The Braid: A Novel

In a small village in India, Smita is what’s known as an untouchable, fated to a lowly life with no opportunities… but she’s determined that her daughter will have a better future to look forward to, and she’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen. In Sicily, Giulia is being groomed to take over the family wig-making business, but when her father gets in an accident, she discovers that it’s up to her to save them from bankruptcy. And in Canada, powerful lawyer Sarah is about to learn that a cancer diagnosis can mean the end of a career.

These three women from around the globe seem like they have nothing in common, but in The Braid, author Laetitia Colombani shows that unexpected things can create connections. It’s a short novel, and none of the three individual characters’ stories are particularly detailed, but most readers will enjoy getting glimpses into the unique—but surprisingly relatable—lives of these three women. This book is a relatively quick read, but the interwoven stories will really stay with readers and leave them wondering about the mysterious ways the world works.