Review

Nandini Gupta’s debut novel “Daughter of the Night” is a fascinating read filled with the ups and downs that come with a journalist’s life. More often than not, an audience expects a journalist to report on another person’s life and stay behind the scenes. This novel breaks the rules. It tells the story of a journalist. It describes the story of her relentless pursuit of truth. It makes them feel all the emotions she’s feeling. And it leaves them wanting for more.

Gupta paints a beautiful picture for the audience. Her writing is smooth-flowing and easy to read. The plot is refreshing and so are the characters. She doesn’t give her readers a break. There’s always something going on, which keeps the readers on their toes. When they least expect it, that is when the bomb drops and nothing is the same again. Ever.

Writing vivid descriptions and character details can be tricky, and Gupta, despite this being her debut novel, nails both. Her rich writing background and current education at New York University in journalism and writing play a significant role in making her work wholesome and well-rounded.

The characters painted in the novel are relatable and don’t seem to feel like typical fancy characters who need to be watched from afar. Gupta includes the reader and takes them on a journey along with her characters. They all feel like one big family, which ends up making the novel an unforgettable reading (and living) experience.

Gupta immediately hooks the reader by jumping straight into the story. There’s not one wasted detail, not one wasted line, not one wasted chapter. They all fit perfectly in the end to form a picture, one that the readers were eagerly looking for the whole time. Her ability to capture vivid details and tell a story with a fresh perspective is what makes “Daughter of the Night” stand out.

Even though the story is a complex one, Gupta weaves each thread, each detail carefully. She’s skilled at revealing information slowly, making her readers not want to put the book down once they’ve dug in. Each detail is like adding another layer on top of the other until the entire pile falls down and something unexpected happens. That’s what
matters. That’s what makes the whole story gripping.

“Daughter of the Night” is a memorable debut novel and will leave many readers waiting for Gupta’s future works.