The Runaway Daughter by Juliet Philip - My Review

I received a copy of this book from BookSparks in exchange for my honest review. 

All opinions are my own.

Kamada, Tara’s daughter lives in a world of magic. A world of gremlins, fairies, an airavata—spotless white elephant having four tusks and seven trunks and talking magical entities that shield her from a society where strange men act like they own the women walking down the street and where her mother sells her body in exchange for a life of luxury.

Kamada knows she doesn’t belong here. She is on a mission to escape the dirty streets of a gritty Bombay and her mother’s house which feels like a prison. Only her magical friends, a parrot astrologer who tells of the future and a neighboring family know that her dream is to leave home to study in America.

As she plans her escape, Kamada’s world is turned upside down when her mother reveals a secret and she must struggle to get an education she envisions.

My Review: 

Ready to be transported? I felt like Juliet Philip gave me a view of Bombay, dirty and full of despair through the eyes of a girl named Kamada. Despite how Kamada grew up and what she witnessed she always held tight to her ambition, her dreams and a desire to escape from her situation.

I have to say that some scenes left me feeling heartbroken for Kamada, others left me disgusted with her world, but I loved the underlying humor and hope in this story. The author did an amazing job weaving a girl's fantasy and daydreams with harsh reality. She doesn't want to marry a cauliflower, and I don't blame her!

I highly recommend reading Juliet Philip's The Runaway Daughter. A beautiful coming of age story that will warm your heart.

Learn more on the BookSparks site, buy a copy on Amazon or connect with Juliet Philip on her Facebook page.