The Color of Our Sky

In the spirit of Khaled Hosseini and Nadia Hashimi, this powerful debut unfolds the emotional journey of two childhood friends in Mumbai, India, whose lives are forever altered by a fateful night. In 1986, Mukta, a ten-year-old girl from the lower caste Yellama cult, faces her destiny as a temple prostitute, a fate inherited from her mother and grandmother. To escape, she becomes a house girl for an upper-middle-class family in Mumbai, where she finds solace in her friendship with eight-year-old Tara. Tara introduces Mukta to a world filled with ice cream, books, and a bond that deepens into sisterhood. However, in 1993, Mukta is kidnapped from Tara's home, leading Tara and her father to relocate to America. Despite their new life in Los Angeles, Tara is haunted by the loss of her best friend and questions her role in Mukta's abduction. Eleven years later, now an adult, Tara returns to India, determined to find Mukta. Her search plunges her into the dark world of human trafficking, revealing hidden family secrets that may explain Mukta's past and her arrival in Tara's life. This poignant narrative weaves through traditional Indian villages, the vibrant city of Mumbai, and the complexities of life in Los Angeles, exploring themes of love, betrayal, and redemption.