The plot of the book revolves around Myshkin and his mother Gayatri who opts to follow her freedom by abandoning him and her husband, Nek Chand. From the very start she feels imprisoned in a loveless marriage. A German couple Walter Spies and Beryl de Zoete meet Gayatri upon return from Indonesia and change her view of the world. They take her along to Bali, where many experiences and struggles cloud her path. Walter, a homosexual artist, loves painting which also happens to be a common ground for Gayatri. Myshkin from a very young age had to face the rumors of her mother fleeing away with Walter for love. This leads to angst and many unanswered questions. Later in life he finds a few answers through the letters Gayatri used to write to her friend Lis that were handed over to Myshkin post Lis’s death. India in the 1930’s was struggling with major transformations and the story also etches an inspiring account of Nazism, Dutch-held Bali and Britain under threat from Japan. War, poverty, chaos, love for trees, animals, nationalism, duplicity, love, loss, homosexuality, social propriety, heartbreak, loneliness, longing, domesticity and separation are penned beautifully in this book.

Written by Indian editor, novelist and journalist Anuradha Roy, the book has won many awards. To name a few it is the winner of the Tata Literature Live! Book Of The Year Award 2018, JCB Prize For Literature 2018, The Hindu Literary Prize 2018 and Walter Scott Prize 2019. It’s a memorable book. A must read as pathos, abandonment, patriotism, self-discovery and love for art make it a beautiful reading experience.