Eleni N. Gage was raised in Greece and the United States; she knows something of the push and pull that different cultures exert on a young woman. Her fascination with cultural rituals and traditions led to a degree in folklore and mythology at Harvard, then an MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia, followed by a memoir (North of Ithaka) about living in the small Greek village where her father was born. Now, in her first novel, Other Waters, Gage continues her exploration of divergent cultures and their influence on character development.
At the start of Other Waters, Maya seems to have everything a young woman could want: a blossoming career as a psychiatry resident, a loving boyfriend and a close-knit family (the members of which are all as accomplished as she). When her beloved grandmother dies in India, however, a disagreement with a family servant triggers a cascade of worrisome events for Maya and the other members of her family. Believing her family to be cursed, Maya travels back to India with her best friend to investigate the troubles and to attend a family wedding. It is during this trip that she is able to recognize the limitations of her relationship with her boyfriend, the strengths of her family ties and the importance of her cultural heritage.
Gage has written an appealing story, and she moves between cultures easily; perfectly placed details allow readers to feel comfortable as characters travel between work, home and family (both along the East Coast and in India). Appreciative readers will enjoy Other Waters, and may find themselves looking forward to Gage's future works as well. --Roni K. Devlin, owner of Literary Life Bookstore & More