The Secret of Elephants by Vasundra Tailor

Two sides of the same family—one living in luxury in a magnificent mansion, the other penniless in its shadow. Could a mysterious letter from the past help Nirmala and her young son take back what is rightfully theirs?

Navsari, India. Penniless and trapped in a loveless marriage, Nirmala spends

her days anxiously caring for her sick young son, Varun. Looming over Nirmala’s impoverished home is an imposing mansion built by her grandfather, and from its balcony her cruel aunt scorns them, refusing to help in any way.

But when a mysterious letter addressed to her long-dead father arrives from Zimbabwe, it opens a door to a past Nirmala never knew existed and a future she never imagined possible. If the contents of the letter can be believed, not only does she have family in Africa, but they might also hold the answers to a family mystery that spans three generations.

While travelling to Zimbabwe might lead to a brighter future for Nirmala and her son, it could also reignite the bitter family feud that condemned her family to poverty. Nirmala is ready to risk it all to uncover the truth, but how will she cope when this journey changes her life forever?

About the author

Vasundra Tailor was born in India, and was just a few weeks old when her parents brought her to Zimbabwe (then Southern Rhodesia) in 1954. Though set against a backdrop British colonial rule and segregation in the area, Vasundra had a happy childhood, surrounded by a large extended family.

She qualified as a pharmacist in 1977, and was eager to leave Zimbabwe for the UK to escape the fighting between the minority white government and local freedom fighters. She arrived at Heathrow in the Spring of 1978, and moved to Strathclyde for her Masters in Pharmaceutical Microbiology, before settling in London a year later, where she is still based today.

Vasundra started writing in 2016, after enrolling onto an online Creative Writing course, joining book groups and local writing groups, which gave her the feedback and confidence to tackle her first book. Fascinated by human relationships, Vasundra’s writing is interested in characters from diverse backgrounds and explores how people connect with those around them.

The inspiration for The Secret of Elephants, Vasundra’s debut novel, came from the families currently living in a property in India which once belonged to her father. In November 2019, an extract of The Secret of Elephants won the second runner-up prize for the Mo Siewcharran Fiction Competition, to help discover unpublished fiction writers from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds. @vasundrajay

Review

‘The Secret of Elephants’ is a beautiful and thought-provoking story which manages to take in the huge topics of family, love, betrayal, tragedy, poverty and class divisions to name a few. It was a carefully constructed tale that I devoured in two sittings and it managed to transport me back to India and it felt as if I could feel the heat shimmering off the page and taste and smell all the amazing food. The writer definitely has a way with words and I was utterly mesmerized by Nimrala and her families story.

Nimrala lives in Navsari, India with her small son Varun and her husband. She struggles to make ends meet and when her son falls ill and she has to ask her husband for money for medicine she begins to contemplate her life. Why her aunt lives in Suparna Mansions but yet her late father was cast out by the family for daring to marry into a lower caste? When she receives a letter from Zimbabwe from someone who claims they are related her life is thrown upside down.

This book shows how deep divides in families can run and how secrets can be hidden away but when the truth comes out it can be devastating for all involved. It also shows that despite how modern India is becoming we are only a few generations away from when the caste system was rigid, marriages were arranged and love matches were rare. The author manages to convey all this with sensitivity and empathy.

I love the ease at which the author seemed to find the characterised of this story as there wasn't one who wasn't fully formed and all were memorable. I particularly loved Nimrala, Varun and Suparna. I loved the historical sections of the book and would have loved these to be slightly bigger than they were but that's me the history nut talking and wanting to know more about these characters.

Family sagas are always going to be a yes for me as a reader but mix in the lure of India, brilliant writing and a plot that covers such deep and meaningful themes it means it is a winner!