First published 1976
This 1976 novel by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala presents characters navigating cultural intersections and personal relationships. The story unfolds through interconnected lives as individuals confront questions of identity, belonging, and change in a world where traditional boundaries blur. Jhabvala draws her characters into situations where they must choose between familiar patterns and uncertain new directions. The narrative follows their struggles with loyalty, desire, and the pull of different worlds. Each character faces moments that test their assumptions about themselves and others. The novel explores how people adapt when circumstances force them beyond their comfort zones. At its heart, the book examines the human need for connection amid the complexity of modern life.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, 20th-century, contemporary, relationships, cultural
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: character-driven, fish-out-of-water, found-family
Period: 1976
224 pages · Paperback · Quartet Books