Summary

Narinder and her family lived in London but visited India every summer. Her earliest memory was being struck by a reverend’s car while attempting to cross the street, late for the gurdwara. Narinder’s mother, Bibi Jeet Kaur, was an extremely devout woman. Narinder received her first turban at age six and was eager to wear it so she could look more like her mother. One summer in India when Narinder was nine, she asked for roti (bread) to feed birds in her backyard and noticed one was injured. Although she and her mother cared for the bird and gave it milk, it died. Narinder cried for days and wondered why God would allow this to happen. Upon returning to London, Narinder’s mother bought her a bird table and was erecting it when she suddenly died of a blood clot.

The narrative...