Brinda Charry’s impresses with her promising debut’ The hottest day of the year’ ( Viking ). There is a quiet lyricism in her writing style and one gets a sneaking suspicion that Charry will soon rank high among the impressive list of Indians writing in English. Set in a small, hot little village Thiruvannur in Tamil Nadu, the tale is wrought with startling revelations and obvious redemption.

Unfolding through the eyes of 11 year old Nithya who comes to spend six eventful months with her mother’s dour and taciturn brother Sundar and the glum but devious widowed sister Janaki, this story is a journey into a world of secret longings and forbidden passions.

Nithya, at times naïve and worldly at others befriends Sudha , the attractive maid servant , and is devastated when the latter commits suicide. The reaction and reverberation of this act among the neighbors is a revelation in itself.

Even though the narrative is a little tedious at places, the book proves a good read and the writing style is refreshingly honest.

Charry teaches at Syracuse University.She is from Bangalore, and has won prizes for her short stories (the Asian Age, the Hindu-Picador and Katha awards). She featured in the Commonwealth broadcasting association competition's Asia's "highly recommended" list.

|