Across the Mystic Shore (Macmillan New Writing) - Hardcover

The boy arrived on a Sunday morning in the midst of a great deal of din and clamor. As the rickshaw skidded into the broad-avenued lane in front of the Sengupta residence, something truly extraordinary happened. The arrival of the young boy in an upper middle class Bengali household triggers a gripping story of love, desire, and renunciation. Set in two different cities, New Delhi and Varanasi, this story explores the entwining lives of four women forced to confront their past decisions in order to understand their present delusions and insecurities. Questions arise throughout the story and family truths are unveiled. Central to the story is a dark and shocking secret that manifests itself and demands expiation from those entangled in it, having lurked in the past for 20 years. The narratives and memories of the four women enable the characters to grow over a period of 20 years, exploring the link between childhood and growing up and the theme of motherhood. Written with humor and compassion, this book is full of the sights, sounds, and scents of India and delivers both an exploration of conflicts peculiar to Indian society and a universal underlying message about the strength of love and how it can be both selfish and selfless.