All of Us in Our Own Lives by Manjushree Thapa [Hardcover]

All of Us in Our Own Lives tells the interwoven stories of several individuals whose paths cross in unexpected ways in Nepal. The protagonist, Ava Berriden, is a Canadian lawyer who, feeling unfulfilled in her life and marriage, moves to Nepal—her birthplace from which she was adopted as a baby. Seeking both professional purpose in international aid work and personal roots, Ava meets Indira Sharma, a local gender expert, and Sapana Karki, a young Nepali woman with big dreams for her community. Sapana’s brother, Gyanu, who works abroad, returns to Nepal after their father’s death to help shape his sister’s future.

The novel explores how the characters' lives impact one another following a chance encounter between Ava and Gyanu, leading to choices that alter their trajectories. Against the backdrop of Nepal's recent history, including the 2015 earthquake and the drafting of a new constitution, the novel critiques the often detached world of international aid. Ultimately, it's a story of human interconnectedness, portraying how lives intertwine across cultural divides and how strangers can profoundly shape each other’s futures.