ThePrivate Life of Mrs Sharma

· This is the first novel to portray the emerging Indian middle classes from a woman's perspective with such intimacy and authenticity - and will appeal to fans of Aravind Adiga's The White Tiger· Ratika Kapur's first novel Overwinter was longlisted for the Man Asia Literary Prize and published to critical acclaim· Humourous, compelling and accessible, this book will appeal to a broad readership, along with anyone with an interest in contemporary IndiaRatika Kapur's first novel, Overwinter, was longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize. Elle magazine's Indian edition included her in a Granta-inspired list of twenty writers under forty to look out for from South Asia. She lives in New Delhi with her husband and son. ratikakapur.wordpress.comRenuka Sharma is a dutiful wife, mother, and daughter-in-law holding the fort in a modest rental in Delhi while her husband tries to rack up savings in Dubai. Working as a receptionist and committed to finding a place for her family in the New Indian Dream of air-conditioned malls and high paid jobs at multi-nationals, life is going as planned until the day she strikes up a conversation with an uncommonly self-possessed stranger at a Metro station. Because while Mrs Sharma may espouse traditional values, India is changing all around her, and it wouldn't be the end of the world if she came out of her shell a little, would it? With equal doses of humour and pathos, The Private Life of Mrs Sharma is a sharp-eyed examination of the clashing of tradition and modernity, from a dramatic new voice in Indian fiction.A wickedly witty portrait of modern India from a distinctive, bold and original new talentA startlingly accomplished first novel, a stunning debut that ventures bravely into terrain where seasoned writers fear to tread Foremost amongst Ratika's strengths is her use of language, lyrical and at times brutal, guaranteed to shake the reader from her sense of complacencyRatika Kapur's debut novel is enriched by intricate characterisation, poignant writing and a protagonist who renders a voice to the contemporary Indian womanAn extraordinary and accomplished novel, tender, sharp and tragic ... TPLOMS is an unblinking evocation of the dreams and hopes and hurts that linger and hide in the shadows of a merciless megapolisGripping and unsettling, Kapur's novel relies on its quiet sense of menace to lead the reader to its powerful conclusionTender and funny, this short second novel grabs the reader from the outset and builds with an air of menace to an unavoidable close. It should feature prominently on awards lists in 2016 . Takes the reader on a trip through the social and economic inequalities of modern India. It is a tragic awakening, reminiscent of Edna Pontellier in Kate Chopin's masterpiece The Awakening . Kapur, whose debut novel, Overwinter, was longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2012, is a gifted writer, strong on symbolism . The book offers a razor-sharp take on gender and economic inequalitiesRenuka, the wonderfully chatty heroine of Kapur's second novel, struggles with the contradictions of contemporary Indian life . Despite the novel's breezy tone, there are plenty of moving moments as Renuka struggles with the conflicting demands of motherhood and selfhoodI'm enjoying it so much. Ratika Kapur really broke some taboos with this novel set in Delhi, about a married woman who starts an affair. Her writing is understated, poignant and she has a lovely comic touchFrighteningly good ... Really gets under your skin, a devastating little bookKapur hits the nail on the head in this portrayal of the conflicting demands of motherhood and selfhoodBrilliantly captures the puzzle that is India todayA startling insight . A gripping storyAn accomplished piece, by turns sad, darkly comic and not a little chillingWith a light comic touch and plain prose Ratika Kapur addresses the tensions between tradition and modernity in India today through the lens of one woman's life