THE BLACK HILL by Mamang Dai [Paperback]

This is a historical novel set in the mid-1800s in Northeast India, in a region covering present-day Assam and Arunachal Pradesh. The story blends historical events with fictional elements to explore cultural resistance and the impact of colonial incursion. The plot revolves around the conflict between indigenous tribes—the Abor and Mishmee—and the East India Company, as well as the struggle of a French priest, Father Nicolas Krick, who tries to reach Tibet to establish a Jesuit mission. His journey intersects with local lives, particularly that of Gimur, an Abor girl, and Kajinsha, a Mishmee man. Their relationship, complicated by inter-tribal dynamics and the looming colonial presence, is central to the narrative. The novel delves into themes of love, loyalty to one’s land, the collision of worlds, and the personal costs of imperialism.