The Things That We Lost

I knew from the first page that this book was going to be good so I wasn’t surprised when I said “wow” out loud when it ended.

What a beautiful tribute to all those who have experienced trauma they found too difficult to share. How refreshing to see an Asian male protagonist dealing with mental health issues.

Patel has written a book that captures so much so well. If you are Black or Asian in the UK you will have experienced the microaggressions that are so hard to explain in words and the feeling of being othered as you simply try to live your life. If you aren’t from these communities through this book you’ve been given a glimpse into what these challenges are like from the stares to the unnecessarily intrusive questions.

Patel also captures what it means to be a daughter with a mother who is hateful and resentful especially in the context of certain cultures. An issue that is more common than we allow ourselves to think but rarely explored and certainly not with this level of care and candour. Layered over all this are feelings of grief and blame, coming of age and relationships of every direction.

A truly ambitious work pulled off immaculately!

This book had me hooked from the very first page and I couldn't put it down and finished reading it within two days!

The story revolves Avani & her son Nik who is about to start university. They experience a family bereavement and the book explores how they cope with this and the family secrets that are uncovered post this event. It explores many family relationships focusing on the positive and negative aspects of these and the impact of grief.

I was extremely touched by the writing and the challenges described that have been felt by the Black & Asian communities over the last 20 years. Being Gujarati too and a similar age to the protagonist Avani I connected closely with her character and the challenges she experienced. The author articulately gives a glimpse into the experiences and expectations from this generation that many may not know about.

A wonderful and touching story that I would recommend to all.

The Things That We Lost by Jyoti Patel

Thank you Netgallery and Random House UK, Cornerstone for an arc for an unbiased review.

This is a debut novel, and like the previous 2 debut novels I've read, it absolutely delivers in an extraordinary way.
The prologue had me hooked. Avani is introduced, and while I immediately had a sense of where the story of her past might be headed, it still grabbed me in, as I wanted to not only know if my instinct was right, but the details to be filled in.

We then immediately move to Nik, trying to find his grandfather in hospital, as he had been moved. You sensed the closeness they had from the off. We then move through various points in time. Some are present day, some scenes are from the past. It melds into a story that is done beautifully well in my opinion.

We see all kinds of themes tackled. Some are small, some larger. Some obvious, others less so. Yet I felt they not only made sense within the context of the story, it allowed us to see love, loathing and family dynamics play out in many realistic ways.

I'm more than happy to give this 5/5 stars. As I said, another recent debut novel that is great in its execution and leaving me wanting more in the future by Jyoti Patel.

Oh and were my instincts right? Yes, although the details were far richer than I imagined, and at least once made me sit back and utter, "wow."

I highly recommend this book.

Really touching multigenerational family saga, about the impact of grief.

One of the characters in the novel made an observation along the lines of things tend to come out when someone dies (I’m butchering the author’s lovely prose with my poor memory, sorry!). There were several secrets that were hinted at and revealed throughout the book which kept me enthralled. It was quite a page turner - unusual for me and this genre.

I particularly loved Nik, he felt so real - I just wanted to give the poor lad a cuddle.

Pick up this book if: you enjoy tension, difficult family relationships and real, multifaceted characters.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

The Things We Lost stayed with me long after finishing it. It was a compelling story which covered love, loss and grief and how each of the characters dealt with it in their own in their own way and the impact this had on their mental well-being. It shows the impact we have on each others lives even when we don't realise.

A captivating read page after page
I am finding it hard to truly put in to words how searingly honest, multilayered and heartbreaking this book is. Exploring a family torn apart by secrets and tragedy, aswell as how to navigate the modern world within identity, culture and prejudice.

Such a beautiful story. The characters are extremely relatable and I really felt their grief and pain throughout.
I adored being on Avani and Nikhil’s journey with them.
Highly recommend.

I really liked this book and read it within a day. The characters are very well described and the storyline moves at a satisfying pace. There are chapters set in the past which explain the current situation but the reader is always left wanting to know a bit more. I enjoyed the descriptions of a modern Indian life with the contrast of multi cultural London and some unnamed university town somewhere up north which definitely isn’t multi cultural. I can’t wait to read more from this very talented author.

A beautifully written book that brought me close to tears at several points! The multiple narratives are skilfully handled, and the warmth and richness of the characters is remarkable. The slow reveal of Avani and Elliot’s history together was really moving.

(Also, I grew up in Harrow and the whole thing filled me with a certain nostalgia…)

This is a beautifully written tale of family, of grief and identity. The story is a dual POV, one partly told through the view of Nik who is off to university and grappling with the death of his much-loved grandfather, the passing of whom presents an opportunity to understand more about his own father. The other POV is that of Avani, Nik’s mother who has been keeping the truth of Nik’s father’s death from him for years, partly in a well-intentioned but poorly-handled attempt to protect her son and partly because she hasn’t managed to process her own grief.
The novel is deftly woven and captures England both in the present day and as it was a couple of decades ago. It highlights generational differences, cultural expectations and the racism that is still prevalent in today’s society. As well as weaving the poignant story of a grieving mother and her son, it beautifully captures family dynamics and fractures and constantly surprises the reader as the story progresses.
A fabulous debut.

The Things That We Lost is an oh so wonderfully nuanced new literary fiction debut by Jyoti Patel, soon to be published by Merky Books.

Narrated from the dual perspectives of 18 year old Nikhil (Nik) and his mother Avani, the novel switches between the past and present. And we are with Nik every step of the way as following the loss of his beloved grandfather, he tries to piece together the events surrounding his father's death.

It is a captivating and beautifully written bildungsroman and ode to parental love. You really become invested in this family - Avani and Elliot's love story, the vital role that creativity plays in exploring the deepest emotion, and Nik's transition through a difficult phase of life whilst getting to know his family history.

Jyoti Patel has taken weighty themes and balanced them with lighter moments of humour, mystery and intrigue. The exploration of loss and grief is so painfully accurate it hits you in the pit of your stomach, but the overall effect is a novel full of heart and deeply moving.

Several events skillfully continue conversations about race, brilliantly illustrating throughout the novel, how this can factor into interracial relationships, movement across the UK, identity, the workplace and culture.

London is also written so well, if you know it you'll have a strong visual of that hill in Harrow and the school children with the straw hats, (if you don't then take a fellow Londoner's word for its accuracy!)

I loved it and cannot wait for more from this author.
Thank you to Jyoti Patel Merky Books and Netgally for my ARC.

The Things That We Lost is out 12 January 2023

TW: abuse, depression,grief

The Things That We Lost completely absorbed me and was a truly beautiful testament to the nature of love, family and grief.

Elliot and Avani were friends first. Their story was so delicately revealed and so stunningly beautiful and tragic.

Nik is Avani and Elliot's son, but he never knew his Dad, and his Mum refuses to talk about him.

When Nik's beloved grandfather dies and he leaves home for University, Nik finds himself in the depths of grief, anxiety and depression, and wanting to know the answers to his questions.

We move from present to past seamlessly and are privileged to learn the truth, or at least, some truth that allows Avani and Nik to find peace at last.

This is such a beautifully written story that captures the reader's attention and allows them to become completely absorbed and invested in the story of a mother and son's journey from darkness to some glimpse of light and hope.