by Chetna Maroo
First published 2024
Gopi has held a squash racket since childhood, but everything changes when her mother dies. Her father responds by pushing her into relentless training sessions that transform the sport from play into obsession. The court becomes her refuge and her prison. Each serve and volley pulls her further from her sisters as the game consumes her daily existence. Yet within this isolation, Gopi finds unexpected connection. Her father shares this space with her. Thirteen-year-old Ged brings his own fierce skill to their training. The legacy of past players seems to hover around them. Through the rhythm of competition and practice, Gopi begins to understand something about loss, about family, and about the person she might become. This debut novel follows one girl's journey through grief into a deeper knowledge of herself and those she loves.
Genres: coming-of-age, contemporary, sports, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: coming-of-age, found-family
Setting: Western Lane
Period: 21st-century
160 pages · Paperback · Picador Paper
Content warnings: death