“Khelawan elegantly intertwines the effects of patriarchy, colonialism, slavery, and second-wave feminism in a story about a young woman losing and then finding her voice. Rich in detail and memory, the novel celebrates the power of storytelling as both formative and healing”

— Publishers Weekly

The novel soars when the female characters stop being complicit in matters of gender oppression and start speaking out—a powerful, urgent message, as always

― Niranjan Iyer, Herizons

“...Khelawan establishes a convincing and compelling tension between, on the one hand, Kalyana’s limited understanding of her own bodily, mental, and emotional reactions...and, on the other, the adult reader’s ability to recognize symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.”

―Tina Northrup, Canadian Literature: A Quarterly of Criticism and Review

“To Khelawan's credit, she imbues these characters with refreshing honesty. They're colourful, multifaceted, and at times outrageously funny.”

—Diane Gadoua, The Voice Magazine

"Khelawan's sense of humour is evident throughout, especially in small vignenettes..."

— Uma Parameswaran, Sawnet Bookshelf

"The best thing about the book is that it celebrates the Canadian life... The writing is racy and Rajni has the knack of creating funny situations and funny characters..."

— Rajneesh Dhawan, Writer & Academic (University of Frazer Valley, British Columbia)