The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna – Interview & Giveaway
The Lost Girl by Sangu Mandanna is, without a doubt, one of my favourite books I’ve read this year. Possibly one of my favourite books ever. I felt SO MUCH while reading The Lost Girl and I have not fallen in love likes this with a story in ages.
So I’m really excited to share this interview and giveaway with you guys in honor of The Lost Girl’s release date, which is TODAY YAY. My finished copy is on its way to me right now and I can’t wait to send a copy to one of you!
Amazon | Goodreads | Author Website Eva’s life is not her own. She is a creation, an abomination—an echo. Made by the Weavers as a copy of someone else, she is expected to replace a girl named Amarra, her “other”, if she ever died. Eva studies what Amarra does, what she eats, what it’s like to kiss her boyfriend, Ray. So when Amarra is killed in a car crash, Eva should be ready.
Author Twitter | My ReviewBut fifteen years of studying never prepared her for this.
Now she must abandon everything she’s ever known—the guardians who raised her, the boy she’s forbidden to love—to move to India and convince the world that Amarra is still alive.
What Eva finds is a grief-stricken family; parents unsure how to handle this echo they thought they wanted; and Ray, who knew every detail, every contour of Amarra. And when Eva is unexpectedly dealt a fatal blow that will change her existence forever, she is forced to choose: Stay and live out her years as a copy or leave and risk it all for the freedom to be an original. To be Eva.
From debut novelist Sangu Mandanna comes the dazzling story of a girl who was always told what she had to be—until she found the strength to decide for herself. – Goodreads
Sangu Mandanna, author of The Lost Girl
Describe how you feel right now, on release day, in one sentence.
Very, very scared, and excited, and a little more scared, and a little bit sad because I really have to let this book fly away from me now, and so completely thrilled that this day is finally here! (Yeah. This what you get when you ask for just one sentence. A complete mess!)
How many times did you read Frankenstein while writing The Lost Girl?
Just once from beginning to end. But I reread certain scenes several times, like the scene where Victor’s contemplating the moral and practical implications of his ‘dark endeavour’. And the scene after the Creature wakes, when Victor abandons him. And the end, which makes me cry every time because it’s so clear the Creature loved Victor every bit as much as he hated him (I’ll stop now, I promise.) That complicated, painful, love/hate relationship was a huge inspiration for Eva’s relationship with the Weavers.
If you had an echo, would you lean towards Amarra’s attitude or would you be more friendly with your echo?
Gahhhh, I don’t know! I think maybe I’d be halfway between Amarra’s passionately negative attitude and Nikhil’s more accepting one. A part of me would want to be selfless and would want to know that someone might try to fill the holes I’ve left behind after I’m gone. And I guess a part of me would also hope that maybe the Weavers would succeed and I’d be the one who came back, my soul in a new body and all that. But on a very basic level, I would hate the whole idea, like Amarra does. Especially because I have a husband and baby. I try to imagine some creepy Sangu-lookalike playing wife and mummy to them and I’m all OVER MY DEAD BODY! (Which is a very silly protest because, you know, that would kind of be the point… :-))
Ray or Sean? For you, I mean. Not for Eva.
Sean. Because he’s Sean. Actually, I think my husband’s a teeny, tiny bit like him too. And they both have green eyes, which helps. But you know, I do love Ray and, eight years ago, I’d have picked Ray (assuming I was the Amarra in his story, not the Eva, of course.)
I need a sequel. Please and thank you. But in the meantime, what are you working on now? Any details you can share? :)
HAHA! What I’m working on now: a lot of things. None of my current projects are ‘my next book’ (yet) but I’m having a lot of fun working on them. There’s a steampunk ROMEO AND JULIET, a reimagining of THE LITTLE MERMAID (yeah, I know. I seem to find no end of inspiration in the classics), a book about a girl raised by Death, and a time travel romance that I’m probably going to abandon because it’s not working right now.
Giveaway of The Lost Girl
I can tell you right now, I will be reading whatever Sangu Mandanna writes in the future. Even if it’s about flying pigs.
But in the meantime I’m giving away a finished copy of The Lost Girl! Just follow the simple rules and fill out the rafflecopter thing!
Rules
US/Can only
13 years or older
Winner has 48 hours to respond to my e-mail
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Enshadowed, UnWholly, Every Day, and the Lost girl! :D
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Thank you so much for having me here today, Tara! YAY for release days!
Sangu recently posted..TLG Blogpalooza: Character Interview
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I’ve been reading a lot of books about souls lately (Incarnate, What’s Left of Me, etc) so I think it might be a new YA trend. The Lost Girl sounds especially interesting. I didn’t realize the author had drawn inspiration from Frankenstein for this one. Excited to read it! Thanks for the giveaway!
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I’ve been SO EXCITED about this one since I read the summary ages ago. Like, freakishly excited.
Great interview. Sangu makes the book sound like her kid in the first question when she talks about releasing it. *sniffle* And all of her current projects sound fun. Write them all, Sangu Mandanna!
Asheley (@BookwormAsheley) recently posted..Ten Bookish Confessions!
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I have heard only rave reviews for this one. SQUEE!
Christina (A Reader of Fictions) recently posted..Top Ten Bookish Confessions
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When I read your thoughts, I was convinced I had to read this book. And I still feel that way. Thanks for the giveaway!
Alexa @ Alexa Loves Books recently posted..Top 10 Bookish Confessions
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I must get my hands on this book. It sounds bloody brilliant!
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I really want to read this book. It sounds very good.
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This book sounds great! I’ve heard really great things about it as well :) Can’t wait to read it!
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A steampunkk novel of Romeo and Juliet? Now that I have to read. And this one too. :D
TayteH recently posted..A Shell Full of Books #17
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This book sounds kind of haunting. I think I’d really enjoy the apparent moodiness. Thanks for bring it to my attention.
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Looks great! I really want to read this!
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This sounds so unique! And to be raised to become someone else and be expected to leave everything you love to become someone else – how awful. Sounds like a very unique way to plot a dystopian:)
Thank you:)
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I’ve heard so many good things about this book! It’s definitely going to have to go on my tbr list : )
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Been waiting on this one. A book about souls! The excerpt had me hooked and the cover art is very complimentary to the story. I really like that.
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Thanks for the chance to win!!
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This book really has such a cool premise. I love retellings that are well-written and still able to bring something new to the story. I can’t wait to read this story! Thanks for hosting this interview and giveaway!
Amanda @ Late Nights with Good Books recently posted..Persuasion Read Along #3
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I would love to win this! Thanks so much for the chance.
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The fact that The Lost Girl is based partly off of Frankenstein is so interesting! I can’t wait to see how this classic affected The Lost Girl.
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The Lost Girl sounds really good! Thanks for the chance to win!
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I want her to write ALL THE BOOKS she has on her to-write shelf. I’m dying to read her debut first though!
Gabrielle Carolina recently posted..Updates 9/1/12
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This book looks seriously awesome thanks for the giveaway!!!
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So awesome that you have this amazing book for a giveaway! Kudos to Sangu for her stellar success, and I can’t wait to read everything she writes <3
Mary DeBorde M.A.D. recently posted..Wasps Incoming
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Ahhh, this book sounds SO GOOD! As do all her other writing projects! ;) I love the question about how Sangu would personally react to the whole echo situation… I guess it’s one of those things that you don’t really KNOW until it happens to you. No idea how I would react! Thanks so much for the interview and giveaway, ladies!
Sonia recently posted..(You) Set Me on Fire Blog Tour: Interview with Mariko Tamaki
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I’ve heard so many great things about this book. Thanks for the chance to win! <3
Cassie F. recently posted..Defiance Book Launch: RECAP
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Awesome giveaway, this book looks really good.
Sara T recently posted..Top Ten Tuesday
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I’m so very excited about this book! The premise just sounds so awesome; I can’t wait to read it! Thanks for the giveaway!
Elisquared recently posted..500 Followers Giveaway IS COMING!!
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Excited to read this book, seems interesting. And the cover is gorgeous! Thank for the giveaway.
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Can’t wait to read The Lost Girl
Gabic Reads recently posted..Waiting on Wednesday (10)
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