Bestselling Bengali novel Narach
When unspeakable tragedy befalls Bhubonmoni, a young widow, she must leave her village along with her brother, Krishnoshundor, and his family. Ensnared by the wily entrepreneur Nobokishore Dutta, they end up in an overcrowded depot near a port, soon to be packed into a ship sailing to Surinam, where they will be sold as sugarcane plantation slaves. But Fate has other plans. Bhubonmoni finds herself being led away from the port and her family to be stowed away in a secret location in Calcutta. Not too far away, a young rebel Shourendro is swept up by the ideas of the Brahmo Samaj. Meanwhile in Metiabruz, a shy musician Chondronath impresses the exiled Nawab of Lucknow with his art. None of them know it yet, but the stars are aligning despite overwhelming odds for them to meet under curious circumstances...Set against the vibrant background of late nineteenth-century Bengal, Debarati Mukhopadhyay's beautifully woven novel brings together the glory and the decadence of colonial times. Fast-paced and thrilling, with a lively cast of characters including historical figures such as Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, Rabindranath Tagore, and Dr Kadambini Ganguly, Chronicles of the Lost Daughters is an unforgettable saga
Advance Praise for Chronicles of the Lost Daughters
'An exciting and heart-wrenching novel that brings to life the travails of the dispossessed, especially the women of Bengal in the nineteenth century. This richly depicted, adventure-filled tale of a family torn apart by treachery, greed and kismet sparkles with authentic detail and will surprise you at every turn.' Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni, author of The Last Queen
'With Chronicles of the Lost Daughters, Debarati Mukhopadhyay has created a roistering saga of love, treachery and loss against the lush imagery of the Bengal countryside and the terror of the ships carrying indentured labourers to Suriname in the 19th century. With her assured, fluid style and brisk pace, Mukhopadhyay keeps the focus firmly on the travails of the women in these stories and the casual violence they face through the child marriages and caste oppression, and simply the pedestrian trauma of being a woman in a man's world. A page-turner right till the end.' Ira Mukhoty, author of Song of Draupadi
