Anagram Destiny

A Novel

De: Grishma Shah

Narrado por: Sutheshna Mani

A soul-warming love story, nestled in an inspiring tale of the American Dream and an Indian Dream shattered by the evils of globalization—that pays homage to a generation of immigrants who held their heads low so one day, their children lift could theirs high.

When Aanya arrives in India, ready for a new beginning, she is in awe of the glitz and glamour of expat living. But on her very first day, in the still of her apartment, tears salt her welcome cake. The cake is supposed to be a celebration, a symbol of her career accomplishments, a salute to her triumphs—and yet she has never felt more alone, not even on her darkest days.

Luckily, when she pitches her work to Abhimanyu, the self-made, down-to-earth Director of Events at the Taj Palace Hotel in Mumbai, he is charmed. But before Aanya can find the strength to reciprocate, she is thrust into reconciling her past: a coming of age at a roadside motel in Georgia, where her Indian-immigrant parents and their best friends manifest the American dream by turning over a thirty-four-room motel as their children, Aanya and Ayaan, develop a bond and fate as entwined as their anagrammed names. Now, in Mumbai, thousands of miles from home, can the fear of another loss help Aanya move forward?

©2024 SparkPress (P)2024 Grishma Shah

A Heartfelt Tale of Love, Identity, and Resilience

Anagram Destiny by Grishma Shah is nothing short of a masterpiece. This soul-warming love story weaves together the dreams and struggles of generations, paying homage to the immigrant experience with an authenticity that moved me to tears and laughter in equal measure.

Grishma's writing is as vibrant as it is heartfelt, painting vivid portraits of her characters and their journeys. Aanya's story, from the roadside motels of Georgia to the glitz of Mumbai, captures the essence of resilience, identity, and love in a way that feels deeply personal and universally relatable. The themes of family, loss, and rediscovery are handled with such nuance that I found myself savoring every page.

What sets this book apart is its ability to resonate on multiple levels. It’s not just a tale of finding love but also of finding oneself amidst the challenges of globalization and cultural identity. Grishma’s background in globalization and storytelling shines through, making this book as enlightening as it is engaging.

I wholeheartedly recommend Anagram Destiny to anyone looking for a story that stays with you long after the last page. This is a book that deserves to be read, cherished, and shared.

Story is heartbreaking and soul warming

Narrator has excellent range…writing is strong. I enjoyed the love story nestled in historical events …

Great storytelling

Smart and interesting storytelling structure. Shah blends masterfully history, romance, family, and culture into this beautiful book, piecing the puzzle together into an interesting novel that is complex but easily brings its reader along for the journey.

Beautifully written and timely story of the immigrant experience

Anagram Destiny, by Grishma Shah, is both a beautifully written debut novel and a much needed story at a time when immigrants, people of color, and other marginalized communities are coming under increasing pressures and prejudices, largely due to ignorance. Shah lyrically weaves a tale of love and tragedy, struggle and triumph, survival and healing. It’s not only about the immigrant experience, but about second chances.

Aanya, the female protagonist, is the daughter of Gujarati immigrants who run a motel along the I-95 in Georgia. She grows up in this motel in the 80s, side by side with her best friend, Ayaan, whose name is an anagram of hers. In 2008 Mumbai, Aanya has just moved overseas for a job opportunity and we watch that part of her story unfold as we learn of her coming of age in the earlier timeline. As the novel progresses, we slowly see how the two timelines are interconnected, as her life plays out against a rapidly globalizing world and is overshadowed by terrorism.

In many ways, this book is also an immersive lesson for readers about Indian culture and the Indian immigrant experience in the United States. Shah has helpfully included a glossary of Gujarati and Hindi words in both the ebook and hardback editions, and the audiobook is beautifully and authentically narrated by Sutheshna Mani. She also sings the traditional mantra and songs included in the story, and I found them so lovely. Additionally, Shah provides historical context and book club questions at the end of the book. As someone who knew precious little about this culture before reading the book, I enjoyed leaning on these extras and learning more. I was reminded just how truly universal our humanity is and how pervasive cultural misunderstanding is. I highly recommend this book to all readers, teenage and up, and give it 5 grateful stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to the author for the audiobook and ebook in exchange for an honest review. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

A great read!

Well written book capturing real big global life events one can relate to! Beautiful love stories with well developed characters! A tale of immigrants and reverse immigration experience! Loved discussing it with book club!