“DivakarunitellsthestoryofIndia’sindependencethroughtheeyesofthreesisters,eachofwhomisuniquelydifferent,withherowndesiresandflaws.Icheeredforthemandcriedwiththemastheymovethroughthehistoryoftheircountrythatisatoncedevastating,inspiring,andtriumphant.Youwill,too.“--LisaSee,#1NewYorkTimesbestsellingauthorSetduringthepartitionofBritishIndiain1947,atimewhenneighborwaspittedagainstneighborandfamiliesweretornapart,award-winningauthorChitraBanerjeeDivakaruni’snovelbringstolifethesweepingstoryofthreesisterscaughtupineventsbeyondtheircontrol,theirunbreakablebond,andtheirincrediblestruggleagainstpowerfulodds.India,1947.InaruralvillageinBengallivethreesisters,daughtersofawell-respecteddoctor.Priya:intelligentandidealistic,resolvedtofollowinherfather’sfootstepsandbecomeadoctor,thoughsocietyfrownsonit.Deepa:thebeauty,determinedtomakeamarriagethatwillbringherfamilyjoyandstatus.Jamini:devout,sharp-eyed,andatalentedquiltmaker,withdeeperpassionsthanshereveals.Theirsisahomeofloveandsafety,arefugefromtheviolenteventstakingshapeinthenation.Thentheirfatheriskilledduringariot,andeventheirneighborsturnagainstthem,bringingtheeventsoftheircountryclosertohome.AsPriyadeterminedlypursueshercareergoal,DeepafallsdeeplyinlovewithaMuslim,causinghertobreakwithherfamily.AndJaminiattemptstoholdherfamilytogether,evenasshesecretlylongsforhersister’sfianc癡WhenthepartitionofIndiaisofficiallydecided,adrastic--anddangerous--changeisintheair.IndiaisnowforHindus,PakistanforMuslims.Thesistersfindthemselvesseparatedfromoneanother,eachondifferentpaths.Theyfearforwhatwillhappentonotjustthemselves,buteachother.ChitraBanerjeeDivakarunioutdoesherselfwiththisdeeplymovingstoryofsisterhoodandfriendship,paintinganaccountofIndia’sindependencesimultaneouslyexhilaratinganddevastating,thatwillmakeanyreader--neworold--adevotedfan.
