- Publisher: Duckbill Books (Penguin Random House India)
- Available in: Paperback, Kindle
- ISBN: 978-0143467076
- Published: September 9, 2024
Dead. My parents are dead.
It’s . . . my fault?
Voices, noises, whispers.
I build a fragile, safe world against it all.
For now, I’m safe.
But will I ever . . . be me?
Fishbowl is my second middle-grade verse novel, one that explores grief and healing as it seeks to make sense of 12-year-old Mahee’s fragmented world.
Read an excerpt from the book here.
Reviews
Book review by Kiranmayi (Blog)
Mahee’s fishbowl analogy to her emotions and how they overwhelm and crush her, threatening to break is a very well thought idea by the author. The author handles the topic of grief in a very sensible manner in multiple ways — that Mahee as well as her guardians definitely need therapy to handle PTSD the right way, where Aditi got her empathy from and how Riddhima’s approach towards Mahee is not normal and needs to be addressed seriously.
Book review by Nikhil Kamath (Amazon)
Fishbowl is a metaphor used by the author for the process of tuning out the world around you, which the protagonist does quite often in the book. The depiction of Mahee’s relationship with herself is also described very vividly and as the story progresses, you see it change.
Book review by Dr Deotima S (Instagram)
This abstract verse format frames the shattered, turbulence filled thoughts of Mahee beautifully, and her inner journey is really immersing. It was a lyrical and profoundly moving read to read about the guilt and despair of Mahee, her reluctance towards other people and slowly moving on. Every verse, so alive and charged with emotions.
Reviews
I did a reading from Fishbowl to mark World Read Aloud Day 2025. Take a look!