The Lost Sister
A Novel
by Andrea Gunraj
This title was previously available on NetGalley and is now archived.
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Pub Date 26 Sep 2019 | Archive Date 2 Sep 2019
Nimbus Publishing | Vagrant Press
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Description
The anticipated sophomore novel from the celebrated author of The Sudden Disappearance of Seetha, which Quill & Quire called "an exciting, memorable debut." Partially inspired by the real-life experiences of a former resident of the Nova Scotia Home for Colored Children, The Lost Sister bravely explores the topics of child abuse, neglect, and abduction against a complex interplay of gender, race, and class dynamics.
Alisha and Diana are young sisters living at Jane and Finch, a Toronto suburb full of immigrants trying to build new lives in North America. Diana, the eldest, is the light of the little family, the one Alisha longs to emulate more than anyone else. But when Diana doesn't come home one night and her body is discovered in the woods, Alisha becomes haunted. She thinks she knows who did it, but can't tell anyone about it.
Unable to handle the loss of their daughter and unaware of Alisha's secret guilt, the family unravels. It's only through an unusual friendship with Paula, an older woman who volunteers at her school, that Alisha finds reprieve. Once an orphan in the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children and estranged from her own sister, Paula helps Alisha understand that the chance for redemption and peace only comes with facing difficult truths.
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Available Editions
| EDITION | Other Format |
| ISBN | 9781771087650 |
| PRICE | CA$24.95 (CAD) |
| PAGES | 320 |
Links
Featured Reviews
Andrea P, Reviewer
The Lost Sister by Andrea Gunraj is a compelling story of race and abduction that is woven seamlessly between two timelines, both the present and the late 1930s, the latter being inspired by true life events at The Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children.
In the present, we meet Alisha and Diana, two sisters of Guyanese descent who are living in a section of Toronto that is largely inhabited by immigrant families. Alisha has always idolized her older sister, and when Diana goes missing and is later found dead, the entire family begins to unravel.
Paula is an older woman who volunteers at Alisha's school and shares her experiences of living as an orphan at The Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children from 1938 onward. She too has lost a sister through differing circumstances, and ultimately helps Alisha to find at least a small measure of acceptance and peace.
This is a novel that will certainly strike a chord. The alternating narratives are equally impactful, and Ms Gunraj is successful in making us empathize with these girls and women. Although they are constructs of the author's imagination, their circumstances and experiences are a reality.
Many thanks to NetGalley, Nimbus Publishing, and Vagrant Press for this ARC.
Amanda ., Reviewer
The Lost Sister by Andrea Gunraj is a novel that offers its readers a powerful, honest, and moving reading experience. It deals with heavy topics and themes that, though are true parts of Canadian history, many Canadians are unaware of.
Exploring themes of family, loss, systemic racism, abuse and guilt, Gunraj's writing is beautiful and dignified, and manages to bring a light to her book's darkness with her compassion for main characters.
Lesley L, Reviewer
The Lost Sister has a dual timeline. In the present day, we follow Alisha and her family as they deal with her older sister who has gone missing in Toronto. In the 1930s, we learn about Paula and her sister’s experience at the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children.
Although this story does follow a missing teenager, this isn’t a mystery or thriller. It explores the relationship between sisters and how an initial closeness in youth doesn’t guarantee the same closeness as adults. I have a lot of thoughts about this but I don’t want to give any spoilers!
This was a really powerful read and introduced me to the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children which I had never heard of before. It also deals with many different types of trauma and grief. This is not an easy read but it is worth the journey.
Thank you to Nimbus Publishing and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book. Although I didn’t read it before the archive date (when I was a newbie) they still put it on my radar!
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