Set on a Bengali noble’s estate in 1908, this is both a love story and a novel of political awakening. The central character, Bimala, is torn between the duties owed to her husband, Nikhil, and the demands made on her by the radical leader, Sandip. Her attempts to resolve the irreconciliable pressures of the home and world reflect the conflict in India itself, and the tragic outcome foreshadows the unrest that accompanied Partition in 1947.

Format: Paperback
Published: UK, 2005
Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
Pages: 240
Language: English
ISBN 13: 9780140449860
ISBN 10: 0140449868