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The Girl and the Goddess: Stories and Poems of Divine Wisdom
by
Bestselling poet, writer, and Instagram sensation Nikita Gill returns with a collection of poetry and prose exploring Hindu mythology and legend.
Let her be a little less human, a little more divine
Give her heart armor so it doesn't break as easily as mine
Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart, and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of P ...more
Let her be a little less human, a little more divine
Give her heart armor so it doesn't break as easily as mine
Meet Paro. A girl with a strong will, a full heart, and much to learn. Born into a family reeling from the ruptures of P ...more
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Paperback, 352 pages
Published
September 29th 2020
by G.P. Putnam's Sons
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Start your review of The Girl and the Goddess: Stories and Poems of Divine Wisdom
My first ever novel in verse. Still cannot believe it is out in the world finally. ❤️
EDIT: MAJOR NEWS: LENA HEADEY IS PRODUCING A TV ADAPTATION OF THIS BOOK!!
https://deadline.com/2021/09/the-girl... ...more
EDIT: MAJOR NEWS: LENA HEADEY IS PRODUCING A TV ADAPTATION OF THIS BOOK!!
https://deadline.com/2021/09/the-girl... ...more
Got lucky enough to have this masterpiece in the middle of a festival of goddesses!
This was my first Gill, and I’m thoroughly impressed.
More than poetry, it was more like a verse novel. You follow Paro, a Kashmiri girl, from her childhood to womanhood who is taught the ways of life by gods and goddesses themselves.
The book deals with several dark topics, all too real and relatable. Paro, like a true goddess, fights every monstrosity that society throws at her- war and separation from loved one ...more
This was my first Gill, and I’m thoroughly impressed.
More than poetry, it was more like a verse novel. You follow Paro, a Kashmiri girl, from her childhood to womanhood who is taught the ways of life by gods and goddesses themselves.
The book deals with several dark topics, all too real and relatable. Paro, like a true goddess, fights every monstrosity that society throws at her- war and separation from loved one ...more
Wow, this book blew me away. It took me a while to realize this wasn't a collection of poems about the author herself but a novel in verse. Once I realized that though, I was sucked into Paro's story of growing up in war torn Kashmir, then Delhi, before her move to London where she could truly be free and herself. It was so feminist and powerful, and this is why I'll read anything Nikita Gill writes.
...more
~~~5 Stars~~~
For some reason, that rating doesn't sit well with me. I feel like I should have more critiques but I can't find them. Ughhhhh.
Anyway, this book brought me to tears multiple times. Our main character's journey takes us through her entire life. We see her darkest memories and her brightest ones. This book has such a powerful and uplifting message to all of the females, LGBTQIA+, and minority groups. I found myself hanging on for each new poem to see what Paro would discover about he ...more
For some reason, that rating doesn't sit well with me. I feel like I should have more critiques but I can't find them. Ughhhhh.
Anyway, this book brought me to tears multiple times. Our main character's journey takes us through her entire life. We see her darkest memories and her brightest ones. This book has such a powerful and uplifting message to all of the females, LGBTQIA+, and minority groups. I found myself hanging on for each new poem to see what Paro would discover about he ...more
3 a book that was perhaps not written for me stars
I wanted to love this book, I really did, but something about the way Gill wrote this just rubbed me the wrong way. I am also Indian, and I am a Bengali. The myths she wrote on, are stories we grew up with, but maybe I'm just too jaded, because although I am a feminist, the aggressive undertone of all the writings really felt chaffing.
I am one of those people who believe that a woman should be respected because respect should be afforded to all ...more
I wanted to love this book, I really did, but something about the way Gill wrote this just rubbed me the wrong way. I am also Indian, and I am a Bengali. The myths she wrote on, are stories we grew up with, but maybe I'm just too jaded, because although I am a feminist, the aggressive undertone of all the writings really felt chaffing.
I am one of those people who believe that a woman should be respected because respect should be afforded to all ...more
A fantastic way to start of 2021
Thank you, Nikita Gill for making me cry a river. I loved everything about this book. A page turner indeed!
This is my second favorite book of Nikita next to Wild Embers.
This is my second favorite book of Nikita next to Wild Embers.
This is easily one of my favorite books I have ever read!! It’s so so so beautiful I don’t even know how to describe it. It’s about finding yourself in the process of loosing. It’s about the divine energy and what it’s like to be a girl is a hurtful world. It’s about understanding and loving who you truly are.
I can’t describe the love I have for this book.
I can’t describe the love I have for this book.
Oh my freaking gosh!!!!
Review to come soon! Goodness!
Review to come soon! Goodness!
This is the second mythology inspired book by Nikita Gill I’ve read and I think the novel in verse format really suits her style. I was captivated by Paro’s journey from the aftermath of war and partition in Kashmir to Delhi and London, glittering big cities with their own dangers. I love the seamless way stories from Hindu mythology are woven through the narrative, along with some truly gorgeous illustrations. Though the mythical aspect was definitely my favorite, I also really appreciate that
...more
This is a beautiful coming-of-age story written in verse form about a girl named Paro.
She is visited by goddesses and gods who tell her Hindu myths to teach her the lessons she needs to help her throughout her life.
The book covers many common, difficult topics such as racism, classism, mysogeny and sexual abuse, to name a few, but the main theme throughout is the message of love, self acceptance and self power.
This was a different type of book for me, but one I enjoyed completely!
She is visited by goddesses and gods who tell her Hindu myths to teach her the lessons she needs to help her throughout her life.
The book covers many common, difficult topics such as racism, classism, mysogeny and sexual abuse, to name a few, but the main theme throughout is the message of love, self acceptance and self power.
This was a different type of book for me, but one I enjoyed completely!
Starting off the year on a strong note, I love that for me personally but aside from Nikita's stunning writing, this is an ode to family, culture, strength in femininity and a reminder that the foundation of who you are centers you in a world that's determined to strip your identity away to nothing. Couldn't recommend this one enough honestly
...more
October 23, 2020: AYEEE, I can finally read this! After loving Fierce Fairytales so much, I think I'll love any and everything by Nikita Gill.
...more
"Everything about you
may look like someone else,
but that spirit was my gift to you
and no one else."
I devoured this book. Thank the world for work-free Sundays at my job, because I just spent the day eating up the words, loving every single page of it.
So much strength and emotion is expressed within these pages that I couldn't put it down.
Freeing, feministic, LGBTQIAA, poetic, colourful, expressive, vulnerable...does it show that I'm a fan?
After reading Fierce Fairytales, Nikita Gill became on ...more
may look like someone else,
but that spirit was my gift to you
and no one else."
I devoured this book. Thank the world for work-free Sundays at my job, because I just spent the day eating up the words, loving every single page of it.
So much strength and emotion is expressed within these pages that I couldn't put it down.
Freeing, feministic, LGBTQIAA, poetic, colourful, expressive, vulnerable...does it show that I'm a fan?
After reading Fierce Fairytales, Nikita Gill became on ...more
It is hard, and near impossible, to encapsulate the feelings evinced by the journey a reader takes through poems and prose as they travel alongside Paro,from before she is born to adulthood.
Her journey is accompanied by the tales whispered to her by the Goddess who visits her 9 times. She tells these stories as guiding lights on the path that Paro takes to becoming herself, a unique individual weighed down with expectation of her family, history and the myths of the Hindu religion. Through them ...more
Her journey is accompanied by the tales whispered to her by the Goddess who visits her 9 times. She tells these stories as guiding lights on the path that Paro takes to becoming herself, a unique individual weighed down with expectation of her family, history and the myths of the Hindu religion. Through them ...more
Full review will be live on my blog on October 22: https://inkandplasma.com/2020/10/22/t...
Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Trigger warnings, taken from the front of the book: anxiety, bigotry, biphobia, body shaming, bullying, child abuse, depression, guilt, homophobia, internalised misogyny, misogyny/sexism, poverty, racism, sexual assault, terrorism, violence, war.
Thanks to Ebury Press for the eARC of this book, it has not affected my honest review.
I honestly have never requested anything s ...more
Rating: 4.5 stars rounded up to 5.
Trigger warnings, taken from the front of the book: anxiety, bigotry, biphobia, body shaming, bullying, child abuse, depression, guilt, homophobia, internalised misogyny, misogyny/sexism, poverty, racism, sexual assault, terrorism, violence, war.
Thanks to Ebury Press for the eARC of this book, it has not affected my honest review.
I honestly have never requested anything s ...more
What a powerful and incredible story about girls, empowerment, love, and goddess. So many lessons told beautifully.
“There is nothing to fix. There is nothing broken about you.”
An intense, powerful, beautiful story <3
Wow! Just Wow! Full review coming soon.
4/5 stars.
What an immensely beautiful and moving book. It's hard to believe that this is Gill's first book in verse, because the writing was so lovely and natural, and the story flowed together so well.
The Girl and The Goddess explores the life of Paro, and her life from experiencing the effects of the Partition in India, feeling out of place in school, discovering her sexuality and more - all the while, being visited by different gods in Hindu mythology and learning their stories.
I was so intr ...more
What an immensely beautiful and moving book. It's hard to believe that this is Gill's first book in verse, because the writing was so lovely and natural, and the story flowed together so well.
The Girl and The Goddess explores the life of Paro, and her life from experiencing the effects of the Partition in India, feeling out of place in school, discovering her sexuality and more - all the while, being visited by different gods in Hindu mythology and learning their stories.
I was so intr ...more
What an amazing novel in verse!!
This novel is full of poems and sections which are in beautiful prose. The language is lyrical, empowering and a wonderful exploration of Indian culture and Hindu gods and goddesses. I loved this and learned so much whilst reading. Paro was such a great character and I loved the focus on her emotions throughout. It was really moving to read and I also really liked the bisexual representation and how she learned to love herself and her identity.
I loved how femini ...more
This novel is full of poems and sections which are in beautiful prose. The language is lyrical, empowering and a wonderful exploration of Indian culture and Hindu gods and goddesses. I loved this and learned so much whilst reading. Paro was such a great character and I loved the focus on her emotions throughout. It was really moving to read and I also really liked the bisexual representation and how she learned to love herself and her identity.
I loved how femini ...more
Jan 26, 2022
peppersocks
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
ebk-tempmine-lib-app-bbox-mcr
Reflections and lessons learned:
“‘Paro!' - even my own name sounded like
sin.
'Paro!' - I looked for disappointment within
my own name”
This took me a few attempts to get the feel for it, as I’m not sure that I initially understood the scale, but I’m glad that I persevered to get into the poetry, poetic narrative, diary entry style sections all wrapped around part imagined fables. Is it more about the growing up part, the family attachment/detachment, the love stories, or the brutality and treatment ...more
“‘Paro!' - even my own name sounded like
sin.
'Paro!' - I looked for disappointment within
my own name”
This took me a few attempts to get the feel for it, as I’m not sure that I initially understood the scale, but I’m glad that I persevered to get into the poetry, poetic narrative, diary entry style sections all wrapped around part imagined fables. Is it more about the growing up part, the family attachment/detachment, the love stories, or the brutality and treatment ...more
There are very few books out there that I would recommend to any type of reader but this is one of them. Nikita really took command of the experimental style and I found myself forgetting that this book was fictional at all. It felt so very real to me and there were multiple times where I just had to slam the book shut to allow myself the space to process the emotions that it brought up. This novel in verse is about so many things but it’s mostly about remembering who you are - a god(dess) reinc
...more
"It's okay. It's okay to feel like you're drowning inside your own bones sometimes. It's okay to weep like a sky devoured by a storm. It's okay to be aware that there are wounds in you still that you aren't letting heal. Survival is ugly. Healing is messy. Self-love is complicated. It is your hardest days as much as your best days that help you grow. All of this is part of being human."
This was a gift. ...more
This was a gift. ...more
Reviewed by Jess
This is a novel written entirely in breath-taking verse.
I simply don't know what more this book could have given me. It covers so many real issues including LGBTQI+ themes, sexual violence, racism and family while simultaneously sweeping you away on a carpet of gloriously beautiful language and mythology. This book is filled with feminism and love, and I cannot fault it even lightly. ...more
This is a novel written entirely in breath-taking verse.
I simply don't know what more this book could have given me. It covers so many real issues including LGBTQI+ themes, sexual violence, racism and family while simultaneously sweeping you away on a carpet of gloriously beautiful language and mythology. This book is filled with feminism and love, and I cannot fault it even lightly. ...more
(c/p from my review on TheStoryGraph) Please read the trigger warnings at the beginning of this book. I love the narrative style of this, I love that it is a mix of poetry and stories that all connect and weave into one really great story. It is a powerful and moving and real story. It's a different kind of book for Gill but also familiar in so many ways. Gill is easily one of my favorite modern poets and every time I read her I'm reminded why.
...more
Jul 05, 2021
lauren ♡
rated it
it was amazing
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
made-me-cry,
5-stars,
type-poetry,
pretty-covers,
diverse,
read-in-2021,
owned-physical-copies
nikita gill never misses. her words always resonate with me so much. i love the way she weaved hindu mythology through this lyrical prose about the highs and lows of being a woman. paro's journey was one i'm going to remember for a long time. i will continue to read literally everything she writes.
tw: sexual assault, racism, homophobia, war ...more
tw: sexual assault, racism, homophobia, war ...more
My first time ever reading a novel in verse - my lord, it was a journey.
I cried and felt intense rage for the inequality us women face. I raged for the racism and the hate towards our own.
I’m so glad I got to experience this gorgeous book.
I cried and felt intense rage for the inequality us women face. I raged for the racism and the hate towards our own.
I’m so glad I got to experience this gorgeous book.
This was nothing like I ever read before. While heartbreaking at some points, it gave me so much strength and love and made me really reflect.
I am glad I bought the physical copy, there are poems that I ‘bookmarked’ and I am sure I will find myself going back to them to draw strength.
I can’t do this book justice, it’s a coming of age story told in a chronicle order using poems.
It deals with anxiety, depression, abuse, racism, violence to name a few. It’s powerful and it feeds my soul.
If this s ...more
I am glad I bought the physical copy, there are poems that I ‘bookmarked’ and I am sure I will find myself going back to them to draw strength.
I can’t do this book justice, it’s a coming of age story told in a chronicle order using poems.
It deals with anxiety, depression, abuse, racism, violence to name a few. It’s powerful and it feeds my soul.
If this s ...more
I can't write a review, this is beyond words. Everyone should have a copy of this book. Every single poem is a delight 💜
...more
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Nikita Gill is a Kashmiri Sikh writer born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and brought up in Gurugram, Haryana in India. In her mid twenties, she immigrated to the South of England and worked as a carer for many years. She enjoys creating paintings, poems, stories, photos, illustrations and other soft, positive things. Her work has appeared in Literary Orphans, Agave Magazine, Gravel Literary Journal
...more
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