The Girl and the Goddess

BRITISH BOOK OF THE YEAR EasternEye

Picked as as one of STYLIST'S BEST AUTUMN READS OF 2020 'A much-needed escape into a lyrical world'

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

One girl's wild journey of strength, beauty and growth as she discovers who she really is.

Lyrical wonder, spiritual revelation and revolution meet with epic mythical landscapes in this deeply intimate coming-of-age story, one that teaches us all, no matter how small we feel, to become the masters of our own destiny.

Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of Partition, follow her as she crosses the precarious lines between childhood, teenage discovery and realising her adult self.

Nikita Gill's masterful poetry and beautiful illustrations conjure up jasmine-scented voices and smiles inhabited by ancestor's souls, rain dancing in a new city and the painful caverns in our hearts. We are taken on a journey of deity wisdom, fragmented family, and love lost and gained. We see power in belief, healing from trauma and hope after conflict. Undercurrents of the Trimurti - the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer - run deep, as Paro must confront fear, desire and the darkest parts of herself in the search for meaning and, ultimately, empowerment.

Navigating different cultures, religions and identities, The Girl and the Goddess is a mesmerising poetic tale of where we come from, how we grow and how we become who we are.

'A moving, layered story' The Irish Times

'One of the best books of the year ... a spiritually enriching experience' EasternEye