This month, we highlight books from the Indian subcontinent (which consists of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.) Reading something set in another part of the world can be both informative and fun, offering you the opportunity to learn new things about unfamiliar places and cultures. And, in the case of these books, you can also feel confident they will be good choices for your book club. We have discussion guides for all but one; and all are also available in paperback, or will be soon.
Along with reviews and excerpts of all these books, you'll also find BookBrowse's unique "beyond the book" articles which explore an historical, cultural or contextual aspect of each book we feature. If you're in a book club you may wish to share these articles with your group, or just wow them with your insider knowledge!
An Unrestored Woman by Shobha Rao
Flatiron Books, 256 pages
First published 2016
This fierce collection of paired short stories concerns the 1947 partitioning of India and Pakistan, spanning 50+ years of the aftermath. The characters contend with forced migration and displacement, along with stratified social structures. As the book shows, the consequences of this literal and figurative alienation has continued to ripple through the region for generations. Critics agreed this is an exceptionally well-written debut. If your group prefers novels over short stories, then consider Shobha Rao's 2018 novel,
Girls Burn Brighter, which was also very well-received.)
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A Golden Age by Tahmima Anam
Harper Perennial, 304 pages
First published 2009
Tahmima Anam's Bangladesh trilogy begins with her debut novel
A Golden Age (2009), set in what was then East Pakistan in 1971 amid the upheaval of the Bangladesh War. The civil war shatters the life Rehana has established for herself and her young adult children, and she makes valiant sacrifices in the face of adversity. The story continues with
The Good Muslim (2011) which is set in the 1980s and focuses on Rehana's children, Maya and Sohail.
The Bones of Grace (2016) rounds out the trilogy and is narrated by Maya's adopted daughter, Zubaida. Each novel can be read independently but together they form an intricate picture of three generations of Bangladeshi women in the last quarter of the 20th century.
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A State of Freedom by Neel Mukherjee
W.W. Norton & Company, 288 pages
First published 2018
Named a
New York Times Notable Book and one of the Best Books of 2018 by
Kirkus Reviews, this novel explores interconnections among five very different residents of India. It's an exploration of the caste system that defines Indian society and makes life a constant struggle for the impoverished. Characters include a cook, an activist, and an American citizen searching for his roots.
A State of Freedom is a moving plea for empathy amid rigid stratification.
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Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag
Penguin Books, 128 pages
First published 2017
Also set in India,
Ghachar Ghochar is another excellent option. This one is a rags-to-riches story set in contemporary Bangalore, in which a family is lifted out of poverty by a wealthy uncle. Though fortune has smiled upon them, their newfound wealth creates interpersonal tensions and behavioral changes as certain individuals are corrupted by the power they now wield.
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Unmarriageable by Soniah Kamal
Ballantine Books, 368 pages
First published 2019
Unmarriageable is a retelling of Jane Austen's
Pride and Prejudice and, like the original, offers an exploration of love, marriage and class, except that the setting is early 21st century Pakistan. Protagonist Alysba Binat strains against her mother's desire that she marry as soon as possible. When she meets the wealthy bachelor Valentine Darsee at a wedding, she is not impressed with his money or his pompous attitude. But is she misjudging him, and will she set aside her pride and consider a romance? I think you can guess where this is going...
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The Far Field by Madhuri Vijay
Grove Press, 448 pages
First published 2019
In this widely acclaimed debut novel, protagonist Shalini sets out from Bangalore on a journey through the disputed territory of Jammu and Kashmir in search of a man that once knew her deceased mother. She becomes caught up in the lives of the people she encounters, first in Jammu where there is violent unrest, and later in a small Himalayan village where she feels a sense of purpose for the first time in recent memory. However, she soon discovers that her privileged background has left her ill-equipped to handle the intensifying turmoil in the region. The Far Field was voted one of the Top 20 Best Books of 2019 by BookBrowse subscribers.
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Island of a Thousand Mirrors by Nayomi Munaweera
St. Martin's Griffin, 256 pages
First published 2014
This debut is set in Sri Lanka, as protagonist Yasodhara Rajasinghe recounts his family history, including snapshots of the nation's civil war, a love story and a shocking murder. Our
First Impressions reviewers were astonished by Nayomi Munaweera's vivid descriptions of the natural beauty of Sri Lanka. Munaweera's second novel,
What Lies Between Us, is also excellent, concerning a family that flees to America from Sri Lanka after a terrible tragedy. FYI, Booker Prize-winning author Michael Ondaatje is also Sri Lanken, and the country forms the background to a number of his books including
Anil's Ghost (2000) and his fictionalized memoir
Running in the Family (1993).
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While we can't personally recommend any books about Bhutan or the Maldives, if you wish to round out your tour of the region, Lisa Napoli's Radio Shangri-la, set in the former, was positively reviewed by many, and GoodReads has a list of books set in the latter.
Please do add your own Indian subcontinent suggestions below!
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