Meet New Books
Book Cover

The Girl in the Road

Save:
Find on Amazon

The Girl in the Road by Monica Byrne is a futuristic novel set in a world where Africa has become the new cultural superpower. The story follows two female protagonists, Meena and Mariama, as they embark on separate journeys filled with danger, self-discovery, and haunting pasts. The plot is a blend of surrealism, politics, and technological aspects, painting a picture of a future where the West is in decline and Africa takes center stage. The narrative alternates between Meena's escape from India to Africa via the Trans Arabian Linear Generator and Mariama's journey across Africa, with their stories intertwining in a shocking revelation.

Characters:

The characters are richly developed and diverse, each shaped by trauma and mental health struggles, leading to significant personal journeys through their challenges.

Writing/Prose:

The writing is characterized by lyrical prose with heavy symbolism, employing first-person narratives that enhance the complexity of the characters' unstable mental states.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot features the parallel journeys of two women facing trauma and seeking refuge, interlinked in unexpected ways.

Setting:

The setting spans futuristic India and Ethiopia, featuring the innovative yet treacherous Trail, rich with cultural details and reflective of societal shifts.

Pacing:

The pacing begins slowly and sometimes feels uneven, with abrupt shifts that can challenge reader engagement, but it builds towards impactful revelations.

Notes:

The story is set in a near-future world involving India and Ethiopia.
Meena, one of the protagonists, wakes up with snake bites after a near-fatal attack and flees India for Ethiopia.
The narrative alternates between two main characters, Meena and Mariama, who are connected in unexpected ways.
The Trans Arabian Linear Generator, or the Trail, is a futuristic energy-generating structure that spans the Arabian Sea.
Mariama is a young girl escaping slavery in Mauritania and joins a caravan heading to Ethiopia.
The book explores deep themes such as trauma, violence, and the complexities of identity and sexuality.
Both protagonists experience hallucinations and have unreliable narratives that reveal their troubled pasts.
The novel deals with heavy topics including sexual violence, as it features numerous instances of rape and sexual exploitation.
Monica Byrne, the author, combines elements of science fiction and lyrical prose to convey powerful emotions and themes.
Byrne's portrayal of a multicultural future presents a shift in global power dynamics, positioning Africa as a new center of influence.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings include discussions of rape, violence, mental illness, sexual abuse, and themes of trauma.

Has Romance?

There is a medium level of romance present in the book, primarily through the relationships and sexual encounters of the protagonists.

From The Publisher:

Waking up in a futuristic Mumbai with five snake bites, Meena is compelled to return to her native Ethiopia by way of a forbidden path spanning the Arabian Sea; while a girl from a different time, Mariama, flees a traumatic experience to Ethiopia in search of a better life.

80,000 first printing.

Reader Stats (3):

Want To Read (3)
 
Meet New Books is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a way for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to products and services on amazon.com and its subsidiaries.
When you click the Amazon link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commision, at no cost to you.