First published 2000
Parvati enters the world on a magical day when fish leap among stars and birds swim beneath water. In her South Indian village, strange events follow her dancing feet, and people whisper about her supernatural abilities. A renowned master of Indian classical dance travels to witness her talent firsthand. He sees something rare in the girl and brings her to his gurukulam in Madras. There Parvati throws herself into intense training, spending long hours perfecting her craft through dance, study, and spiritual practice. Her world shifts completely when she encounters a boy who possesses his own mystical powers. This meeting forces Parvati to examine everything she believed about herself and her destiny. She has always known with absolute certainty that dance was her calling, but now she must confront whether that truth still holds. The girl who seemed destined for greatness faces a choice between the magical gift that defines her and the unexpected pull of human connection.
Genres: literary-fiction, coming-of-age, fantasy, magical-realism
Vibes: intimate, lyrical, thought-provoking
Tropes: chosen-one, found-family
Setting: South India, Madras
288 pages · Hardcover · Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)