The Village

A Novel

Fiction & Literature, Cultural Heritage, Literary
Cover of the book The Village by Nikita Lalwani, Random House Publishing Group
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Nikita Lalwani ISBN: 9780812984583
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group Publication: July 9, 2013
Imprint: Random House Language: English
Author: Nikita Lalwani
ISBN: 9780812984583
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Publication: July 9, 2013
Imprint: Random House
Language: English

In her award-winning debut novel, Gifted, Nikita Lalwani crafted a brilliant coming-of-age story that “[called] to mind the work of such novelists as Zadie Smith and Monica Ali” (The Washington Post Book World). Now Lalwani turns her gimlet eye on an extraordinary village in India, and explores the thin boundary between morality and evil, innocence and guilt.
 
After a long trip from London, twenty-seven-year-old BBC filmmaker Ray Bhullar arrives at the remote Indian village of Ashwer, which will be the subject of her newest documentary. From the outside, the town projects a cozy air of domesticity—small huts bordering earthen paths, men lounging and drinking tea, women guiding bright cloth through noisy sewing machines. Yet Ashwer is far from traditional. It is an experimental open prison, a village of convicted murderers and their families.
 
As Ray and her crew settle in, they seek to win the trust of Ashwer’s residents and administrators: Nandini, a women’s counselor and herself an inmate; Jyoti, a prisoner’s wife who is raising her children on the grounds; Sujay, the progressive founder and governor of the society. Ray aims to portray Ashwer as a model of tolerance, yet the longer she and her colleagues stay, the more their need for a dramatic story line intensifies. And as Ray’s moral judgment competes with her professional obligation, her assignment takes an uneasy and disturbing turn.
 
Incisive, moving, and superbly written, The Village deftly examines the limits of empathy, the slipperiness of reason, and the strength of our principles in the face of personal gain.

Praise for The Village
 
“Powerful . . . One of the novel’s great strengths is how it maintains an ambience of mystery and menace.”The New York Times Book Review
* *
“Extraordinary . . . Lalwani writes with wonderful clarity and intelligence.”—The Times (U.K.)
 
The Village can creep up and grab you unawares.”—Toronto Star***
* *
“[Lalwani’s] prose is evocative and excellent.”
Publishers Weekly**
 
“Thoughtful and beautifully written.”
The Guardian (U.K.)*
 
“Gripping.”Marie Claire (U.K.)

“Intelligent and disturbing . . . a sharply observed, highly personal book.”Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“A thoughtful novel that envelops us in the oppression and beauty of the rural prison . . . Each voice is distinct, believable and stubborn in its refusal to be easily known. . . . Touchingly evocative.”Financial Times
 
“Thoughtfully and often beautifully written . . . a candid exploration of journalistic ethics.”The Observer

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In her award-winning debut novel, Gifted, Nikita Lalwani crafted a brilliant coming-of-age story that “[called] to mind the work of such novelists as Zadie Smith and Monica Ali” (The Washington Post Book World). Now Lalwani turns her gimlet eye on an extraordinary village in India, and explores the thin boundary between morality and evil, innocence and guilt.
 
After a long trip from London, twenty-seven-year-old BBC filmmaker Ray Bhullar arrives at the remote Indian village of Ashwer, which will be the subject of her newest documentary. From the outside, the town projects a cozy air of domesticity—small huts bordering earthen paths, men lounging and drinking tea, women guiding bright cloth through noisy sewing machines. Yet Ashwer is far from traditional. It is an experimental open prison, a village of convicted murderers and their families.
 
As Ray and her crew settle in, they seek to win the trust of Ashwer’s residents and administrators: Nandini, a women’s counselor and herself an inmate; Jyoti, a prisoner’s wife who is raising her children on the grounds; Sujay, the progressive founder and governor of the society. Ray aims to portray Ashwer as a model of tolerance, yet the longer she and her colleagues stay, the more their need for a dramatic story line intensifies. And as Ray’s moral judgment competes with her professional obligation, her assignment takes an uneasy and disturbing turn.
 
Incisive, moving, and superbly written, The Village deftly examines the limits of empathy, the slipperiness of reason, and the strength of our principles in the face of personal gain.

Praise for The Village
 
“Powerful . . . One of the novel’s great strengths is how it maintains an ambience of mystery and menace.”The New York Times Book Review
* *
“Extraordinary . . . Lalwani writes with wonderful clarity and intelligence.”—The Times (U.K.)
 
The Village can creep up and grab you unawares.”—Toronto Star***
* *
“[Lalwani’s] prose is evocative and excellent.”
Publishers Weekly**
 
“Thoughtful and beautifully written.”
The Guardian (U.K.)*
 
“Gripping.”Marie Claire (U.K.)

“Intelligent and disturbing . . . a sharply observed, highly personal book.”Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

“A thoughtful novel that envelops us in the oppression and beauty of the rural prison . . . Each voice is distinct, believable and stubborn in its refusal to be easily known. . . . Touchingly evocative.”Financial Times
 
“Thoughtfully and often beautifully written . . . a candid exploration of journalistic ethics.”The Observer

More books from Random House Publishing Group

Cover of the book Fury: Star Wars Legends (Legacy of the Force) by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book The First Clash by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Fortune Smiles by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Some Memories of a Long Life, 1854-1911 by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book The Alpine Scandal by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Catch and Release by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book The Penguin Lessons by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Baby, We Were Meant for Each Other by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Where the Truth Lies by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book The Taking by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book . . . And His Lovely Wife by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Shadows Return by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Oswald's Tale by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Raze by Nikita Lalwani
Cover of the book Sinful by Nikita Lalwani
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy