Nani's Book of Suicides

Sammie, the coke-snuffing international wanderer who moves from a small town childhood in Varanasi to Mexico, is linked inextricably to mythical women like Kunti, Draupudi, Suneeti, Meera, and Padmini. They form not only a part of her tradition but are living creatures who haunt her through her travels across the globe, insisting on imposing their dreams and passions and stories on the fleeing Sammie. The woman who rules Sammie with single-minded passion, holding sway over her life and dreams is Nani, the frail and ruthless grandmother who is a witch with power to enter dreams and shape them. A first novel of exceptional talent, Nani's Book of Suicides, explores the cultural identity of an Indian woman through a fund of myths, family lore and contemporary reality