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The best books by South Asian authors

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Jyoti Patel

An assured debut from a vital new voice. About family, grief and belonging, Patel weaves an intricate story that will stay with you.

Nikesh Shukla, author of Brown Baby and The Good Immigrant

Effortlessly weaving intricate intergenerational stories across time, Jyoti has written a poignant debut.

Christian Adofo, author of A Quick Ting on #Afrobeats

A big book, full of assured and affecting writing. . Secrets spill and relationships sour, sacrifices are made and promises are broken, as plot twists propel the narrative forward to a dramatic finale.

One of the best books I've read this year.

A thoughtful meditation on family, grief and the lengths we'll go to protect the ones we love.

A deftly assured debut novel about a fractured family and how words left unspoken can be more devastating than the truth.

Patel's novel revolves around the lingering trauma of bereavement and shows the lengths we go to to protect those closest to us. Sensitively written with a deep, emotional undercurrent.

The debut novel from 2021 Merky Books New Writers' Prize winner Jyoti may be one of the best books you read this year. The Things That We Lost is an achingly tender and heartfelt exploration of family, loss, and the lengths to which we go to protect the ones we love... Jyoti Patel is an exciting new writer, deftly exploring deep family intricacies, love and grief in equal measure.

An invigorating narrative centred around family, loss and protection.

There is an immersive and intimate quality about Patel's writing - from its portrayal of London teenage slang to the detailed depiction of British-Gujarati culture. Her characters have a depth that brings a poignant reality to issues around coping with grief, abuse and racial prejudice, and navigating family and friendship dynamics. An enthralling read."

Immeasurably moving, a poignant and touching story about love and family bonds, and an especially tender portrait of a mother and son.

A deeply reflective, searching depiction of grief.

Rabeea Saleem, The Times Literary Supplement

The Things That We Lost took me by the hand and guided me through my worst ever reading slump! Patel writes about the complexities of family life with such wisdom and heart.

Frank, funny and light on its feet, it's a novel about generations, hopes and grief. A writer with a deft turn of phrase.

A beautiful novel; it feels real and honest, with characters that seem to lift off the page and come alive…[it] is a book bursting with love

AN OBSERVER BEST DEBUT NOVEL OF 2023 
 
WINNER OF THE 2021 #MERKY BOOKS NEW WRITERS' PRIZE 
 
Nik has lots of questions about his late father but knows better than to ask his mother, Avani. It's their unspoken rule. 
 
But when his grandfather dies, Nik has the opportunity to learn about the man he never met. Armed with a key and new knowledge about his parents' past, Nik sets out to unlock the secrets that his mother has been holding onto his whole life. 
 
The Things That We Lost is a beautifully tender exploration of family, loss and how far we will go to protect the ones we love.

The Things That We Lost

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Jyoti Patel

Praise for The Things That We Lost

An assured debut from a vital new voice. About family, grief and belonging, Patel weaves an intricate story that will stay with you.

Brilliant.

Incredible.

An assured debut from a vital new voice. About family, grief and belonging, Patel weaves an intricate story that will stay with you.

Brilliant.

Incredible.

An assured debut from a vital new voice. About family, grief and belonging, Patel weaves an intricate story that will stay with you.

Brilliant.

Incredible.

Articles featuring Jyoti Patel

The best books by South Asian authors

How do authors come up with character names?

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