Thank you for the opportunity to read and review the debut novel by this author.
This is a powerful story about family relationships across two generations and three countries. We explore Mivvi's place in the family with her shadowy mother Belle and cruel father Fairfax. She struggles to understand her place in the family as she has a front row seat to view her mother's struggles with mental health. We read about her previous life in Mombasa through her diary, and understand how the move to Milton Keynes has had a profound effect on her.
The apple doesn't fall far from the tree as Mivvi grows and meets Ash.
What is missing from this story for me ,is some joy as it all seems rather slow and depressing, like wading through treacle. A cross cultural marriage, miscarriage and PND don't make for happy reading.. Sadness, anger and betrayal.
I need to read something uplifting now!

Finding Belle highlights the social difficulties surrounding culture clash, perceived social shame, communication and family ties and the mental health issues arising from this. I found the novel dealt with these issues perceptively and sensitively from the point of view of the daughter of the multiracial family unit. Whilst I felt strongly emphatic towards the very ‘wronged’ first wife, for me the saddest character, by far, was the ‘husband’ who refused to, or couldn’t, reconcile the wrong he had inflicted upon his wife. A great but tough read.

I was very pleased to have the chance to read an ARC of this book, the first novel by journalist Reeta Chakrabarti. The titular Belle is a woman of Indian heritage who migrates from Mombasa to Milton Keynes with her new white lawyer husband. Societal racism, her husband's narcissism, loneliness and miscarriage combine to make Belle's life miserable in England. Her story is narrated partly through her own diaries and partly by her only daughter Mivvi who desperately wants her mother to be normal.
The characters were very well written here, including lesser characters such as Mivvi's boyfriend/husband, Ash and her close friend Tabitha. Mivvi's relationships with her family and with Jade, her stepmother, were very realistic. Belle's mental health struggles and the ways in which her husband emotionally abused her were depressing to read but well written.
I hope Reeta Chakrabarti will write more fiction.

Finding Belle is a well-constructed story that explores a mother-daughter relationship that is strained. At first appearance, Belle is an immigrant who has not settled into life in Milton Keynes with her dashing husband Fairfax and her astute daughter Mivvi. As the story unfolds, the complexities of the relationship between the family members is slowly revealed. Fairfax is a handsome white man with a wife who comes from a very different background. He is an ambitious lawyer who wants his wife to go out to work and make friends but she is more often than not found in her home with Mivvi trying to make sense of her parents’ marriage. The story is interspersed with notes from Belle’s handwritten diary with provides clues on life in Mombasa before she married. Reeta Chakrabarti is a talented writer and this tale will resonate with many readers.

Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti is a book that is filled with family drama, betrayal and the quest for identity and I found it to be an intense and compelling read. Told largely from the perspective of Mivvi, the child of Fairfax and Belle, but with interstitial diary entries that recount the history of Belle and Fairfax's courtship and marriage, the book follows the family over decades as it forms, falls apart and is reformed into something new and different. The book opens in 1979 when Mivvi is just a little girl, confused and worried about the tensions she already notices in her parent's relationship, a relationship that faces challenges of cultural differences since Fairfax is English and Belle is of Indian descent but raised in Mombasa. Having moved to England to raise their daughter Belle is struggling with the isolation she experiences and is also facing mental health challenges. Fairfax is focussed on his career and climbing the ladder, the last thing he needs is a wife that stands out for all the wrong reasons. The fact that Fairfax has a roving eye does not help the relationship and eventually the whole thing falls apart, though probably not as soon as it should have. Mivvi is left to look after her mother while Fairfax moves in with his mistress, Jade, a young woman who once worked for the family and now works with Fairfax at his legal firm. As Mivvi grows up and becomes a mother herself she longs to understand her mother's story and a trip to India to meet her grandfather may shed a new light on the past.
This is an emotional, contemplative character driven book that is almost uncomfortable to read at times but still had me absolutely gripped as the author showed how the past ripples through everything with huge consequences. The book tackles subjects like racism and mental health issues head on with unflinching honesty. The switching from first person to third person perspective was a little jarring at first but it did not take long to find the rhythm and the writing style is elegant and impressive, especially as a debut.
I read and reviewed an ARC courtesy of NetGalley and the author, all opinions are my own.

I loved this story of Mivvi growing up with her troubled mother, Belle, and her seemingly charming father. Belle came to England from Mombassa when she married and it is heartbreaking to read of the racism she encountered and the isolation she felt. Mivvi is a wonderful character. She is a child at the start of the story and over the course of the book we see her grow as she tries to learn more about her mother.
With thanks to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this review access.

There are powerful themes and potentially fascinating characters in this novel, but somehow it never comes to life. Mivvi's confusion and failure to fit in with her school friends because of her difficult home life should be harrowing but it feels flat. Narcissistic, selfish Fairfax irritating, as is daughter Mivvi calling him by his name several times in the course of their conversations. Belle is a shadowy figure, mostly in the background, and I would have liked to learn more about her. I wanted this novel to grip me, but sadly it was all to easy to put it down.

The story of an African-Indian woman separated from her roots and family after marriage to an Englishman is told through the eyes of her daughter, Mivvi. She grows up in a troubled household, unable to understand her parent's volatile relationship or her mother's frightening mood swings.
This was an interesting concept - it must be so hard for a child in this situation, unable to rely on her mother or father. Mivvi is a very well-drawn character, and as a reader, I fully understood her struggles with her love-hate relationship with her mother, her desire to make things better, and her longing to know the real Belle, buried deep in her mother's poor, tired brain.
But I have to confess, I found this a depressing read - there was so much sadness, anger and betrayal within this family. Yes, there is love, too, but not enough to lift the story for me.
Not for me, but I'm sure many people will enjoy reading it.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author and publisher for this Arc. I enjoyed this book and the weaving story of this family. I loved Mivvi’s growth and character and how she experienced life and the challenges she faced. A slow and quiet read in the best possible way. Thank you.

Although there were some interesting facts and ideas about Kolkata, Mombasa and Milton Keynes, I found that the story was slow, and there was too much repetition.
A philandering man will always leave casualties in his wake, and this book tells the story of some of these and hints at others.
Belle suffered from either Schizophrenia or dissociative identity disorder and was not properly treated for it in the early days.
For readers who don't know the culture of Indian families there will be a bit of further interest.
A reasonable attempt at a first novel, and there were signs that any future work may well be worth a read.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

I understand this is a debut novel from Reeta Chakrabarti, better known as a journalist and news correspondent. I’ve often enjoyed her commentary on current events and was interested in her book which, I suspect draws on relevant experience and knowledge. I’m not disappointed. It’s a family story but one filled with difficulty. Belle, of African Indian heritage, comes to England as a new bride with her white husband, Fairfax. She’s unable to settle and this is predominantly her story…one of profound loss. She suffers miscarriage, loss of identity, depression and the fun loving youngster is very different to the adult mother, unable to love as she would wish. It’s often a very uncomfortable read as the themes explored are dark. Mivvi, her daughter is clearly isolated and doesn’t understand what’s going on. Belle has significant mental difficulties, easy to see as an observer, but ignored by those close to her. I’m sorry to say that I fear Belle’s story is probably one based on fact. The cultural shock of coming from Asia to a cold and indifferent, often hostile Britain is the experience of many women. Sadly, racism and ignorance are rife and she has a diff path to navigate.

The narrative flows and it’s a beautifully written story, Very much character driven, but well plotted as the influences of the past are explored and reverberate to the present, It’s an introspective eye on a different culture and one I found fascinating. Not an uplifting book, but it’s left an indelible imprint and insight into a human experience. I’m looking forward to more from this author who clearly has a gift with words and emotion. My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an early review copy.

I would describe this book as a family saga. The book follows married couple Fairfax and Belle and their daughter Mivvi. Belle has Indian heritage, was brought up in Mombasa and spends her married life in Milton Keynes. Much of the book is concerned with her struggles integrating into life in England and the mental health problems she endures.

A great deal of the novel is relateable and I found it absorbing and extremely readable. However, I struggled a bit with two things. Firstly the names. I found it particularly odd that the male in this story was called Fairfax - I had to remind myself he was english a few times. I'm not sure why the author chose such an unusual name. Secondly, the lack of medical intervention was difficult to imagine. It took a painfully long time for someone to advocate for Belle and get her the help she needed and I found this quite frustrating. However I also feel that mental health is a tricky subject for an author to navigate and this was only one of several tricky themes in the book.

I liked that the book continued on into the next generation and especially enjoyed reading about Mivvi's trip to India.

I believe this is a debut novel by Reeta Chakrabarti. I enjoyed reading it and would recommend it to anyone who likes this type of novel.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Fiction for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A deeply moving story about motherhood, loss, love and the repercussions of family secrets. Finding Belle is so well done, I particularly liked the letters because it gives such an intimate insight into how Belle was feeling and the depth of love she felt for her children, family and Fairfax. I felt so much for Mivvi, Belle and the whole family. Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti

Really enjoyed this , very well wrote and,a great read .
Belle, a young Indian woman brought up in Mombasa, She meets,and then gets married to an an Englishman and they come to the UK to start their life together .
Un surprisingly the culture shock for her is big and she is struggling with it mentally and unfortunately she is not supported and help adjust to all that is She becomes pregnant and has a daughter called Mivvi and the story of Belle is taken from her perspective.
Micro struggles with the feelings for both her parents and the outlook on life they both have.
A great debut book , fascinating and informative .

This was an absorbing story of Mivvi from childhood to motherhood. Once she encounters motherhood herself, she begins to unravel the truth about her mother, Belle.

We first meet young Mivvi and her mother Belle in 1979, with Belle having her good days and bad. Belle has an up and down relationship with her husband Fairfax, she’s frequently unhappy, can act strangely and is often disconnected from everything. Belle has struggled in England ever since she comes to this country from Mombasa ( her family are originally from India) to marry Fairfax. Because of the difficulties at home, Fairfax is often absent which further exacerbates Belle’s issues, which in fact, worsen considerably. Can Mivvi work out what lies at the heart of her mother’s obvious problems? If she can unpick these, will she be able to understand her mother better? The novel is told principally through Mivvi and Belle‘s eyes but also from a couple of other perspectives.

I believe this is BBC News journalist Reeta Chakrabarti’s first full length novel and she can write beautifully. This is a slow burner, emotional novel which draws me in and makes me want to understand the principal characters who are all very well portrayed. Their feelings come across strongly, you sense the turbulence at home and witness how Mivvi copes (or otherwise), there’s a state of constant anxiety and of treading on eggshells. It’s frequently poignant but with feelings of sadness, inner anger and turmoil but there’s empathy too for what they’re going through. My sympathy goes backwards and forwards between the key characters especially Mivvi who has so many shocks and experiences much at such a young age but my heart goes out to Belle as she doesn’t fit in well in England and she suffers greatly as a consequence.

It covers a number of important issues such as racism which Mivvi experiences at school but that leads to an important friendship and much kindness. There’s loneliness, isolation, mental health issues, infidelity, loss and dysfunction, all of which are dealt with well and with great sensitivity.

It’s not exactly a happy novel as you would expect but there are moments of joy via love and children. Part of the storytelling takes place in Kolkata and I thoroughly enjoy that.

Overall, I can recommend the book as it shines a spotlight on complicated and complex situations and relationships and does so thoughtfully.

With thanks to NetGalley and especially to HarperCollins/Harper Fiction for the much appreciated early copy in return for an honest review.

Publishes in the United Kingdom on the 8/5.

Finding Belle by Reeta Chakrabarti is a poignant and beautifully written novel about family, identity, and the impact of mental illness. At its heart is Mivvi, a young woman caught between two parents—Belle, her mother, who struggles with her mental health, and Fairfax, her father, who is too wrapped up in appearances to acknowledge the depth of his wife’s suffering.

Belle, an Indian woman raised in Mombasa, marries Fairfax after a whirlwind romance and moves to England, only to find herself isolated and adrift in an unfamiliar world. The cultural shock, combined with a lack of support, gradually pulls her away from reality, leaving Mivvi to navigate the emotional fallout of her parents’ turbulent relationship. Through Mivvi’s eyes, we see the complexities of love, duty, and the search for understanding, as she pieces together the hidden truths of her family while trying to shape a future of her own.

Chakrabarti’s writing is elegant and immersive, drawing the reader into Mivvi’s journey of re-evaluating her relationships and making sense of her past. The novel explores important themes of mental health, cultural displacement, and the long shadows that family secrets can cast.

An engrossing and emotionally resonant read, Finding Belle is a deeply moving exploration of the ties that bind us and the courage it takes to untangle them. I’d happily read more from this author.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

A story of a cross cultural marriage, post-natal depression, miscarriage of another baby, and of growing up in a dysfunctional family and trying to understand why one is as one is. Narrated sometimes in the first person, sometimes in the third, it is occasionally interspersed with snippets of a journal from the past. There is an intriguing plot, and for much of the book I was wondering just where and how the author was intending to bring it to a conclusion. And by the end, one feels enormous sadness for the woman (Belle) who underwent such a massive upheaval from her African-Indian heritage to cold unwelcoming England, and who was isolated from her home with such a huge jolt, only to discover she had an unfaithful husband and then developed post-natal depression and sank lower into mental illness.
I found it a sadly depressing book, intensely self-absorbed and very inward looking. Yet is a true glimpse of how life is for some and how others can ignore what is really going on in the lives of others. Not to be read if you are already depressed, I think, nor if you are looking for a 'feel-good' book. But interesting to read and thought-provoking. It raises questions such as how much one should interfere in the lives of others, if one senses there are things amiss. Or how to understand what goes on in the minds of others, and how to interpret what one sees or even just senses.
And all though runs the question of whether Mivvi, the daughter, will ever really know Belle, her mother, and find out what happened to turn the fun loving young girl into the remote and depressed mother who was unable to love deeply.


With thanks to the publisher and to Netgalley for the ARC.

I found this book a compelling read. Belle, a young Indian woman brought up in Mombasa, marries an Englishman and comes to the UK. The culture shock is huge, and when she struggles with mental illness, her husband is too concerned with appearances to get her the help she needs. Much of this tale is told from the point of view of their daughter, Mivvi. The story results in her re-evaluating her feelings for each parent. I found it an engrossing look at the different branches of a complex family. I loved the writing style too. I'd happily read more like this from the author.

This is the poignant story of Belle who travelled to the UK from Mombasa after her marriage to Fairfax, a friend of her parents. The narrator is Belle's daughter Mivvi and there are flashbacks through Belle's diaries.
Throughout her childhood, Mivvi is puzzled by the difficulties that her parents are facing. Things become clearer for Mivvi towards the end of the book when she meets her grandfather in Calcutta.
The novel is well-written but with Belle's illnesses and Fairfax's serial infidelities it is not an easy read. Although Belle is the focus of the novel, I would have liked some detail about Fairfax's background. He just seemed to arrive fully-formed, ready for the wedding.
The big reveal at the end of the book was a bit underwhelming and I felt there were still a lot of unanswered questions.
This novel would be a good choice for a bookclub as it offers much scope for discussion.
A promising debut novel. I hope to read more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an arc in exchange for an honest review.