Got lucky enough to have this masterpiece in the middle of a festival of goddesses!

This was my first Gill, and I’m thoroughly impressed.

More than poetry, it was more like a verse novel. You follow Paro, a Kashmiri girl, from her childhood to womanhood who is taught the ways of life by gods and goddesses themselves.

The book deals with several dark topics, all too real and relatable. Paro, like a true goddess, fights every monstrosity that society throws at her- war and separation from loved ones, misogyny, sexism, patriarchy, bigotry, body shaming, child abuse, sexual assaults, homophobia.

I’ve never read quite something like this before and I’m still a bit stunned, actually. The world is sinister and full of asuras, yet when you need it most & least expect it, a goddess comes, she takes you by hand and leads you out of the poisonous fog that blurs your vision all while she recounts a story-her story.

I’m absolutely in awe at the way Author has woven Indian mythology’s most popular and celebrated legends of our gods & goddesses like Durga, Draupadi, Shashti, Lakshmi, Kali, Sita, Ganesh, with a mortal’s constant endeavors as they try to make sense of themselves and this unforgiving world.

It also becomes quite unnerving as you hear the same tales from a goddess’s perspectives-a woman’s perspective-a perspective we tend to often erase to suit our own palette.

My personal favorite parts were “How to leave a paradise”, “The Sailor” and every story those god and goddess told, especially Shikhandi’s.

I can’t help but love Nikita for (not at all subtly) pointing out the deep-rooted, often glossed over connection between Indian mythology with homosexuality. I’d just had a huge discussion/debate on this two weeks ago with my cousin and grandmother- with a goal is to-one homophobic less at a time.

I wish this book was in my regional language, so I could make every woman in my family read it.

PS. Those stunning illustrations!💖

Thanks to NetGalley and Ebury Publishing for this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book was so beautiful and unique. I loved that it was written in verse and only the god's stories were actually written in novel style. It took me a while to realise that this book was more autobiografic than an actual story. And still, all of this made me love this book even more. It is such a strong and important book and very informative about Hindu religion (at least it was for me, because so far I mad heard of only two of these gods and godesses mentioned in here). I can't believe how magical and beautiful this book was - despite it digging into some very serious topics.
I love how empowering this book was, especially on feminism. And I was very happy to know there actually is a trans sexual god in the Hindu religion. How body positive this book. It's perspective on bisexuality.
There was literally nothing I did not love about this book and I have nothing but respect for that author. I am looking forward to read more by her!
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review by NetGalley, but I don't think I can do this book credit. It was an amazing magical experience and I can't wait to read it over and over again.

The Girl and the Goddess immediately captivates you with Nikita Gill's unique use of verse, prose and enchanting illustrations so that by the time you're hooked, you're in love with the nature of the main character, Paro.

This book is about a bisexual Kashmir girl who moves to Delhi and later London. Gill takes us on a journey unlike any other, giving us an intimate glimpse into the pure and innocent relationship Paro has with the Gods and Goddesses of her people.

I was not immediately comfortable with the use of verse as I'm unused to it but I have become a huge fan simply because of how much more it drew me into Paro's world, so much so, I didn't want to leave!
Praises to Gill for this work of art.

I would recommend this book to everyone honestly, but most of all to young people who are still trying to navigate the world like they actually belong here, I hope this book gives you hope.

Thank you NetGalley and Ebury Press for the ARC of The Girl and The Goddess by Nikita Gill for an honest review, a great honor.

What a powerful and incredible story about girls, empowerment, love, and goddess. So many lessons told beautifully.

“There is nothing to fix. There is nothing broken about you.”

This was an incredibly informative book of poetry, and was beautifully written. Not my usual go to poetry style but I learnt alot and felt like I got to know the author too through her work.

‘The Girl and the Goddess’ follows Paro, a girl with a strong will, a full heart and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of Partition, we follow her as she crosses the lines between childhood, teenage discovery and realising her adult self.

Nikita Gill is one of my all-time favourite poets, exploring so many different themes and journeys through her works, and this collection was no different; however, this one might be my new favourite.

Gill explores poetry in a unique, fresh way with ‘The Girl and the Goddess’, going deeper into the art and telling a narrative from the first page to the last about a girl named Paro who is journeying through life. Along the way, we discover new things about Paro, from her background to her discovered sexuality, as we go throughout her life. It makes for an incredibly inspiring read, Paro being someone we immediately side with and encourage to continue with her life regardless of the trauma and tragedy that follows behind her.
Paro made for a brilliant storyteller, with varied forms such as prose and verse, we discover her characteristics and personality as she moves through childhood, her desires through teenage years, and then her self acceptance into adulthood. It made for a breath-taking read, one that I’m going to be returning to again and again. Paro was a sheer delight to read about, one which I paced myself as much as I could to ensure the story would never end. However, Gill’s works are addictive, and I simply couldn’t put the book down.

Gill’s writings as a whole were raw and emotional, leaving a scar on you long after you’ve finished reading, and this book was no exception. Simplistic and yet so beautiful, her poems continue to awe and inspire you, guiding you through the tale and empowering you at the end.

Overall, I adored this book. I highly recommend it to anyone who’s intrigued by poetry, and maybe even those who aren’t. It’s a beautiful introduction to modern poetry and the cover makes a gorgeous addition to your bookshelves.

I love this women work, she write like no other. She story is strong and meaning full, every women and girl should read these this author as it will speak to you on so many levels

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of The Girl and The Goddess.

This was a novel written in verse following the life of Paro from childhood to young adulthood facing the challenges of being a woman in India. We move through the book with Paro and learn about the experiences that have shaped her and follow her as she finds herself with the help from gods and goddesses. Trauma, anxiety, race, sexuality, friendship, family and gender are all explored and touched upon in this beautifully atmospheric, emotional tale. Hindu mythology is drawn upon to teach Paro how to navigate life in such a compelling way that it was hard to put this book down.

I really enjoyed this. It was stunning, heartbreaking and empowering.

Beautifully illustrated throughout this is a brilliant novel in verse exploring Hindu mythology in a tale of becoming and examining who we are and where we come from.

TW: Characters in this book persevere through: Anxiety, Bigotry, Biphobia, Body shaming, Bullying, Child abuse, Depression, Guilt, Homophobia, Internalised misogyny, Misogyny/ sexism, Poverty, Racism, Sexual assault, Terrorism, Violence, War.

An absolutely beautiful read, set out in verse, it’s very emotive as you read it. The bit about her school days was particularly touching to read, I could completely emphasise (not the same experience for,e but enough that it rang so true with me) stunningly beautiful writing, dealing with a range of issues from bullying to racism,anxiety and depression to body shaming, it touches on many issues. Power reading

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

This is a beautiful book and incredibly well written.

I loved the running theme and I loved the every word.

This book is heart-breaking in places, while also filling you with strength and wonder in others.

There were some phrases and poems that made me sit back and think for a while, and I truly love when this happens.

I usually really enjoy Nikita Gill's writing, but I didn't connect with this book as I have done with her work previously.
Based on the title I expected more of a magical realism style book. It actually was more of a biographical book.
Some of Gill's writings about her school days was so heartbreaking, especially when she imagined all of the things she wanted to say to her family about what had happened at school that day - but then just ending up saying 'it was just school'. I have been there! Took me back to my own school days.

Overall the book was pleasant enough, and I enjoyed reading but it wasn't what I was expecting, and I felt the pacing was slightly off in places.

Full review will be live on my blog on October 22.

Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.

Trigger warnings, taken from the front of the book: anxiety, bigotry, biphobia, body shaming, bullying, child abuse, depression, guilt, homophobia, internalised misogyny, misogyny/sexism, poverty, racism, sexual assault, terrorism, violence, war.

I honestly have never requested anything so fast. I love Nikita Gill's work so much and I always wait impatiently for the next thing she produces. I saw this one and instantly requested, and the second my review copy came through I abandoned what I was already reading so I could dig in. The Girl and the Goddess is a little different than Nikita's previous work, as it's actually a full novel told in verse. Still I devoured it just as quickly as ever, because Nikita's storytelling is as lyrical and beautiful in a full length novel as it is in instagram snippets and the poetry anthologies.

The Girl and the Goddess is packed with stories within a story. Paro is told the stories of her gods and goddesses throughout her life, the deities appearing to her when she most needs the lesson that they have to offer her. I don't know much at all about Hindu deities and mythology, or, in all honesty, much about the partition of India other than what I've learned this year through a little online reading. While that's not the focus of this book by any means, I found it both accessible and intriguing. I got enough information that I didn't feel lost at all in the story, but I've still finished the book with a strong desire to raid my library for books on Hindu mythology. Each of the deities stories were heartwarming and distinct in tone, and I liked the way that they knitted into Paro's story neatly to show Paro relating to her faith at different times of difficulty in her life. I also liked that the deities addressed inconsistencies in their stories, and how myths can reflect the intentions and biases of the storyteller.

While there's a lot of ways that I obviously can't relate to Paro personally (as an extremely white British reviewer), I felt the queerness and self-discovery in this book vividly. The struggle of a loving, but not understanding, family is one I identify with in a lot of ways and I loved the way that Paro learned to empower herself but was still tied to her family closely. I also got excellent found family vibes from the friendship group, and we all know that I'll do literally anything for a group of queer women supporting each other. Paro's story was wonderful and beautiful, even in the painfully raw parts, and I loved the whole thing fiercely. It has all the magic of Nikita Gill's usual retellings, plus an interesting and vivid story of self-discovery, and I wish I could have had a copy of this in my hands when I was a confused and worried queer teenage girl. The illustrations are particularly gorgeous and I can't wait to see a finished copy of this book so I can see them properly on the page.

The Girl and the Goddess is a novel in (mostly) verse that tells the story of a girl growing up in India, discovering herself, and finding support from gods and goddesses. It tells the story of Paro, a girl who is born in Kashmir, moves with her parents to Delhi, learns how being female changes things when her brother is born, and looks for friends and love as a teenager and into adulthood. Along the way, stories and Hindu mythology teach her how to deal with the light and darkness in her life: trauma, sexuality, and the legacy of colonial rule.

Gill combines poetry, prose, and illustrations to tell Paro's story, and the result is a book that is compulsive and readable, bringing different fragments of Paro's life and also interweaving the stories that inspire and comfort her, as gods and goddesses appear to her. It has a great cast of characters and the format gives you real insight into Paro's thoughts, particularly by having poems that are 'written' by Paro and thinking about what we create and when writing about something isn't easy. The pieces covering her working out her bisexuality and then telling stories from Hindu mythology that show that sexuality and gender aren't as rigid as might seem are particularly powerful, but the whole book is emotional and compelling.

There's a lot of great novels in verse coming out at the moment, and The Girl and the Goddess shows how the form can be used to think about storytelling and mythology whilst also telling a hard hitting coming-of-age tale. I read it as an ebook which worked well, but I imagine the hard copy looks particularly good with the illustrations. I'd heard of Nikita Gill but not read any of her writing before, and from this I'll definitely be reading more.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Survival is ugly. Healing is messy. Self-love is complicated."

I find it difficult just to put into words how brilliant Nikita Gills writing is, and how beautiful and powerful this book was. I had to sit and reflect for a good while after finishing this book.

Although slightly different to her previous works, The Girl and the Goddess is a more chronological story about the life of Paro, a young bisexual woman from Kashmir, told through poetry, Hindu mythology, and some illustrations.

The rich threads of Hindu Mythology that weave themselves into this book, and Paro's identity as she learns to navigate the world is some of the best storytelling I have seen.

Some of this poems felt extremely person to Gill, and some hit home very hard. There is a real sadness in some poems, but this whole book is bursting with love. I think this book will stay with me forever.

This is a fantastic book told in verse and stories. It follows Paro, a bisexual girl who grows up in Kashmir then Delhi before heading off to London to study Illustration at university.

I loved Nikita Gill's Wild Embers and this is just as strong and a different way, as it has a sense of chronological continuity and character development. Paro learns so much about her own privilege along with where others are more privileged than she is. The book covers all sorts of topics including racism, sexism, sexuality, bullying, colonialism and sexual assault.

It is full of rich Hindu mythology influences and I really liked the stories included through Goddesses visiting Paro in her dreams.

This book felt personal to Nikita and she absolutely blew me away with the emotion in it. It has it's happier moments through Paro's friendships and these really made me smile. Overall, this is an excellent collection.

I have read all of Nikita's published works. the first one I read, your soul is a river, made me cry. I remember reading it at a time in my life when I truly needed it. This book was like that experience all over again. But this book wasn't like 'your soul', or 'wild embers', this wasn't like any of her previous works. this gives you mythology of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, It gives you the life of a young woman, Parvo, and her experiences through assault, racism, biphobia. I learnt about Kashmir, about the Partition. this book is everything. it is a guide to young girls everywhere to remember their light, and their power. Thank you Nikita for your words, and net galley for letting me read this egalley early.