A review by crafalsk264
The Secret of Elephants by Vasundra Tailor

challenging emotional informative mysterious reflective slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

Nirmala is a poor Indian woman is in an arranged  marriage to a sari maker (Ajay) and they have one five year old son (Varun). Varun has just been diagnosed with a form of childhood epilepsy. Ajay controls all of the family money and he refuses to provide money for his medicine. Nirmala  owns the house they live in but she lives next to a mansion owned by her aunt who inherited the bulk of the estate instead of Nirmala’s father. A letter arrives from an Indian man living in Zimbabwe. He is looking for Indian people who may be relatives. When she contacts him, he invites Nirmala to come to Zimbabwe so Varun can get superior medical care and meet her African family members. The grandfathers separated in the 50s and never saw or spoke with each other again. The family secret stems from this separation. The secret switches roles, names, and households.

This book is a look at how secrets and injustices from one generation to another. Nirmala uncovers the acts of selfishness, revenge and greed and how they impact people’s ideals in the here and now. The plotting is complex. There are a lot of characters and only the main characters are deeply developed. The relationships of mothers to their children are explored. The setting of India and Zimbabwe are pleasant. I enjoyed this book and recommend to readers of historical fiction, India, Zimbabwe, Africa and contemporary adult literature.