, the story line was perfect. it was a little bit confusing in the first two chapter but now that I've gotten past it it was absolutely beautiful. I love this book, everything about it is perfection. I loved it sm
January 28, 2023
Unexpected
This book takes several unexpected twists and turns, that keeps you reading and then it kind of ends at a very slow pace. It's a good idea to read on a tablet so you can look up Indian words and some French phrases. A good read.
This book takes several unexpected twists and turns, that keeps you reading and then it kind of ends at a very slow pace. It's a good idea to read on a tablet so you can look up Indian words and some French phrases. A good read.
January 26, 2023
Really fascinating book which reflects on the expectations of culture from two very contrasting women despite them being from the same family. The book beautifully portrays the European / Parisian culture against that of India through the eyes of Sophie and her mum Nita, 20years apart finding that their own way in the world despite their different perspectives.
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