The Most Precious Substance on Earth is one of the most quietly devastating books I’ve read. It’s a coming-of-age tale centered around a young Canadian woman whose parents are Indian immigrants. The first part of the story follows Nina through high school where she is a victim of sexual assault. Those around her are completely oblivious to her trauma and she slowly loses her best friend to drugs. The second part follows Nina through college and her time spent teaching high school students. We watch Nina grapple with her pain and the daily horrors that come with being a woman.

Bhat’s honest, nuanced storytelling blew me away. This is a book with staying power. It’s about people losing the ability to empathize with others who won’t help themselves. It explores how women are taught to be passive—to internalize their trauma and how they hope to avoid further traumatization from being questioned or believed. It’s about our inner conflict with the things we’ve left unsaid. How silence, the desperate need to keep our trauma hidden, can shape an entire life. The book explores how teaching is a multifaceted profession that takes an emotional and physical toll. Nina’s parents and her dark humor were beacons of light in this poignant novel.

I want to be clear, despite the humor this can be a depressing read and will be hard to stomach for some. You will want to scream at Nina to say something, do something, but her character is flawed and the author doesn’t try to “fix” her and that is a powerful choice. I think most women, especially those that grew up in the 90s or those who teach, will find this story relatable. Profound, heart-wrenching, and such an important read. I’d also like to mention that this might be one of my favorite covers in existence. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

CW: sexual assault, drug use/overdose, stalking