'Big-hearted, earthy and funny A rattlingly good story' Deborah Moggach, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel
Every woman has a secret life
When Nikki takes a creative writing job at her local temple, with visions of emancipating the women of the community she left behind as a self-important teenager, she's shocked to discover a group of barely literate women who have no interest in her ideals.
Yet to her surprise, the white dupatta of the widow hides more than just their modesty these are women who have spent their lives in the shadows of fathers, brothers and husbands; being dutiful, raising children and going to temple, but whose inner lives are as rich and fruitful as their untold stories. But as they begin to open up to each other about womanhood, sexuality, and the dark secrets within the community, Nikki realises that the illicit nature of the class may place them all in danger.
East meets west and tradition clashes with modernity in a thought-provoking cross-cultural novel that might make you look again at the women in your life
In this top contemporary fiction, Jaswal masterfully weaves a humorous narrative that explores the intersection of family, heritage, and the untold stories of women. The book is a testament to the power of storytelling, revealing the rich inner lives of Punjabi widows and their surprising embrace of modernity.
For fans of Alka Joshi (The Perfumist of Paris), Sukh Ojla (Sunny), Thrity N. Umrigar (Honor), Bonnie Garmus (Lessons in Chemistry), and Vaishnavi Patel (Goddess of the River).