A Town Like Ours by Kavery Nambisan [Paperback]

In her novel, Kavery Nambisan transports readers to Pingakshipura, a small Indian town filled with everyday people whose lives and struggles reveal an extraordinary depth. Through the eyes of Rajakumari, a retired courtesan who observes life from a room near the town's temple, the novel presents a tapestry of stories that reflect the nuances, hopes, and hardships of small-town India.

Each character she introduces holds a unique narrative. Saroja and Sampathu are an unlikely couple, bonded by the trauma of fleeing murder scenes; Kripa and Manohar are a long-married, childless couple who uncover new layers in their relationship; Lectric Mamu, a local figure, suffers heartbreak after being betrayed by the one woman indifferent to his allure; and Gundumani, a boy with a disability, and his near-sister Rukmini, add innocence and resilience to the town's portrait. The temple priest, who once served the fierce goddess Pingakshi, now finds himself under the shadow of a new, secular "divinity" in the form of Sugandha Enterprises.

Nambisan’s storytelling, marked by keen empathy and sharp observation, draws readers into the ordinary-yet-remarkable lives of these individuals, reflecting the vibrancy and quiet sorrows of rural and small-town India. Through her sensitive narrative, she reveals how even the most hidden corners of society pulse with complex human stories, making the mundane feel extraordinary.