Hey, it's NPR's book of the day. I'm Andrew Limbaugh. If you grew up in a religious home and you yourself aren't religious anymore, I bet you've had to do some processing and reconciling within yourself. You know, like how do you square the circles between identity and faith and truth and belief. Today's author,

S.J. Sindu, grew up in a Hindu family. Her new novel is called Blue-skinned Gods,

and it's about a kid who comes into a crisis of faith, so to speak. And Sundu told NPR Scott

Simon that this book was her way of trying to understand her family's urge to believe.

Here's the interview.

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Blue-skinned gods brings us into the world of Kalki, who is born with blue skin and black blood and acclaimed to be the incarnation of Vishnu,

the Hindu god.

Ayah, Kalki's father builds an ashram to surround the boy and their family in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu,

where Kalki can bestow miracles of healing for those who come with belief.

But when he cannot heal Rupa, a young woman brought to him in distress,

Calke begins to doubt the holiness of his blue skin,

and all the hopes, plans, and prayers that have been laid on his heart and his shoulders.

Blue-skin gods are the latest novel from S.J. Sindhu,

who teaches at the University of Toronto in Scarborough, Ontario.

She joins us from there. Thank you so much for being with us.

Yeah, thank you for having me.

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