Release: March 11, 2022
Format: Paperback
Publisher: Bowker Identifier Services
Source: Suzyapproved Book Tours
Find it at Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle
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DRAGONFLY ESCAPING is a tale of love, loss, heartbreak and healing which sweeps across two continents and three cultures. In it, Noor is a Hindu-Muslim half caste teen in India of 1980 who dreams of escaping the abuse and segregation that has robbed her innocence.
In 1982, Sergio Santander is a Peruvian diplomat in his mid-thirties who has his own demons to outrun, when he proposes to Noor.
Safe behind their facades, the couple has two infants before Sergio returns to Peru for a home posting. Here, their precarious balance is shattered by Sergio’s AIDS diagnosis.
Noor is barely coping with the reality avalanching on her young shoulders, when her in-laws tell her to leave her children behind and return to India “where she belongs.”
Furious, and more panicked by loss than ever in her life, Noor decides to fight back. But as alone as she is, can she win?
About the Author:
Raya Khedker was only three years old when she received her first writing inspiration, watching her father tie a thread to a dragonfly’s tail in the garden of their Calcutta home, then handing her the ensemble to fly like a live kite. Too young to discern the cruelty of this practice, Raya flew those dragonflies, mesmerized by the beauty and iridescence of their gossamer wings shining like precious jewels under the Indian sun, delighted by how those magical dragonflies were always within her control.
Decades later, those trapped dragonflies would become the heart of Raya’s debut novel, Dragonfly Escaping. Her biggest dream is to inspire women to recognize their untapped power, give it their all, and fulfill any goal they want.
Armed with a B.A. in Spanish Honors and an M.A. in Teaching, Raya has worked as an interpreter, a translator, teacher, private tutor, jail guard, and a seasonal farm laborer on different continents. At present, when she isn’t writing, she interprets and translates for federal and state courts in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Dragonfly Escaping Review:
“Dragonfly Escaping” is an emotional and powerful tale about a woman who tries to build a better life for herself and pursue happiness, no matter what challenges she faces, and I could not put it down!
The story’s strong point is how the author describes the character’s emotions. As you read the book, you get strongly invested in the characters and feel how Noor feels towards them. Noor goes through a lot in this story, from molestation and abuse in India to insults and challenges in Lima. My heart went to Noor as she tried to do the right thing. There are characters like Uncle Robu and Nila, who I despised, and the author wrote the characters so well!
Another aspect I loved about the story is the relationship between Noor and Sergio. The two are far from perfect, but the author wrote their scenes realistically and fluidly. As Noor describes, there are times when the two hate each other, but later, Noor finds something about Sergio that would make her change her mind about him. I haven’t read such a complex couple in a long time, and the author’s writing was mesmerizing. Additionally, Noor’s flashbacks with Didima made the story extra special, as no matter what faults Didima had, she always protected Noor till the end.
Perhaps the only minor downside to the story was Jaime and Chirag’s characters. I was curious to know what happened to Chirag in the latter half of the story and Noor’s interaction with Jaime, but we don’t see much of them.
Nevertheless, I found “Dragonfly Escaping: Noor’s Story” to be an excellent read! The story also ends in a way that makes you look forward to the next book to discover what happens to these characters, and I can’t wait!
Book Tour Schedule
I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the Dragonfly Escaping by Raya Khedker Blog Tour hosted by Suzyapproved Book Tours.
