An Ayah's Choice
by Shahida Rahman
Narrated by Amina Zia
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Pub Date 8 Dec 2022 | Archive Date 7 Dec 2022
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Description
Underpinned by true events, ´An Ayah's Choice´ draws us into a rarely seen aspect of British Indian history.
Following the momentous life of Jaya Devani, an Indian woman harbouring a secret that propels her to find her own agency against a backdrop of sex, class, and race discrimination.
In a small Indian village in 1900, aspiring artist Jaya Devani yearns for freedom beyond the confines of the life expected of her. When she begins a tumultuous relationship with her British colonial employer, William Edmundson, she launches herself on course for a new life as an ayah, a nanny, in London.
Arriving on British shores as the suffragette movement is growing, Jaya grapples with a choice: can she really find freedom in the arms of William, or will she have to seek out her own way to be truly free?
A story of the tenacity of the human spirit, friendship, and blazing your own path.
Perfect for fans of ´The Paris Library´ and ´The Beekeeper of Aleppo´.
A Note From the Publisher
Shahida is an author, writer, public speaker and publisher. She lives in Cambridge.
Advance Praise
What people are saying about ´An Ayah's Choice´:
"A rare jewel." - Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author of ´The Rose Code´.
"Utterly spellbound" - Julianne MacLean, USA Today bestselling author.
"Tender and thrilling." - A.J. Gnuse, author of ´Girl in the Walls´.
"A page-turner." - Helen Pankhurst CBE, women's rights activist, and great-granddaughter of Emmeline Pankhurst and granddaughter of Sylvia Pankhurst.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Audiobook, Unabridged |
| ISBN | 9788728402818 |
| PRICE | £10.99 (GBP) |
| DURATION | 9 Hours, 47 Minutes |
Featured Reviews
Dona B, Reviewer
Shahida Rahman has given us a wonderful cultural saga of India with a strong female character named Jaya Devani, who grew up with her loving brother, Krishnan, and an unloving mother who is a widow. Krishnan was able to get young Jaya a job as a nanny (ayah) where she could get away from her unfeeling mother and start a new life where she cared for the two young sons of a distinguished British gentleman and his mentally afflicted wife.
This well-written novel has us traveling with Jaya to England as the family ayah where she experiences much hurt and pain at the hands of William and his wife. We watch Jaya mature into a strong independent woman who escapes the hands of William and finds herself on a journey where she experiences an asylum, jail, and the suffragette movement that finally got her on the right path.
The excellent narration by Amina Zia enhanced my enjoyment of this engrossing tale. Excellent intonation and distinct voices for each character had me feeling as though I was on the journey alongside Jaya as she experienced the heartaches of her early years and finally the peaceful comfort of her later life.
I highly recommend Jaya's amazing life journey. I was able to finish it in less than 24 hours. I just couldn't put it down!
My thanks to #NetGalley and Saga Egmont Audio for this ARC. This opinion is my own.
@sagaegmont
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