Publication Date: March 4, 2025
A girl takes on a series of identities to survive, shrouding herself in layers of secrets, until years later when she is forced to reckon with her past.
On an ordinary day in an upscale Atlanta suburb, Maya is making breakfast for her two sons, when her husband drops a red-and-blue striped envelope on the counter and asks a devastating question: Who is Sunny?
Maya is sent reeling back to her childhood in Guyana—a time when Sunny was her only name. Unbeknownst to her husband, Maya is not who she claims to be. The letter, from her long-lost sister Roshi, now threatens to expose her true identity and shatter the seemingly perfect existence Maya worked so hard to build.
As she frantically weighs the impact of the truth on her future, Maya relives the details of her childhood journey to America from Guyana–and the traumatic events that forced her to leave her past behind. Through the eyes of Maya’s innocent and scared younger self, we discover the power of hope, empathy, and the possibility of beginning again.
For three decades, Maya has actively buried her past. A letter threatens to unravel all of her efforts.
Author Nanda Reddy delivers an impactful story focusing on self-identity in A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl. The title aptly captures the three personas of Sunny, Neena, and Maya.
The story begins with Maya in the present before switching to Guyana and Sunny. This is significant because the puzzle pieces start to fall into place. The abject poverty is tragic, but the children don’t seem to fully understand what they are missing.
The next section segues into Neena’s character, but this is perhaps one of the most significant elements. The young girl finds her identity stripped in the most disturbing of methods. Living in America without any sort of cultural introduction no doubt contributes to her angst.
Creating a new identity enables her to reinvent herself amidst the tattered hopes of escaping her past. Yet there are some threats that you can’t outrun.
As the author’s debut novel, A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl signifies an exciting launch to what should be an extensive booklist.
Nanda Reddy is a Guyanese American writer and former elementary school teacher. She immigrated to the U.S. with her family when she was nine years old and grew up in Miami, Florida. She loves visiting off-the-grid places, hiking, and painting with watercolors. She currently resides in Reno, Nevada with her husband and two teenage sons. A Girl Within a Girl Within a Girl is her first novel.
