In this novel, Breece (Finding This Place, 2009) draws on her own experiences as a globe-trotting executive in creating the character of Claire Kaine. Claire moves to India in 1995 to build … “a telecom system that will revolutionize communications in Mumbai.” As Claire finds her way around Mumbai, she encounters a group of street children and forms a bond with one, a 3-year-old who answers to Shakti. The broadly focused narrative moves between Claire’s story and those of Shakti, whose father abandoned her once a son was born, and her protector, Radeeka, who started living on the streets after her parents’ deaths…. Breece presents a detailed portrait of India from a Westerner’s perspective. (“The mass of humanity teeming beyond the hotel entrance, a cacophony of horns blaring in the intense dusty heat, buses, taxis, scooters, trucks, auto rickshaws, and men shouting behind ox carts”), emphasizing the striking aspects of the colorful setting. The result is an engaging and uplifting tale of family, identity, and place.
An enjoyable love story that explores family, self-discovery, and the ties between personal and professional success.
—Kirkus Reviews
Marcia’s writing is exquisite. The pictures she paints with her prose are stunning….
—Jilly Eddy, author of Lipsology
Marcia paints her story with a depth and richness that transports the reader….
—Lynne G
This is the India as lived by some of the most vulnerable children on earth: her orphans. Kala’s Choice describes an urban jungle navigated by children so young that we, in the west, can barely believe what we read. The author’s vivid description of the stink, the fear and always the courage of these children, is riveting. I literally read late into the night, fell asleep, and woke up to read some more.
—Dan Z