Anita Mohan

Vasundra Tailor’s debut novel -The Secret of Elephants- is a riveting read. A story that will keep you intrigued until you turn the very last page. Nirmala, the protagonist is trapped in a loveless marriage. She has a sickly son and a good for nothing husband who doesn’t care for her or his son. In the mansion across lives Nirmala’s paternal family but they are uncaring as well and have condemned Nirmala to her impoverished life. One day, a letter arrives from Zimbabwe addressed to her father, who is no more. The letter holds the key to Nirmala’s freedom but Zimbabwe is also the place where the family’s deep dark secret is revealed that will forever impact the lives of the characters affected. An emotional story so powerfully and descriptively told that you will actually visualize the scenes and the characters in front of you. Tailor literally brings all her characters and the places in Navsari, Gujarat and Zimbabwe to life with her vivid writing. Her characters are all too varied but all too human. The places so descriptive, you actually can visualize them as you read. I especially loved her description of the cave in Chinhoyi. Tailor writes about a mother’s unconditional love, of betrayal, tragedy, struggle, hope, forgiveness, and acceptance. A book you will not be able to put down or stop thinking about long after you’ve finished it. Available on Kindle Unlimited, this is a must read.