What Will People Say

From a leading publisher of bestselling modern poetry comes a debut collection by an Indo-Canadian poet written for those trapped in a patriarchal family structure. It grapples with trauma and mental health and challenges the taboo inherent in a culture of victim-blaming.

I had to fight for my existence before I was even out of my mother’s womb.
If I didn’t stop fighting then, why would I stop now?
 
What Will People Say follows a South Asian woman’s journey through being a daughter, and later a daughter-in-law, within the strict confines of her patriarchal family. Readers watch as the narrator navigates life, trying to find a safe place for herself, until she finally becomes her own hero. 

Grappling with the subjects of sexual and psychological trauma, as well as mental health, this collection of poetry carves a path beyond the guilt of wondering: “What will people say?”