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A Person Is a Prayer
An intensely moving, lyrical and often funny novel about a family whose story of migration from Kenya and India to England is told over three separate days, across six decades.
Bedi and Sushma’s marriage is arranged. When they first meet, they stumble through a faltering conversation about happiness and hope and agree to go in search of these things together. But even after their children Selena, Tara and Rohan are grown up and have their own families, Bedi and Sushma are still searching.
Years later, the siblings attempt to navigate life without their parents. As they travel to the Ganges to unite their father’s ashes with the opaque water, it becomes clear that each of them has inherited the same desire to understand what makes a life happy, the same confusion about this question and the same enduring hope.
A Person Is A Prayer plumbs the depths of the spaces between family members and the silence which rushes in like a flood when communication deteriorates. It is about how short a life is and how the choices we make can ripple down generations.
Bedi and Sushma’s marriage is arranged. When they first meet, they stumble through a faltering conversation about happiness and hope and agree to go in search of these things together. But even after their children Selena, Tara and Rohan are grown up and have their own families, Bedi and Sushma are still searching.
Years later, the siblings attempt to navigate life without their parents. As they travel to the Ganges to unite their father’s ashes with the opaque water, it becomes clear that each of them has inherited the same desire to understand what makes a life happy, the same confusion about this question and the same enduring hope.
A Person Is A Prayer plumbs the depths of the spaces between family members and the silence which rushes in like a flood when communication deteriorates. It is about how short a life is and how the choices we make can ripple down generations.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published May 30, 2024
20 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
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April 22, 2024
A Person is a Prayer by Ammar Kalia is an increibly poignant and moving novel that will resonate with many people on many different levels. The story folllows the human experience of being, growing, seeking meaning in it all, yet all the while navigating interactions with others, both from afar and immediate family. This is even more difficult in migration and relocating to a place far removed from your culture and family
Beautifully written, lyrical, personal and with great empathy and understanding of the human experience, a wonderful read
Thank you to Netgalley, Oldcastle Books and the author Ammar Kalia for this compelling ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
Beautifully written, lyrical, personal and with great empathy and understanding of the human experience, a wonderful read
Thank you to Netgalley, Oldcastle Books and the author Ammar Kalia for this compelling ARC. My review is left voluntarily and all opinions are my own
December 25, 2025
İçime yerleşip orada kanayan anlatilardan biri daha. Aile zaten en büyük yara bende. Burada aile, iletişimsizlik, kimlik, göçmenlik,yabancılaşma, aynı ortamda birbirine dilsiz sağır kalma gibi öyle çok katmanla karşılaşıyorsunuz ki.
Dedalus ne yazık ki çok fazla dikkat etmemiş yazım ve imla hataları çok gözüme çarptı. Onun dışında bir ailenin çeşitli fertlerinin bakış açılarından bir olayın ve genel olarak yaşamlarının anlatımı gayet güzel kotarılmış. Faulkner'ı geçmesi mümkün olmasa da çoklu kişi anlatımları farklı bakışları ve yaklaşımları anlatmakta oldukça başarılı.
Kitap beni yaraladı ki zaten kayıplar ve vedalarla dolu koca bir yılın yarasiyla cebellesirken beni yaranın içinde bıraktı. En derin ve kapanmak bilmeyen bir yaranın içinde.
Bir aileden söz ediyoruz güya ama aslında aynı çatının altında kendi dünyaları içinde kaybolmuş, birbirlerine sanki ışık yılı uzaklığında kalmış bireylerin yaşadığı suskunlukların biriktiği bir alanda aile ve yuva kavramı ne ifade ediyor? Yazar öyle çok sorgulamaya girmiş ki. Aslında mevzu mutluluğun bulunması konusu değil.. Yazar çok şeyi dert etmis kendine. Severim böyle metinleri ben..Soran, Sorgulayan. Kutsal aile mitini parçalamayan ama ona kesinlikle çomak sokan yorumlar da var içerisinde bence.
Herkes birbiriyle konuşuyor ama kimse kimseyi gerçek anlamda duymuyor. Kalabalıklar ama çoktan dagilmislar. Zaten en son babalarının küllerinin Ganj Nehrine dokulmesinden sonra gene kendi hayatlarına geri dönecekler ve bayramdan bayrama ya da cenazeden cenazeye görüşecek kadar kaybolacaklar kendi dünyaları içinde.
Yani evde birbirine yabancılar. Hele baba.Kendine öyle yabancılaşmış ki bir koza örmüş etrafında. Otoriter bir baba olarak evin reisi olarak var olmaya çalışıyor. Kimliğini bu noktada kurmaya çalışıyor çünkü göç ettiği ülkede göçmen olarak bir Hintli, Kenyalı ve karışık kimlikli biri olarak yer edinemiyor. Çocuklarına bile yabancilasiyor haliyle..Çünkü en başta kendini taniyamiyor..Yaşamı izleyen sadece seyirci bir kişilik. Anne Sushma ise hayata karışmak isteyen genç bir kadinken evlilik bunu basarmasinin bir yolu olabilir mi diye dusunurken zamanla kendini bu ailenin girdabına kapılmış buluyor. En korktuğu sey başına geliyor bütün ömrüm bir evin mutfağına kapanarak yemek yaparak mi geçecek diye düşünürken öyle oluyor. Sushma'ya gerçekten kısa sürede veda ediyoruz hikayenin işleyişi içinde. Ondan sonra çocukların gözünden dinliyoruz hikayeyi.
Göçmenlik konusuna gelecek olursak ülke kıtalar arası bir ülke değişiminden çok daha fazlasını anlatıyor. Sadece başka bir dilde konumlanamamak da değil, aynı çatı aynı soyadı altında olduğu kişiler bile birbirleriyle dilde yabancı kalıyorlar birbirlerine.
Burada ne 25 sene önce ölen annenin ne de şimdiki zamanda kaybetmiş oldukları babalarının yası mesele ediliyor aslında..Sahipsiz Bir Yas yaşanmamış hayatların, söylenememiş sözlerin tutulmamış tarafların yası. Sessizlikte birlesiyorlar..herkes içine çekiliyor.. acıları öfkeleri özlemleri ihtiyaçları içlerinde bir çığlık dışarı ve birbirlerine karşı ise sessizlik. Nezaket muhabbetleri. Birbirlerine yaklaştıklarını hissettikleri anda bile kaçınma çabası. Dokunursam yanarım korkusu. Bu yakınlaşmayı kaldıramama hali.
Aileyle derdi olan benim için bu metin:
Şefkat sunmadı.Onarma vaadi içermedi. Böyle bir şey beklemedim zaten. “Her şey düzelir” de demedi. Bazı şeyler asla düzelmez. Canımı yaktı çünkü bizim iletisimsizlik, suskunluk dünyamızı bana aynaladi.
Sushma ve Tara'nın hikayeleri çabuk sönümleniyor. Özellikle Tara'nın hikayesi çok sona sıkıştırılmış..Bana göre Sushma ve Tara kitabın en ilgi çekici karakterleri. Neden bu karakterler kısa süre varlar. Neden konuşacak alanları çok az? Belki bilerek yapılmış bir hamledir bu yazar tarafından. Konuştuğunda yankı alamayan karakterler bunlar. Tara yine bir parça kendi hayallerine dair bir şeyler basarabiliyor ama önünde uzun bir zaman dilimi kalmadığında gerçekleşiyor bu. Bastırılmış ihtimallerin ya da gerçekleşemeden kalacak ihtimallerin sembolü o. O yüzden Sushma ve Tara'nın sahipsiz kalıyor yasları. Bana göre belki de asıl söylenecek söz onlardaydi. Onların kelimeleri yarım kaldı. Aile kurumunu iyi çözümlemiş burada yazar. İlginç ve kırılgan olanı kenara almış. Onlara tıpkı ailenin yaptığı gibi alan açmamış. Sistemle uyumlu olmayanin, farklı bakış açısı olanların sesinin kısıldığını göstermeye çalışmıştır belki de. Tara ve Sushma belki de bizim icimizdeki susturulmuş tarafın kurgusal karşılığı.
Dedalus ne yazık ki çok fazla dikkat etmemiş yazım ve imla hataları çok gözüme çarptı. Onun dışında bir ailenin çeşitli fertlerinin bakış açılarından bir olayın ve genel olarak yaşamlarının anlatımı gayet güzel kotarılmış. Faulkner'ı geçmesi mümkün olmasa da çoklu kişi anlatımları farklı bakışları ve yaklaşımları anlatmakta oldukça başarılı.
Kitap beni yaraladı ki zaten kayıplar ve vedalarla dolu koca bir yılın yarasiyla cebellesirken beni yaranın içinde bıraktı. En derin ve kapanmak bilmeyen bir yaranın içinde.
Bir aileden söz ediyoruz güya ama aslında aynı çatının altında kendi dünyaları içinde kaybolmuş, birbirlerine sanki ışık yılı uzaklığında kalmış bireylerin yaşadığı suskunlukların biriktiği bir alanda aile ve yuva kavramı ne ifade ediyor? Yazar öyle çok sorgulamaya girmiş ki. Aslında mevzu mutluluğun bulunması konusu değil.. Yazar çok şeyi dert etmis kendine. Severim böyle metinleri ben..Soran, Sorgulayan. Kutsal aile mitini parçalamayan ama ona kesinlikle çomak sokan yorumlar da var içerisinde bence.
Herkes birbiriyle konuşuyor ama kimse kimseyi gerçek anlamda duymuyor. Kalabalıklar ama çoktan dagilmislar. Zaten en son babalarının küllerinin Ganj Nehrine dokulmesinden sonra gene kendi hayatlarına geri dönecekler ve bayramdan bayrama ya da cenazeden cenazeye görüşecek kadar kaybolacaklar kendi dünyaları içinde.
Yani evde birbirine yabancılar. Hele baba.Kendine öyle yabancılaşmış ki bir koza örmüş etrafında. Otoriter bir baba olarak evin reisi olarak var olmaya çalışıyor. Kimliğini bu noktada kurmaya çalışıyor çünkü göç ettiği ülkede göçmen olarak bir Hintli, Kenyalı ve karışık kimlikli biri olarak yer edinemiyor. Çocuklarına bile yabancilasiyor haliyle..Çünkü en başta kendini taniyamiyor..Yaşamı izleyen sadece seyirci bir kişilik. Anne Sushma ise hayata karışmak isteyen genç bir kadinken evlilik bunu basarmasinin bir yolu olabilir mi diye dusunurken zamanla kendini bu ailenin girdabına kapılmış buluyor. En korktuğu sey başına geliyor bütün ömrüm bir evin mutfağına kapanarak yemek yaparak mi geçecek diye düşünürken öyle oluyor. Sushma'ya gerçekten kısa sürede veda ediyoruz hikayenin işleyişi içinde. Ondan sonra çocukların gözünden dinliyoruz hikayeyi.
Göçmenlik konusuna gelecek olursak ülke kıtalar arası bir ülke değişiminden çok daha fazlasını anlatıyor. Sadece başka bir dilde konumlanamamak da değil, aynı çatı aynı soyadı altında olduğu kişiler bile birbirleriyle dilde yabancı kalıyorlar birbirlerine.
Burada ne 25 sene önce ölen annenin ne de şimdiki zamanda kaybetmiş oldukları babalarının yası mesele ediliyor aslında..Sahipsiz Bir Yas yaşanmamış hayatların, söylenememiş sözlerin tutulmamış tarafların yası. Sessizlikte birlesiyorlar..herkes içine çekiliyor.. acıları öfkeleri özlemleri ihtiyaçları içlerinde bir çığlık dışarı ve birbirlerine karşı ise sessizlik. Nezaket muhabbetleri. Birbirlerine yaklaştıklarını hissettikleri anda bile kaçınma çabası. Dokunursam yanarım korkusu. Bu yakınlaşmayı kaldıramama hali.
Aileyle derdi olan benim için bu metin:
Şefkat sunmadı.Onarma vaadi içermedi. Böyle bir şey beklemedim zaten. “Her şey düzelir” de demedi. Bazı şeyler asla düzelmez. Canımı yaktı çünkü bizim iletisimsizlik, suskunluk dünyamızı bana aynaladi.
Sushma ve Tara'nın hikayeleri çabuk sönümleniyor. Özellikle Tara'nın hikayesi çok sona sıkıştırılmış..Bana göre Sushma ve Tara kitabın en ilgi çekici karakterleri. Neden bu karakterler kısa süre varlar. Neden konuşacak alanları çok az? Belki bilerek yapılmış bir hamledir bu yazar tarafından. Konuştuğunda yankı alamayan karakterler bunlar. Tara yine bir parça kendi hayallerine dair bir şeyler basarabiliyor ama önünde uzun bir zaman dilimi kalmadığında gerçekleşiyor bu. Bastırılmış ihtimallerin ya da gerçekleşemeden kalacak ihtimallerin sembolü o. O yüzden Sushma ve Tara'nın sahipsiz kalıyor yasları. Bana göre belki de asıl söylenecek söz onlardaydi. Onların kelimeleri yarım kaldı. Aile kurumunu iyi çözümlemiş burada yazar. İlginç ve kırılgan olanı kenara almış. Onlara tıpkı ailenin yaptığı gibi alan açmamış. Sistemle uyumlu olmayanin, farklı bakış açısı olanların sesinin kısıldığını göstermeye çalışmıştır belki de. Tara ve Sushma belki de bizim icimizdeki susturulmuş tarafın kurgusal karşılığı.
May 8, 2024
thank you @oldcastle.books for sending me an ARC. out may 30.
a person is a prayer follows the POVs of siblings of the same family as they make a journey back to their home country for a family death.
it went against my expectations. I was expecting to witness a family across their immigration journey and the disclosure they get from start to end, from life to death. Instead, we only get a glimpse into the origin story before being plunged into the perspectives of their kids. Instead of plot, we get a kind of letter of their lives.
there's little plot happening, with the book focusing on the family members: how they perceive themselves and how they think they are perceived. their thoughts, feelings, hopes, regrets. we are in the jumbled chaos of their emotions, peeking into the ornate walls of their minds as they look back on the life they've lived so far and try to make sense of it.
each sibling recounts their own fragments of life & each is relatable. I thought i found the most relatable one until i moved on to the next. I honestly enjoyed reading each sibling's part.
it's simply a memoranda of their life. a retelling of their history & the relationship between them.
a song of the fleeting worries that occupy us, the conversations never had, and the reclusive thoughts that we only know in our solitude.
it's a family portrait of the inevitable gaps between us that we try to close & sometimes never succeed. of the moving ties between family that can never be redeemed. of the losses that shape us until the very end.
something that stuck with me was how parents make sacrifices and chase a life that will give their children choices that they didn't have. but nonetheless, you can never know for sure if that was achieved. each generation will have its own set of tumults despite the place.
this is set against the backdrop of immigration and belonging. a theme I always resonate with as an immigrant. that strive for a better life & that eternal feeling of being viewed as a tourist everywhere.
I will always trust the words of a poet & musician. the sentences are tender, the writing igniting senses
the only thing I felt was missing was an ending with a more final destination or revelation. I didn’t feel like the siblings arrived at anything or got a grasp of any meaning by the end of the book. I think was more of a vague ending with no closure gained. of course, this might be the point of the book. its way of showing how life continues to go on, and most of the time we remain uncertain. it might be more about the journey of trying to grapple and arrive at a conclusion, than the actual result.
overall, l recommend if if you like quiet abstract books.
a person is a prayer follows the POVs of siblings of the same family as they make a journey back to their home country for a family death.
it went against my expectations. I was expecting to witness a family across their immigration journey and the disclosure they get from start to end, from life to death. Instead, we only get a glimpse into the origin story before being plunged into the perspectives of their kids. Instead of plot, we get a kind of letter of their lives.
there's little plot happening, with the book focusing on the family members: how they perceive themselves and how they think they are perceived. their thoughts, feelings, hopes, regrets. we are in the jumbled chaos of their emotions, peeking into the ornate walls of their minds as they look back on the life they've lived so far and try to make sense of it.
each sibling recounts their own fragments of life & each is relatable. I thought i found the most relatable one until i moved on to the next. I honestly enjoyed reading each sibling's part.
it's simply a memoranda of their life. a retelling of their history & the relationship between them.
a song of the fleeting worries that occupy us, the conversations never had, and the reclusive thoughts that we only know in our solitude.
it's a family portrait of the inevitable gaps between us that we try to close & sometimes never succeed. of the moving ties between family that can never be redeemed. of the losses that shape us until the very end.
something that stuck with me was how parents make sacrifices and chase a life that will give their children choices that they didn't have. but nonetheless, you can never know for sure if that was achieved. each generation will have its own set of tumults despite the place.
this is set against the backdrop of immigration and belonging. a theme I always resonate with as an immigrant. that strive for a better life & that eternal feeling of being viewed as a tourist everywhere.
I will always trust the words of a poet & musician. the sentences are tender, the writing igniting senses
the only thing I felt was missing was an ending with a more final destination or revelation. I didn’t feel like the siblings arrived at anything or got a grasp of any meaning by the end of the book. I think was more of a vague ending with no closure gained. of course, this might be the point of the book. its way of showing how life continues to go on, and most of the time we remain uncertain. it might be more about the journey of trying to grapple and arrive at a conclusion, than the actual result.
overall, l recommend if if you like quiet abstract books.
November 10, 2023
3.75 stars
netgalley arc
i enjoyed this exploration of family ties and finding happiness. set across a few time lines and multiple perspectives, i thought a person is a prayer captured the essence of family really nicely while also exploring cultural identity and how both of these things relate to the pursuit of happiness across generations.
the retelling the same event through multiple perspectives was really nicely done and was probably my favourite aspect of the book. Kalia managed to capture the different voices really well, while also writing so descriptively that the story really transported me from Hounslow to India and back again.
The only thing I wish was that there had been more focus on Sushma and Bedi’s marriage as although this is the foundation of the whole story, it wasn’t explored deeply, despite the first section of the book really getting me invested in their future together.
netgalley arc
i enjoyed this exploration of family ties and finding happiness. set across a few time lines and multiple perspectives, i thought a person is a prayer captured the essence of family really nicely while also exploring cultural identity and how both of these things relate to the pursuit of happiness across generations.
the retelling the same event through multiple perspectives was really nicely done and was probably my favourite aspect of the book. Kalia managed to capture the different voices really well, while also writing so descriptively that the story really transported me from Hounslow to India and back again.
The only thing I wish was that there had been more focus on Sushma and Bedi’s marriage as although this is the foundation of the whole story, it wasn’t explored deeply, despite the first section of the book really getting me invested in their future together.
May 27, 2024
A Person is a Prayer
by Ammar Kalia
A slice of life novel about the Bedi Family told in three episodes, each depicting a seminal day in this family's life.
Part I is the day that Bedi and Sushma, both Indian immigrants living in Nairobi, meet for the first time.
Part II sees them alongside their grown children, having emigrated again, this time to London.
Part III closes the chapter of Bedi's and Sushma's generation and the narrative is handed over to Selena, Rohan and Tara who are visiting India for the ceremonial return of their father's ashes to the Ganges.
I found an immediate connection to the voices in this story. Kalia drew me in with his vividly drawn characters and their plight to thrive in an adopted country. I felt particularly for Sushma's situation, so much that I was actuality convinced this story was written by a woman until later.
Despite the fact that we only interact with this family for 3 single days over the course of 64 years, we learn so much about their dynamics and dramas, their struggles with racism and culture, parenthood and marriages. The interiority works very well, however I was disappointed with the narrative arc which really doesn't go anywhere or converge in any meaningful way.
The writing style is very promising. Each narrator has a very distinctive voice and literary style, and there are many outstanding pieces of prose that made me stop and look to the corner of the ceiling. The Coda crushed me with the reality of lost promise.
Part I and II are getting into 5 star territory. It wouldn't take much to bring Part III there. I would highly recommend reading this unless you require a plot.
Stunning cover.
Publication Date: 30th May 2024
Many thanks to #netgalley and #OldcastleBooks for the ARC
by Ammar Kalia
A slice of life novel about the Bedi Family told in three episodes, each depicting a seminal day in this family's life.
Part I is the day that Bedi and Sushma, both Indian immigrants living in Nairobi, meet for the first time.
Part II sees them alongside their grown children, having emigrated again, this time to London.
Part III closes the chapter of Bedi's and Sushma's generation and the narrative is handed over to Selena, Rohan and Tara who are visiting India for the ceremonial return of their father's ashes to the Ganges.
I found an immediate connection to the voices in this story. Kalia drew me in with his vividly drawn characters and their plight to thrive in an adopted country. I felt particularly for Sushma's situation, so much that I was actuality convinced this story was written by a woman until later.
Despite the fact that we only interact with this family for 3 single days over the course of 64 years, we learn so much about their dynamics and dramas, their struggles with racism and culture, parenthood and marriages. The interiority works very well, however I was disappointed with the narrative arc which really doesn't go anywhere or converge in any meaningful way.
The writing style is very promising. Each narrator has a very distinctive voice and literary style, and there are many outstanding pieces of prose that made me stop and look to the corner of the ceiling. The Coda crushed me with the reality of lost promise.
Part I and II are getting into 5 star territory. It wouldn't take much to bring Part III there. I would highly recommend reading this unless you require a plot.
Stunning cover.
Publication Date: 30th May 2024
Many thanks to #netgalley and #OldcastleBooks for the ARC
December 17, 2024
Beautiful book - so small but felt like an Epic
July 4, 2024
Thank you to Oldcastle Books and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.
If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I love the ‘slice of life’ category. And ‘A Person is a Prayer’ is exactly that. Told over three separate days and spanning six decades, we follow one family as it grows and moves through time. Sushma and Bedi meet and marry in an arranged marriage, still hopeful for their future happiness and shared dreams. Yet, years later, after their adult children – Selena, Tara and Rohan – have flown the nest, they’re still searching for their elusive happiness. Years later, the three children travel to the Ganges to scatter their father’s ashes in the waters, it’s clear that they’ve adopted the same desire for happiness, hope and to find meaning to their lives.
At it heart, ‘A Person is a Prayer’ captures the human experience and seeking meaning amongst it all. I found it to be gorgeously lyrical and moving, especially in examining the immigrant experience and what we leave behind. This is a family saga slowed down and I really enjoyed it: we see the origins of the parents’ shared story, and the individual aftermath of their three children’s. The author achieves brilliant characterisation throughout – all of the characters are well-fleshed out and I genuinely felt an emotional connection to them all. I loved the perceived silence that Kalia creates from writing stunningly authentic vignettes of real life, and the implied discussion of generational trauma. From familial relationships to the one with an adopted country, Kalia weaves a stunning thread of belonging and communication throughout this novel, and creates a story that’ll remain with me for a long time.
If there’s one thing about me, it’s that I love the ‘slice of life’ category. And ‘A Person is a Prayer’ is exactly that. Told over three separate days and spanning six decades, we follow one family as it grows and moves through time. Sushma and Bedi meet and marry in an arranged marriage, still hopeful for their future happiness and shared dreams. Yet, years later, after their adult children – Selena, Tara and Rohan – have flown the nest, they’re still searching for their elusive happiness. Years later, the three children travel to the Ganges to scatter their father’s ashes in the waters, it’s clear that they’ve adopted the same desire for happiness, hope and to find meaning to their lives.
At it heart, ‘A Person is a Prayer’ captures the human experience and seeking meaning amongst it all. I found it to be gorgeously lyrical and moving, especially in examining the immigrant experience and what we leave behind. This is a family saga slowed down and I really enjoyed it: we see the origins of the parents’ shared story, and the individual aftermath of their three children’s. The author achieves brilliant characterisation throughout – all of the characters are well-fleshed out and I genuinely felt an emotional connection to them all. I loved the perceived silence that Kalia creates from writing stunningly authentic vignettes of real life, and the implied discussion of generational trauma. From familial relationships to the one with an adopted country, Kalia weaves a stunning thread of belonging and communication throughout this novel, and creates a story that’ll remain with me for a long time.
July 19, 2024
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
💬 “All that death really requires is our silence, that quiet sound of us packing it up and carrying it with us, knowing it will never, ever go away. It will always have the last word. And we’ll be there, struggling to hear.”
💭 In A PERSON IS A PRAYER we follow one families story of migration from Kenya and India, to England. In the first part we follow Bedi and Sushma as they meet for the very first time as immigrants living in Nairobi. In the next part we see Bedi and Sushma in London, their children grown. And finally, we follow their children - Selena, Rohan, and Tara - who are travelling to the Ganges for the ceremonial return of their father’s ashes.
Told over just three days, but across six decades, A PERSON IS A PRAYER is a powerful exploration complex family dynamics, grief, and how we can each find happiness.
Despite its quite unique structure, and the very limited number of days we spend with each character, I felt like I really got to know this family. We hear about their migration, their culture, their marriages, their familial issues. It felt real and fleshed out - impressive in such a short time span.
I especially connected with Sushma’s story which was written with such sensitivity - I could’ve from her perspective for much much longer.
Overall, I really recommend this one. Kalia’s writing is lyrical and vivid; his descriptions of place, smell and heat instantly transporting you. Although there is not much of plot, the novel is a beautiful ode to family. And although this review has not done it justice, i promise it is well worth your time.
💬 “All that death really requires is our silence, that quiet sound of us packing it up and carrying it with us, knowing it will never, ever go away. It will always have the last word. And we’ll be there, struggling to hear.”
💭 In A PERSON IS A PRAYER we follow one families story of migration from Kenya and India, to England. In the first part we follow Bedi and Sushma as they meet for the very first time as immigrants living in Nairobi. In the next part we see Bedi and Sushma in London, their children grown. And finally, we follow their children - Selena, Rohan, and Tara - who are travelling to the Ganges for the ceremonial return of their father’s ashes.
Told over just three days, but across six decades, A PERSON IS A PRAYER is a powerful exploration complex family dynamics, grief, and how we can each find happiness.
Despite its quite unique structure, and the very limited number of days we spend with each character, I felt like I really got to know this family. We hear about their migration, their culture, their marriages, their familial issues. It felt real and fleshed out - impressive in such a short time span.
I especially connected with Sushma’s story which was written with such sensitivity - I could’ve from her perspective for much much longer.
Overall, I really recommend this one. Kalia’s writing is lyrical and vivid; his descriptions of place, smell and heat instantly transporting you. Although there is not much of plot, the novel is a beautiful ode to family. And although this review has not done it justice, i promise it is well worth your time.
May 12, 2024
Discover the locations in the novel here
A poignant and thought provoking read. A story about family, relationships, migration and what it means to feel at home.
I loved the title from the start and that’s what got me wanting to read this. What did it mean? I wanted to know. It sounded thoughtful and ethereal. Something poignant and heartfelt. Well, it was. The story of migration and cultural ties, what home represents and what we do in the search of happiness was like reading poetry.
This book was clever as it explored all of this whilst going from one person to the next, as if in a thought process. Skimming over the heads of many as they walked to a new life, then seeping into their hearts. I found this a very clever technique of telling this story. I got to know the people on a deep and meaningful level and it moved me. Bedi and Sushma are the two you meet at the start and I do wish their story had been stronger as the novel progressed. I got very attached to them!
This book read like I was sitting down on the sofa with these people and each of them in turn, came over and sat beside me, photo album in hand, a memory to share and a scent to recall. They then left without but I could still feel their presence long after someone else had taken their spot on the sofa.
A Person is Prayer will stay with you. A scrapbook and a poem wrapped in a story.
October 20, 2024
A multigenerational story which is divided into three part, exploring themes of migration, family expectations, generational trauma and identity. The novel opens in 1955 with Bedi, a man bound by the weight of familial duty who is expected to marry and settle down to maintain appearances. His traumatic childhood marked by a distant and domineering father, haunts him as he meets his future wife, Sushma in an arranged marriage setup.
The second part set in 1994 shows Bedi’s later years as a retired immigrant in the UK. Here, the book touches on the his later years of marriage and life in a foreign country as well as the loss of Sushma. The final part set in 2019 shifts to the perspectives of Bedi’s children: Selena, Tara, and Rohan. As they return to India to scatter their father’s ashes, they confront the emotional distance they felt from him and their detachment from India, despite their heritage. Each sibling reflects on their upbringing, their father's coldness and the weight of unresolved emotions. The third part deepens the exploration of generational trauma, highlighting how Bedi's emotional neglect mirrors his own fraught relationship with his father.
The author Ammar Kalia skillfully captures the complexities of identity, displacement and familial duty, weaving together a poignant narrative of how past wounds shape future generations.
The second part set in 1994 shows Bedi’s later years as a retired immigrant in the UK. Here, the book touches on the his later years of marriage and life in a foreign country as well as the loss of Sushma. The final part set in 2019 shifts to the perspectives of Bedi’s children: Selena, Tara, and Rohan. As they return to India to scatter their father’s ashes, they confront the emotional distance they felt from him and their detachment from India, despite their heritage. Each sibling reflects on their upbringing, their father's coldness and the weight of unresolved emotions. The third part deepens the exploration of generational trauma, highlighting how Bedi's emotional neglect mirrors his own fraught relationship with his father.
The author Ammar Kalia skillfully captures the complexities of identity, displacement and familial duty, weaving together a poignant narrative of how past wounds shape future generations.
September 30, 2024
A deeply meditative novel featuring three generations of an Indian-Kenyan-UK-based family. Drawing strong inspiration from the author's own family history, the story begins in 1955 as a young Bedi, whose parents emigrated to Kenya, visits Sushma and her family to discuss the prospects of their marriage. The story then fast forwards to 1994 where Bedi and Sushma, now middle aged are settled in London and have three grown up kids of their own: Tara, Selena and Rohan. The major portion of the novel is set in the 2000s as the family travels to Haridwar to immerse their father's ashes in the Ganges. The story is narrated through the points of view of the three children as they ruminate on their past and present, their fraught relationship with their father, their strong emotional ties to their mother, their grief, their dreams and ambitions, their spouses and their children. This is not a plot-based story, It is not historical fiction. it is more a window into the emotional mindset of the three siblings. It is a portrait of family, relationships, expectation gaps, loss and grief. The writing is beautiful, and it is an easy read. The author's note at the end made it all the more meaningful. Read it for the prose and for a glimpse into the emotions of Indian immigrants in the Western world.
Thank you Netgalley, Oldcastle Books and Ammar Kalia for the ARC
Thank you Netgalley, Oldcastle Books and Ammar Kalia for the ARC
April 18, 2025
I was drawn to this by "a family whose story of migration from Kenya and India to England" because of my buddies and their families, who did take that journey from India/Pakistan to Nairobi to South East England. It was disappointing. It was more focused on relationships, feelings, psychology with some cultural references. There was barely any description of Nairobi. There was not enough about the struggles of physical or social or cultural transitions itself. The story presents two generations of migrants, the majority through the eyes of the three children. From an arranged marriage in India, to life in Hounslow, to scattering ashes in the Ganges, and a load of fairly mundane experiences, there was not enough and left me wanting.
November 14, 2023
Unlike what I usually read but I'm glad I picked this up. Kalia's descriptions of place, smells and heat were amazingly vivid and transporting. He managed to make every point of view feel individual and despite the fact that they were all experiencing the same event, I didn't find it repetitive. There were some great takeaways about hope and grief, the ending was particularly touching. I did find that I preferred some points of view to others however.
December 20, 2023
A Person is A Prayer is kind of like a family photo album, but with words. It's about a family with roots in Kenya and India, now living in Britain, and it's a mix of everything – identity, loss, dreams, you name it. The family members don't really get each other, at least not until a death brings them back to India. That's when they start thinking about what home and roots really mean.
The book lets different family members take the mic, which is cool but also a bit tricky because I couldn't always feel close to everyone's story. But, hey, the writing is beautiful, and there are these moments that make you stop and think about how we're all connected.
Ammar Kalia does a great job painting scenes with the smells of food, clothing, and she doesn't hide the tough stuff. It's a book that's kind of a tribute to family, the chats you wish you had, making the most of life, and hoping the next gen does okay. 'A Person is A Prayer' is a solid first book that's more like a quiet conversation than a loud shout.
The book lets different family members take the mic, which is cool but also a bit tricky because I couldn't always feel close to everyone's story. But, hey, the writing is beautiful, and there are these moments that make you stop and think about how we're all connected.
Ammar Kalia does a great job painting scenes with the smells of food, clothing, and she doesn't hide the tough stuff. It's a book that's kind of a tribute to family, the chats you wish you had, making the most of life, and hoping the next gen does okay. 'A Person is A Prayer' is a solid first book that's more like a quiet conversation than a loud shout.
May 8, 2024
3.75 stars - netgalley arc
I enjoyed this book - the descriptions were immersive and the writing was really lovely. I loved having the different perspectives of each character, all of them had their own unique voice. I also think it explored familial relationships really well and how these affected each character and their identity. I would have liked more on Sushma, as well as for the ending to have tied things up a little more.
I enjoyed this book - the descriptions were immersive and the writing was really lovely. I loved having the different perspectives of each character, all of them had their own unique voice. I also think it explored familial relationships really well and how these affected each character and their identity. I would have liked more on Sushma, as well as for the ending to have tied things up a little more.
April 22, 2025
I felt slowly sapped of hope while reading this story, a sudden and then slow loss of hope, dripping away and depressing me even as it engaged me.
Parts 1 and 2 are told in the third person, following Bedi, the patriarch on two pivotal days of his and his family’s life.
Part 3 is told in the first person, following Bedi’s children Selena, Rohan and Tara one by one as they experience another, singular, deeply important day in their family.
For me, I saw the book mapped out like this:
Part 1- India as experienced by a foreigner/tourist
Part 2- England as experienced by a foreigner/tourist
Part 3- India again, as experienced by a foreigner/tourist
Like a key that fits in the lock but crunches as it turns, working but not quite fitting. “We had the added shame of not being able to navigate our own culture”. “A tourist, not a prodigal son”.
I held so much hope early on for these characters, particularly for Bedi. And to see how his life and legacy played out broke my heart. “We found each other and we realised we could be better at being happier if we were together” - this is what Bedi promised me, this was what I believed of him. “That’s what love is, he thinks: wanting to die first”. I read on and on and with each page, my hope turned to ash in my chest.
If you have daddy issues, tread carefully when reading this one.
Parts 1 and 2 are told in the third person, following Bedi, the patriarch on two pivotal days of his and his family’s life.
Part 3 is told in the first person, following Bedi’s children Selena, Rohan and Tara one by one as they experience another, singular, deeply important day in their family.
For me, I saw the book mapped out like this:
Part 1- India as experienced by a foreigner/tourist
Part 2- England as experienced by a foreigner/tourist
Part 3- India again, as experienced by a foreigner/tourist
Like a key that fits in the lock but crunches as it turns, working but not quite fitting. “We had the added shame of not being able to navigate our own culture”. “A tourist, not a prodigal son”.
I held so much hope early on for these characters, particularly for Bedi. And to see how his life and legacy played out broke my heart. “We found each other and we realised we could be better at being happier if we were together” - this is what Bedi promised me, this was what I believed of him. “That’s what love is, he thinks: wanting to die first”. I read on and on and with each page, my hope turned to ash in my chest.
If you have daddy issues, tread carefully when reading this one.
February 29, 2024
I saw this book described as 'a family photo album, but with words' and think this description is spot-on. It's a vivid portrayal of a family's migration from Kenya and India to England, told over three separate days and spanning six decades. The book examines what it means to be a family, how families are tied together but also questions whether we can ever fully understand what someone may be experiencing - even someone that we love and are close to. Although the novel has strong themes of loss and grief, it also has moments of hope, and examines what it means to live a life within the everyday chaos of a family unit, and how what it means to be happy and content. I think what I enjoyed most about the novel is how the author managed to make me feel quite intense emotions towards each of the characters, often at the extreme ends of the scale - I felt so full of optimism and hope for Bedi and Sushma's marriage to begin with, despair for one of the siblings and their challenges ahead, but then there were other characters that I felt quite pessimistic and frustrated towards. I think, though, that all families have these types of characters, those that have the power to stir up quite strong emotions, and it was interesting to read a novel that didn't shy away from examining these family dynamics.
May 13, 2024
The book covers 3 days, one in the 50s, when two young people meet in India, another in the 90s, when we see the couple and their kids (now living in the UK), and, a last one, in the 2010s, when we read about the impact of the prior "days" via the perspectives of each of three children of the couple, learning about their lives and desires. The book explores, once again, the immigrant experience across generations, and how the fact of immigration creates even more boundaries between parents and children. It also delves into the tension between perception and reality, created by the reluctance to communicate honestly within families, and across generations.
What I liked about the book is the vividness of characters - each of our protagonists (the two parents, and their three children) elicit sympathy, and are easy to imagine meeting in the street. They all carry emotional baggage, struggle to find anyone to fully share it with, and try to make the best of things, for their own sake as well as that of their family. The book was also well written - while nothing really happens in the book, the writing is so dynamic that it doesn't really feel tiring or boring. Tara's story really stands out in this regard - even on its own it's a towering achievement of the craft of realistic fiction.
There were a few aspects of the book, though, that I liked less. While the book talks about a family that has Indian origins (with the father coming to the UK via Kenya), this aspect feels rather under-developed. This story could have been easily told about any other immigrant family, making the India/Kenya background somewhat superfluous. I also felt that the book was a bit on the dull side - there was no driving force within, and no message that needed telling. It was an interesting glimpse into the lives of this family's members, but that is where it ended. Nothing bad in this per se - it just made the book less exciting than it could have been.
Recommend it to folks interested in family dramas, and how communication (or lack thereof) can affect families' happiness. That being said, it's probably a miss - nothing really stands out in this book, and it will disappear into my memory's oblivion within a few days.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me early access to this book in return for an honest review.
What I liked about the book is the vividness of characters - each of our protagonists (the two parents, and their three children) elicit sympathy, and are easy to imagine meeting in the street. They all carry emotional baggage, struggle to find anyone to fully share it with, and try to make the best of things, for their own sake as well as that of their family. The book was also well written - while nothing really happens in the book, the writing is so dynamic that it doesn't really feel tiring or boring. Tara's story really stands out in this regard - even on its own it's a towering achievement of the craft of realistic fiction.
There were a few aspects of the book, though, that I liked less. While the book talks about a family that has Indian origins (with the father coming to the UK via Kenya), this aspect feels rather under-developed. This story could have been easily told about any other immigrant family, making the India/Kenya background somewhat superfluous. I also felt that the book was a bit on the dull side - there was no driving force within, and no message that needed telling. It was an interesting glimpse into the lives of this family's members, but that is where it ended. Nothing bad in this per se - it just made the book less exciting than it could have been.
Recommend it to folks interested in family dramas, and how communication (or lack thereof) can affect families' happiness. That being said, it's probably a miss - nothing really stands out in this book, and it will disappear into my memory's oblivion within a few days.
My thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me early access to this book in return for an honest review.
May 18, 2024
A person is a prayer explores family values, relationships and what really brings us happiness. It highlights how we deal with loss, with details on Indian culture.
We follow the lives of a family over the course of six decades, their marriages and life. As the family experience hardship and emotions you also find yourself experiencing them too.
I really liked how the story progresses and we get the prospective of different characters, it is wrote as if we (the reader) are the characters and we are telling the stories.
This book is poignant and moves you in a way not many books can, there is so much empathy if the words. I do believe this is a book that will stay with a lot of people.
Some parts did make me "yikes" a little particularly the mention of how the area the were travelling too...The comments about the food making them ill I thought sounded a bit off. I guess it was because they hadn't been subjected to area and it was something new for them. But it still rubbed me the wrong way.
It made me realise that a generation who have been born in countries like the UK, when they do go back to the counties their parents were from, they don't seem to understand the culture or have a connection to it like their parents did.
The comments from Selena about her white husband though, wishing her child was fully Indian? She chose to marry a white man. She chose to have a child with him? Maybe I don't understand because I'm not Indian, but I just felt for her poor child who had no choice in the matter. I do understand how it would have been easier for her child if he was either Indian or white. That I understand, people are cruel to people of mix heritages. It made me really sad to read that though. Rohan had such a negative impact to me, his view of homosexuality, the cheating, the comments about India, his section I found frustrated me the most, I didn't like his character.
I feel it portrayed family life quite well, their disagreements and how they put up with things. The part where they let their father ashes to rest was quite moving, and I feel it gave them some closure.
I found Tara's section the best, I liked reading her perspective. Her thoughts on death felt raw. I really liked her perspective and wish we had more from her.
We follow the lives of a family over the course of six decades, their marriages and life. As the family experience hardship and emotions you also find yourself experiencing them too.
I really liked how the story progresses and we get the prospective of different characters, it is wrote as if we (the reader) are the characters and we are telling the stories.
This book is poignant and moves you in a way not many books can, there is so much empathy if the words. I do believe this is a book that will stay with a lot of people.
Some parts did make me "yikes" a little particularly the mention of how the area the were travelling too...The comments about the food making them ill I thought sounded a bit off. I guess it was because they hadn't been subjected to area and it was something new for them. But it still rubbed me the wrong way.
It made me realise that a generation who have been born in countries like the UK, when they do go back to the counties their parents were from, they don't seem to understand the culture or have a connection to it like their parents did.
The comments from Selena about her white husband though, wishing her child was fully Indian? She chose to marry a white man. She chose to have a child with him? Maybe I don't understand because I'm not Indian, but I just felt for her poor child who had no choice in the matter. I do understand how it would have been easier for her child if he was either Indian or white. That I understand, people are cruel to people of mix heritages. It made me really sad to read that though. Rohan had such a negative impact to me, his view of homosexuality, the cheating, the comments about India, his section I found frustrated me the most, I didn't like his character.
I feel it portrayed family life quite well, their disagreements and how they put up with things. The part where they let their father ashes to rest was quite moving, and I feel it gave them some closure.
I found Tara's section the best, I liked reading her perspective. Her thoughts on death felt raw. I really liked her perspective and wish we had more from her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 7, 2024
I wanted to read this book, purely based on the title and cover alone, so I went in blind, not knowing what to expect.
When I saw the family tree, I knew I was going to delve into the different characters and love some, while not enjoying others, and this certainly was the case.
We start with Bedi, who, if I'm being honest, I really struggled to read. I think this was the point but I just found myself bored and uninterested in him. It took me almost a week to just read those chapters as I wasn't interested in finding out more about him. However, when we moved on to the other family members, I warmed to the book and found myself invested in what was going on and how their lives had changed.
The siblings section was clever. I very rarely read a book, written multi-generational, where the characters narration is set at the same period. Sel, felt like most middle siblings, having a lot of feelings and emotions, feeling like she was missing out but also like she was hard done by. Rohan sort of lost me slightly, but I don't know if that was due to him being the only son and focusing on his position as being the one who should be leading the family, but feeling useless and unable to step forward. However, Tara was a woman I wanted to keep reading about! How her career and life was focused around art, and the way Ammar Kalai made her section poetic and beautiful just emphasised how creative she is and her way of seeing things.
I enjoyed the end chapters, coming back round to Sushma, but felt I was missing something with the abrupt ending. I thought it may end when she had meant and walked with Bedi in her garden. But the bond between mother and child shone through out the book, and rounding it off with that, did create a sort of clean finish, if I'm not contradicting myself too much.
Overall, I loved the strong imagery throughout, the family bond and the traditions that are commonly found in certain cultures, and how moving through out generations can play huge affects on how they change; being among 'their people' in India, but feeling like outsiders and having no bond to them or their lives, I thought was beautiful. They forever felt like the outsiders, but more so among their people!
Just a beautiful book. Thank you for letting me read this wonderful book.
When I saw the family tree, I knew I was going to delve into the different characters and love some, while not enjoying others, and this certainly was the case.
We start with Bedi, who, if I'm being honest, I really struggled to read. I think this was the point but I just found myself bored and uninterested in him. It took me almost a week to just read those chapters as I wasn't interested in finding out more about him. However, when we moved on to the other family members, I warmed to the book and found myself invested in what was going on and how their lives had changed.
The siblings section was clever. I very rarely read a book, written multi-generational, where the characters narration is set at the same period. Sel, felt like most middle siblings, having a lot of feelings and emotions, feeling like she was missing out but also like she was hard done by. Rohan sort of lost me slightly, but I don't know if that was due to him being the only son and focusing on his position as being the one who should be leading the family, but feeling useless and unable to step forward. However, Tara was a woman I wanted to keep reading about! How her career and life was focused around art, and the way Ammar Kalai made her section poetic and beautiful just emphasised how creative she is and her way of seeing things.
I enjoyed the end chapters, coming back round to Sushma, but felt I was missing something with the abrupt ending. I thought it may end when she had meant and walked with Bedi in her garden. But the bond between mother and child shone through out the book, and rounding it off with that, did create a sort of clean finish, if I'm not contradicting myself too much.
Overall, I loved the strong imagery throughout, the family bond and the traditions that are commonly found in certain cultures, and how moving through out generations can play huge affects on how they change; being among 'their people' in India, but feeling like outsiders and having no bond to them or their lives, I thought was beautiful. They forever felt like the outsiders, but more so among their people!
Just a beautiful book. Thank you for letting me read this wonderful book.
December 14, 2023
A Person is A Prayer
“It turned out that death, like much of life, was just a matter of waiting.”
The book spans across generations of the same family, immigrated from Kenya and India to Britain. It deals with identity, loss and grief but also hopes and dreams.
To me the family members seem distant from each other and it’s only upon a death in the family following a ritual of scattering the ashes back in India that each member reflect on their lives and relationships.
What does it mean to have roots? Where do they belong and what place can they call home?
A Person is A Prayer voices several viewpoints and this works only to a certain extent as I struggled to connect with them individually. It does have beautiful prose and lovely introspective glimmers of what it means to be connected in life and in this world.
It deals delicately with the experience of being a first, second and third generation immigrant in the UK - the integration on one hand, the expectations of your parents to stay true to your roots on the other.
It does feel heavy on the side of not wanting to be a disappointment, a very sad burden.
Ammar Kalia paints a vivid picture of each scene with food and smells and does not shy away from stark realities.
This book is a quiet ode to family, the conversations you wish you’d had, how to live the time you have left and the hope for the next generation.
A Person is a Prayer is a literary promising debut.
3.5/5 stars
-
An advance copy was made available to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
“It turned out that death, like much of life, was just a matter of waiting.”
The book spans across generations of the same family, immigrated from Kenya and India to Britain. It deals with identity, loss and grief but also hopes and dreams.
To me the family members seem distant from each other and it’s only upon a death in the family following a ritual of scattering the ashes back in India that each member reflect on their lives and relationships.
What does it mean to have roots? Where do they belong and what place can they call home?
A Person is A Prayer voices several viewpoints and this works only to a certain extent as I struggled to connect with them individually. It does have beautiful prose and lovely introspective glimmers of what it means to be connected in life and in this world.
It deals delicately with the experience of being a first, second and third generation immigrant in the UK - the integration on one hand, the expectations of your parents to stay true to your roots on the other.
It does feel heavy on the side of not wanting to be a disappointment, a very sad burden.
Ammar Kalia paints a vivid picture of each scene with food and smells and does not shy away from stark realities.
This book is a quiet ode to family, the conversations you wish you’d had, how to live the time you have left and the hope for the next generation.
A Person is a Prayer is a literary promising debut.
3.5/5 stars
-
An advance copy was made available to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you.
May 29, 2024
thanks to netgalley and Oldcastle Books for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review
tw: death of a parent, cancer
A PERSON IS A PRAYER is a glimpse into the life of a family through several generations and told in three parts. I love intergenerational stories, and when I saw this beautiful cover with an intriguing title, I knew I had to read it. The book asks a lot of questions about life, grief, family, identity and love. It's easy to relate to them, and it made the characters more human in a way.
I honestly loved the beginning of the book, it introduced the parents Bedi and Sushma as they met for the first time, and then once they settle in England. And while I was also interested in their kids' lives, to be honest, I found them less engaging...They're not bad at all, on the contrary the author managed to give them a very distinct voice and perception of the situation which was interesting considering they were all going through the same day. Some dialogues and scenes are repeated but from a new perspective, which was nice. Apart from that, I was just less interested in them as narrator.
The ending was a bit abrupt, but it makes sense and I loved the epilogue, it ties everything up nicely. You can tell it's a very personal story for the author, and I loved reading the letter by Ammar Kalia at the end which explains how this book came to life.
To conclude it's an interesting story and I can see why people like it, I wish I loved it more. That said, I'm looking forwards to the next book by Ammar Kalia!
tw: death of a parent, cancer
A PERSON IS A PRAYER is a glimpse into the life of a family through several generations and told in three parts. I love intergenerational stories, and when I saw this beautiful cover with an intriguing title, I knew I had to read it. The book asks a lot of questions about life, grief, family, identity and love. It's easy to relate to them, and it made the characters more human in a way.
I honestly loved the beginning of the book, it introduced the parents Bedi and Sushma as they met for the first time, and then once they settle in England. And while I was also interested in their kids' lives, to be honest, I found them less engaging...They're not bad at all, on the contrary the author managed to give them a very distinct voice and perception of the situation which was interesting considering they were all going through the same day. Some dialogues and scenes are repeated but from a new perspective, which was nice. Apart from that, I was just less interested in them as narrator.
The ending was a bit abrupt, but it makes sense and I loved the epilogue, it ties everything up nicely. You can tell it's a very personal story for the author, and I loved reading the letter by Ammar Kalia at the end which explains how this book came to life.
To conclude it's an interesting story and I can see why people like it, I wish I loved it more. That said, I'm looking forwards to the next book by Ammar Kalia!
April 12, 2025
Novel of family set in ENGLAND and INDIA from 1955 onwards
3.5*
This is the story of a family, commencing in March 1955, when Bedi is walking to meet his potential wife - Sushma - who has been singled out for him. The languorous descriptions of his journey to her family's home are beautifully drawn and that is where the author excels throughout the narrative.
The story then moves to subsequent generations, underlining all the while the theme of belonging. Immigrants to the UK from the Indian subcontinent do the best they can to acclimatise and integrate but when the younger ones return to their family's homeland, it feels akin to being a tourist in a foreign land. Bedi and Sushma's children find themselves in India with their father's ashes, navigating the processes of culture, death and the Ganges.
The story is told over six decades and the author chooses just 3 days to focus in on the family dynamics. It is very well written, evocative of place but perhaps left me feeling slightly down and heavy- hearted given the hiccups in communication, yet the storytelling is balanced by moments of humour and great observation.
A novel that would be of interest to readers who like Kamala Markandaya's writing.
3.5*
This is the story of a family, commencing in March 1955, when Bedi is walking to meet his potential wife - Sushma - who has been singled out for him. The languorous descriptions of his journey to her family's home are beautifully drawn and that is where the author excels throughout the narrative.
The story then moves to subsequent generations, underlining all the while the theme of belonging. Immigrants to the UK from the Indian subcontinent do the best they can to acclimatise and integrate but when the younger ones return to their family's homeland, it feels akin to being a tourist in a foreign land. Bedi and Sushma's children find themselves in India with their father's ashes, navigating the processes of culture, death and the Ganges.
The story is told over six decades and the author chooses just 3 days to focus in on the family dynamics. It is very well written, evocative of place but perhaps left me feeling slightly down and heavy- hearted given the hiccups in communication, yet the storytelling is balanced by moments of humour and great observation.
A novel that would be of interest to readers who like Kamala Markandaya's writing.
December 8, 2025
Part 1 and 2 are set in the past and follow Bedi and Sushma’s first meeting in India, then the family they have formed when they are living in England. In Part 3, which is the majority of the book, you follow one day where Bedi and Sushma’s children (and their children and partners) come together to release their father’s ashes into the Ganges rive. This part moves through the perspectives of Selena, then Rohan, and finally Tara. It could be that getting the same day where all the characters are together from three perspectives would be dull, but the same events are seen so differently and evoke such a variety of thoughts and memories from each perspective character that I was never bored. The book primarily explores feelings of grief and dissatisfaction with how your life has gone and what your future might hold, as well as identity and culture.
Each sentence in this book is so rich and meaningful. Every perspective also felt impressively distinct, both in terms of writing style and what the characters would notice and think about.
If you need a plot to drive you through a novel, this book will definitely not deliver that. If you, like me, love to dive into the minds of multiple characters in a family then I would whole-heartedly recommend this.
Each sentence in this book is so rich and meaningful. Every perspective also felt impressively distinct, both in terms of writing style and what the characters would notice and think about.
If you need a plot to drive you through a novel, this book will definitely not deliver that. If you, like me, love to dive into the minds of multiple characters in a family then I would whole-heartedly recommend this.
September 30, 2025
A story set over the course of three days spanning three generations and six decades, the first day being the arranged marriage in India between two awkwardly matched, though optimistically-minded people.
I was really looking forward to reading this book, having always enjoyed the author's regular global music column in The Guardian. It is a quietly hopeful novel even if it is essentially a book about regrets and longing, and how much the desire for wanting more can sit with us forever, diminishing the everyday relationships with those we love.
If I had a complaint, it's that the plot motif that the book relies on - seeing the same day lived out through multiple perspectives - can become somewhat arduous. If that day were to look different and contradictory from the various perspectives, it might say something about the nature of memory, but here that doesn't happen and instead we're forced to re-read the occasionally mundane accounts of this one day again and again, seemingly in a way that doesn't add anything to the plot.
That's a small complaint, however, and the richness and depth throughout the novel suggests more exciting work to come from Kalia.
I was really looking forward to reading this book, having always enjoyed the author's regular global music column in The Guardian. It is a quietly hopeful novel even if it is essentially a book about regrets and longing, and how much the desire for wanting more can sit with us forever, diminishing the everyday relationships with those we love.
If I had a complaint, it's that the plot motif that the book relies on - seeing the same day lived out through multiple perspectives - can become somewhat arduous. If that day were to look different and contradictory from the various perspectives, it might say something about the nature of memory, but here that doesn't happen and instead we're forced to re-read the occasionally mundane accounts of this one day again and again, seemingly in a way that doesn't add anything to the plot.
That's a small complaint, however, and the richness and depth throughout the novel suggests more exciting work to come from Kalia.
September 6, 2024
I received this ARC from NetGalley and Oldcastle Books in exchange for a free and honest review.
This multigenerational book following Bedi and Sushma, and their three children Selena, Rohan and Tara. The book is divided into three parts; part one - 1955, where Bedi and Sushma first meet and share their expectations and hopes, part two - which tackles a tragic incident and part three - which follows the children's return to India to scatter Bedi's ashes. This was quite a layered book, it tackles the immigrant experience whereby they feel like they don't fit in to their new community and yet they are changed, therefore, can no longer fully relate to their ancestral land. I also really enjoyed the discussions of love languages as different cultures show affection in different ways, such as: praise, verbal affirmations, acts of service (cooking, cleaning) etc. The ineffective communication in the family left them with some misunderstandings and in need of healing. Overall, an interesting book on the immigrant experience and the family dynamics.
This multigenerational book following Bedi and Sushma, and their three children Selena, Rohan and Tara. The book is divided into three parts; part one - 1955, where Bedi and Sushma first meet and share their expectations and hopes, part two - which tackles a tragic incident and part three - which follows the children's return to India to scatter Bedi's ashes. This was quite a layered book, it tackles the immigrant experience whereby they feel like they don't fit in to their new community and yet they are changed, therefore, can no longer fully relate to their ancestral land. I also really enjoyed the discussions of love languages as different cultures show affection in different ways, such as: praise, verbal affirmations, acts of service (cooking, cleaning) etc. The ineffective communication in the family left them with some misunderstandings and in need of healing. Overall, an interesting book on the immigrant experience and the family dynamics.
March 5, 2024
I was hooked from chapter one, this is beautifully written, it is poetic it is emotional and has a lot of themes that are important, these cover death, racial and cultural and family dynamics. This starts off with an arranged marriage and then carries on to their children's lives in the future, who travel to India to spread ashes. We read from the perspective of the three children in the future who have reflected upon what makes a life happy, and the hope they carry to achieve this. This demonstrates what happens when communication deteriorates, and how decisions made by their parents have affected their lives too.
You can tell just how much the author cares, although this is fiction, this is something the author is clearly invested in and this really stands out to the reader. It's a novel about hoping for a better future, a novel about an idealised past and how they cope with life in the present.
You can tell just how much the author cares, although this is fiction, this is something the author is clearly invested in and this really stands out to the reader. It's a novel about hoping for a better future, a novel about an idealised past and how they cope with life in the present.
May 27, 2024
A Person is a Prayer is a moving story of immigration, family, and the things we cannot say. Beginning in India in the 1960s, and ending there sixty years later as one of the family is laid to rest, it charts the fortunes of the immigrant family through three key moments: the parents meeting in India, a family tragedy in Britain, and the funeral back in India. The children are now grown, with children of their own, but struggling with their identities as second-generation immigrants returning to a country they don't feel that they're from. It also charts the challenges of being honest with our families and ourselves.
This was a beautiful book, and in many places the writing really moved me. However, I kept waiting for someone to change - their minds, their choices, anything - and it never happened. It's a real snapshot of a moment in time but I wanted a climax that never came, and so I finished feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
Thank you NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.
This was a beautiful book, and in many places the writing really moved me. However, I kept waiting for someone to change - their minds, their choices, anything - and it never happened. It's a real snapshot of a moment in time but I wanted a climax that never came, and so I finished feeling somewhat unsatisfied.
Thank you NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book. All thoughts are my own.
August 20, 2024
India, March 1955: Bedi meets Sushma: A sweaty, breathless, and awkward young man meets a graceful, headstrong young woman. He immediately finds himself plunged into a philosophical discussion with her book-loving and intimidating father. After his mother's death, Bedi longs for safety and security in his job as a railway yard marshal in Kenya while Sushma yearns for adventure. They clearly have different goals in life, yet for some reason, they still agree to get married. We meet them again in 1994's Bournemouth, preparing for their adult children's visit. Unfortunately, we don't learn anything about their years spent in Kenya and London.
This novel explores our relationship with our bodies, death, grief, and the experience of first and second gen immigrants.
Especially in the earlier chapters, the POV switches abruptly between characters which can be disorienting, but also contrasts their lack of communication and outspoken closeness. The story is later told from their adult children's perspective, with Selena being the most insufferable and Tara being the most insightful.
I really enjoyed how Kalia writes about our relationship with our bodies in a frank and gritty way. By contrast, the inner reflections and conversations between characters felt quite stiff and sterile to me - philosophising and lecturing in an inspirational tone, yet with a mostly bleak outlook.
Kalia shows that he is an observant writer who doesn't shy away from authentic descriptions, and I hope in his future books, this will translate into a more naturalistic style of dialogue.
My recommendation: Kalia's writing is consistent, so just give the first 1-2 chapters a try and see if it clicks with you.
Thank you to Ammar Kalia, Oldcastle Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
This novel explores our relationship with our bodies, death, grief, and the experience of first and second gen immigrants.
Especially in the earlier chapters, the POV switches abruptly between characters which can be disorienting, but also contrasts their lack of communication and outspoken closeness. The story is later told from their adult children's perspective, with Selena being the most insufferable and Tara being the most insightful.
I really enjoyed how Kalia writes about our relationship with our bodies in a frank and gritty way. By contrast, the inner reflections and conversations between characters felt quite stiff and sterile to me - philosophising and lecturing in an inspirational tone, yet with a mostly bleak outlook.
Kalia shows that he is an observant writer who doesn't shy away from authentic descriptions, and I hope in his future books, this will translate into a more naturalistic style of dialogue.
My recommendation: Kalia's writing is consistent, so just give the first 1-2 chapters a try and see if it clicks with you.
Thank you to Ammar Kalia, Oldcastle Books, and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC.
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