A Washington Post, Vulture, And Lit Hub Most Anticipated Book Of 2026
“Epic in scope, wondrous in its summoning of distinct characters, vital in its weaving of family and politics. This is a miraculous novel.”
—Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah, author of National Book Award finalist Chain-Gang All-Stars
“A testament to Mahajan’s genius. . . . Beautiful and unforgettable."
—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
A brilliant, sweeping tour de force moving between America and modern India, following the illicit liaisons, real estate dramas, political ambitions, and mortal betrayals of one prominent Delhi family—from the author of the National Book Award finalist The Association of Small Bombs.
In a sprawling complex in Delhi, the sons and daughters of SP Chopra, one of India's political architects, live together vying for influence in a family shaped by the great man's legacy. By the late 1970s, the siblings are scrambling to define their own futures in a still-young nation on the brink of transformation.
Sachin Chopra leaves for America, with his bride Gita following not long after, as the newlyweds are eager to forge their own lives beyond the pressures of the family compound. Yet Delhi remains an inescapable force, one that keeps pulling them back, even as Gita is menaced by Sachin’s predatory uncle, Laxman. A man of ruthless ambition, Laxman ascends through the ranks of a rising Hindu nationalist movement, caught between his political aspirations and his personal transgressions. Meanwhile, Vibha, his sister, tries to keep the peace and the reputation of the family intact, even as she wrestles with her own exile.
As India erupts in violence and long-buried secrets come to light, the embattled Chopras must reckon with the cost of power, the weight of tradition, and the shifting nature of love and allegiance. Equal parts brilliant family saga and piercing political drama, The Complex is a virtuosic novel of revenge and redemption, ambition and undoing, loyalty and love, by one of the most lauded voices in contemporary fiction.
