“Everything Here Belongs to You” Explores Love, Betrayal, Redemption

SUGAR LAND: Author Saborna Roychowdhury’s latest novel, Everything Here Belongs to You, is a captivating exploration of love, betrayal, and redemption set against the rich tapestry of Indian political history and culture. In
the vein of Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Roychowdhury draws from her own family’s experiences, weaving a spellbinding narrative that delves deep into the complexities of Indian social relations and identity.

In an era where issues of identity and culture are at the forefront, Everything Here Belongs to You presents a timely and thought-provoking examination of the intricate relationships between diverse cultures and social groups. With masterful storytelling, Roychowdhury challenges readers to confront their own biases and prejudices, urging them to embrace the beauty and diversity that make our world so vibrant.

Roychowdhury’s voice as an Indian-American author offers a fresh and unique perspective on the experiences of the different religions and classes living in Kolkata, shedding light on their joys, struggles, and aspirations and making a vital contribution to contemporary literature. Everything Here Belongs to You stands as a testament to the power of storytelling and serves as a poignant reminder of the significance of diverse voices in shaping the literary landscape.

It also illustrates the relevance of diverse perspectives in literature. On Sunday, February 18, Saborna hosted a book-reading event at her home in Sugar Land to a capacity crowd of guests who were treated to readings from her book, “Everything Here Belongs to You”, and from USA Today’s bestselling author, Nishita Parekh’s, “The Night of the Storm.” in parallel sessions in two living rooms. Writer, Neeta Bhate Patwardhan acted as the moderator.

Saborna and Nishita talked about their publishing journey. Being a writer of color, Saborna talked about what it means to be judged and how one is judged in a literary landscape that is still heavily weighted in favor of white men. She talked about her own struggle to get her book published. She told the guests that the books the publishing industry puts out remain disproportionately white.

The guests agreed that the authentic experiences of people like them are not well represented in the bookstores. They wanted to see more writers from the Indian subcontinent. Nishita Parekh talked about her experiences as a woman and an immigrant. She is a software programmer but a writer at heart. Despite being a mom of a spirited toddler, Nishita pushed hard to complete her debut novel, “The Night of the Storm.” Her novel follows a multigenerational Indian American family who find themselves marooned in the house with a murderer during Hurricane Harvey.
The event ended with a Bengali-style dinner.