Honor: a Novel

IndianAmerican journalistSmita has returned to India to cover a story, but reluctantly: long ago she and her family left the country with no intention of ever coming back. As she follows the case of Meenaa Hindu woman attacked by members of her own village and her own family for marrying a Muslim manSmita comes face to face with a society where tradition carries more weight than ones own heart, and a story that threatens to unearth the painful secrets of Smitas own past. While Meenas fate hangs in the balance, Smita tries in every way she can to right the scales. She also finds herself increasingly drawn to Mohan, an Indian man she meets while on assignment. But the dual love stories ofHonorare as different as the cultures of Meena and Smita themselves: Smita realizes she has the freedom to enter into a casual affair, knowing she can decide later how much it means to her.

In this tender and evocative novel about love, hope, familial devotion, betrayal, and sacrifice, Thrity Umrigar shows us two courageous women trying to navigate how to be true to their homelands and themselves at the same time.

Hardcover, Jan 4th 2022