Twenty-one-year old Mayuri is afraid. For the second time, she has disgraced her husband and failed to give birth to a male heir. To make matters worse, this time she had twin girls. Her mother-in-law is outraged at her failure and takes action.
Events escalate and Mayuri is forced to flee with her four year old daughter, Rajani who witnesses her mother's plight from her hiding place.
When her husband catches up to her, a deadly confrontation takes place which compels Mayuri to lie and reinvent her past. She faces unexpected challenges and adapts to a new religion and culture.
When all her lies unravel, Mayuri pays a heavy price. But eventually, mother and daughter have to deal with the truth and its consequences.
"Rukhsana Hasib's beautifully written and passionate account of life in our world where so many cultures and religions are in conflict is like a brilliant ray of sunshine; it illuminates as it elevates. Above all, it is a reaffirmation of the beauty and courage of the human spirit."
- Professor Akbar Ahmend
Ibu Khaldun chair of Islamic studies,
American University, Washington, DC
