By Carmen Lebar
Content Warning: rape, substance abuse, eating disorders, death
The Most Precious Substance on Earth by Shashi Bhat is a brilliant debut coming-of-age novel that centres on Nina—the sole daughter of Indian parents living in Halifax in the 90s. Nina is full of life, excitement, and imagination at the inception of the novel. However, things become dark after Nina experiences something horrendous, which then creates a domino effect of events in her life. Her friend Amy starts to drift away from her, and Nina’s future after high school becomes uncertain. This is a novel that touches upon the ups and downs of millennial life, and the true hardships many have faced growing up in the turn-of-the-century.
Bhat eloquently writes how millennial life has affected Nina while growing up. The novel starts with Nina in grade nine, then subsequently documents her life throughout high school, grad school, and her career. Within these chapters, we see Nina get lost within the changing times, but also within herself. From Nina’s romantic relationships to her career, life is anything but ideal. She struggles in many ways that millennials have, and still are, struggling. Many authors try to capture the elder millennial experience, but none have come close to pinpoint accuracy as Bhat. I find Nina to be relatable without being a caricature as she navigates her life the best she can, even with all the things that constrain and silence her.
Nina is constantly struggling to find her voice throughout this novel. I find Bhat’s theme of silence and isolation brilliantly juxtaposed with her depiction of Nina’s millennial life. Since Nina is lost and unsure of herself, she is often silent and isolates herself from others, whether that be with her dates, friends, or her family. Her silence begins when she goes through something horrific. Nina doesn’t know how to handle what she went through, and instead of confiding in those closest to her at the time, she buries it deep inside herself. I think Nina has a realistic reaction to going through something traumatic. Although Nina is silent and isolated for the majority of the novel, she still has the fight to keep going.
Shashi Bhat’s debut novel is simultaneously funny and heartbreaking. Bhat developed Nina’s character so well that her character came to life on the page. Reading this novel as someone born in the last millennial year, I can’t see myself reflected in the novel completely. However, I see my contemporaries and family members represented in vivid colour throughout the novel’s pages. I do wish that Bhat included chapters about Nina’s undergrad life instead of jumping ahead in time to her graduate studies. I feel like these years would have been a pivotal insight into Nina’s character and would have created a better overall picture of who she is as an adult. The Most Precious Substance on Earth is a story for millennials who still haven’t figured it all out, and want to feel less alone. It’s a perfect coming-of-age story that will make you value your voice, and realize that you’re not alone in this world.
Thank you to Penguin Random House Canada for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review. Please note that Carmen has recently acquired a new position with Penguin Random House Canada. Her thoughts and opinions are her own, but for transparency we'd like to share this detail.