From the New York Times bestselling author of THE HENNA ARTIST, this sweeping novel follows a young Anglo-Indian nurse who embarks on a journey from her home in Bombay, through Prague, Florence, Paris, and London, to uncover a mystery and prove her innocence after a famous painter dies in her care.
When renouned painter Mira Novak arrives at Wadia hospital in Bombay after a miscarriage, she's expected to make a quick recovery, and Sona is excited to spend time with the worldly woman who shares her half-Indian identity, even if that's where their similarities end. Sona is enraptured by Mira's stories of her travels, and shocked by accounts of the many lovers she's left scattered through Europe. Over the course of a week, Mira befriends Sona, seeing in her something bigger than the small life she's living with her mother. Mira is released from the hospital just in time to attend a lavish engagement party where all of Bombay society. But the next day, Mira is readmitted to the hospital in worse condition than before, and when she dies under mysterious circumstances, Sona immediately falls under suspicion.
Before leaving the hospital in disgrace, Sona is given a note Mira left for her, along with her four favorite paintings. But how could she have known to leave a note if she didn't know she was going to die? The note sends Sona on a mission to deliver three of the paintings—the first to Petra, Mira's childhood friend and first love in Prague; the second to her art dealer Josephine in Paris; the third to her first painting tutor, Paolo, with whom both Mira and her mother had affairs. As Sona uncovers Mira's history, she learns that the charming facade she'd come to know was only one part of a complicated and sometimes cruel woman. But can she discover what really happened to Mira and exonerate herself?
Along the way, Sona also comes to terms with her own complex history and the English father who deserted her and her mother in India so many years ago. In the end, she'll discover that we are all made up of pieces, and only by seeing the world do we learn to see ourselves.
(view spoiler)[I like it so far. There are quite a few characters but I'm not sure all of their names/characters will be important.
Mira's situation is awful because it appears that the hospital workers in charge are not doing their moral duty to her as a patient... because she's part Indian?
Babir is a disgusting abusive man and I hope Indira leaves him but he seems like the type who might find her and kill her. His threat to Sona sounded legit so she might be in trouble too if she continues to be friends with Indira which I'm sure she will.
I like Sona's character. She seems like she's pretty strong and doesn't take a lot of crap off others and I like that she gives her patients time and plays games with them, etc. Sounds like her dad was pretty awful and he has another family? Awful! (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[I feel so bad for Sona! She has gone through so much losing Mira, her mom, AND her job all within days of each other. Just so sad. I hate that she was fired for something nobody had proven she'd done. I wonder if someone actually murdered Mira.
I obviously don't like Rebecca or Matron! I think Rebecca is sus but probably too much so. I wondered if possibly Dr. Holbrook did something to Mira since he thought she wasn't worthy of being treated and (if I remember correctly) went against his advice to leave the hospital so maybe his pride was hurt. I also suspected her husband because he seems so uninvested but so did Mira. I thought she might've killed herself somehow but not sure how she could've gotten the morphine but it seemed like she didn't really care. Maybe she and her husband were in it together but if so, why? Hmm...
I was neutral on Dr. Stoddard but after the last couple chapters I love him. He sees Sona's worth and he's kind of taken her under his wings. I also wonder if maybe she and Edward will meet up again one day and form a romance. He really swept her off her feet.
I feel like she's on a positive path right now with some good people to support her. Hoping! I also think she'll end up finding her father, especially since Dr. Stoddard is encouraging her to do so and she has a lot of respect for him. He's such a fun old geezer. lol (hide spoiler)]
Through Ch. 10 / pg. 275 / 82% Stopped at Florence
(view spoiler)[Wow! I'm so glad that she's in Europe and learning a lot about Mira. After Petra and Josephine both told her that Mira never wanted a baby, I'm even more suspicious of what really happened. She was not faithful and never cared about hurting marriages and being with married men. Paulo...why did she say his name when she first aborted? I'm just curious now. (hide spoiler)]
(view spoiler)[I was mostly satisfied with how it ended. I was happy that Sona and Edward got together and that she has her own little Indira now.
I was rather surprised that Paulo and his wife were to be the parents of Mira's baby. But it all makes sense now. I wasn't surprised that he was the father though.
I love that they ended up back in Bombay too and all of the references to being half-and-half. Plus now her half-siblings. Kind of irone. (hide spoiler)]
When renouned painter Mira Novak arrives at Wadia hospital in Bombay after a miscarriage, she's expected to make a quick recovery, and Sona is excited to spend time with the worldly woman who shares her half-Indian identity, even if that's where their similarities end. Sona is enraptured by Mira's stories of her travels, and shocked by accounts of the many lovers she's left scattered through Europe. Over the course of a week, Mira befriends Sona, seeing in her something bigger than the small life she's living with her mother. Mira is released from the hospital just in time to attend a lavish engagement party where all of Bombay society. But the next day, Mira is readmitted to the hospital in worse condition than before, and when she dies under mysterious circumstances, Sona immediately falls under suspicion.
Before leaving the hospital in disgrace, Sona is given a note Mira left for her, along with her four favorite paintings. But how could she have known to leave a note if she didn't know she was going to die? The note sends Sona on a mission to deliver three of the paintings—the first to Petra, Mira's childhood friend and first love in Prague; the second to her art dealer Josephine in Paris; the third to her first painting tutor, Paolo, with whom both Mira and her mother had affairs. As Sona uncovers Mira's history, she learns that the charming facade she'd come to know was only one part of a complicated and sometimes cruel woman. But can she discover what really happened to Mira and exonerate herself?
Along the way, Sona also comes to terms with her own complex history and the English father who deserted her and her mother in India so many years ago. In the end, she'll discover that we are all made up of pieces, and only by seeing the world do we learn to see ourselves.