Ishq And Mushq

(Paperback)

Publishing Details

Classifications

Physical Properties

Description

Sensuous generational novel about a Sikh mother whose secret past corrodes her life with tragic consequences for all - by a 29 year old first time author. 'Take off your clothes I want to see you' Karam said.Just a few words, spoken like a caress made Sarna start wondering. Where did he learn such new and passionate techniquesWhen Sarna Singh leaves the lustrous green hills of Uganda for England, streets of cramped old houses were not what she was expecting. Husband Karam has been seduced by the historical feel of the city of London. Sarna, however, is convinced they have moved to England so he can visit his secret London lady friends. Sarna has a secret of her own, but she is adept at hiding it. She impresses her English teacher with her attempt at a cutglass accent, and copious gifts of delicious food. With two children to educate, money is scarce, and soon, she is devising weekly shoplifting expeditions to the supermarket.But all the while, Sarna is tormented by a mistake she made as a young woman in India. To stifle unwanted memories, she cooks zealously, sweetening her thoughts with syrup, or suffocating them with the hottest spice she can find. But when she receives an unexpected letter from back home, her assumed equilibrium is shattered to the skies. It carries an ultimatum she cannot ignore ...Set on an epic backdrop from Partition, the Coronation and Churchill's funeral, to the present day, Priya Basil explores with compassion, the universal complexities of vanity and love. Her sensuous portrayal of the trials and tribulations of the Singh family carries universal truths for all of us.

Reviews

With a verve for the colour of life, this book . . . surprises with its underlying wisdom * 6 Great Reads, Good Housekeeping *
An enticing debut novel by a much-vaunted young novelist * The Glasgow Herald *
A brilliantly woven tale . . . clever and often funny * Candis *
A dark meditation on escapism and reinvention * Irish Tatler *
The product of a deft hand that mixes engrossing narrative with unexpected dashes of magical realism * India Today *

Author Bio

Priya Basil was born in London in 1977. She spent her childhood in Kenya and now divides her time between London and Berlin. Ishq and Mushq is her first novel.