The Earthspinner

'A writer of great subtlety and intelligence, who understands that emotional power comes from the steady accretion of detail' Kamila Shamsie, Guardian

'She writes elegantly and intelligently whatever the subject matter' Francesca Angelini, The Times

'A compulsively readable novel' Manil Suri, New York Times

'A horse was in flames. It roamed beneath the ocean breathing fire . . . '

When he wakes up, Elango knows his life has changed. His dream will consume him until he gives it shape. The potter must create a terracotta horse whose beauty will be reason enough for its existence. Yet he cannot pin down from where it has galloped into his mind the Mahabharata, or Trojan legend, or his anonymous potter-ancestors. Nor can he say where it belongs in a temple compound, within a hotel lobby, or with Zohra, whom he despairs of ever marrying.

The astral, indefinable force driving Elango towards forbidden love and creation has unleashed other currents. A neighbourhood girl begins her bewildering journey into adulthood, developing a complicated relationship with him. A lost dog adopts him, taking over his heart. Meanwhile, his community is driven by inflammatory passions of a different kind. Here, people, animals, and even the gods live on a knife's edge and the consequences of daring to dream against the tide are cataclysmic.

Moving between India and England, The Earthspinner reflects the many ways in which the East encounters the West. It breathes new life into ancient myths, giving allegorical shape to the war of fanaticism against reason and the imagination. It is an intricate, wrenching novel about the changed ways of loving and living in the modern world.

“PRAISE FOR ANURADHA ROY: 'A writer of great subtlety and intelligence, who understands that emotional power comes from the steady accretion of detail' Kamila Shamsie, Guardian . 'She writes elegantly and intelligently whatever the subject matter' Francesca Angelini, The Times . 'A compulsively readable novel'”

PRAISE FOR ANURADHA ROY:
'A writer of great subtlety and intelligence, who understands that emotional power comes from the steady accretion of detail' Kamila Shamsie, Guardian.
'She writes elegantly and intelligently whatever the subject matter' Francesca Angelini, The Times.
'A compulsively readable novel' -- Manil Suri, New York Times

Anuradha is one of Britain's most acclaimed contemporary novelists and her books have been translated into more than 15 languages. In 2000 she co-founded with her husband Rukun Advani the Indian publishing house, Permanent Black. She is an accomplished potter. Born in Calcutta, she lives in Ranikhet.

Moving its protagonists between India and Britain, The Earthspinner shows the many ways in which the East encounters the West, fanaticism wars tirelessly against reason, and the individual's creative desires struggle against a populace's basic instinct for destruction. Sara is studying at a prestigious British university and seeks a reprise from her loneliness by practising the traditional craft she learned in India when she was young: pottery. She recalls her childhood, the lost dog, Chinna, who brings a community together, and the life of her revered pottery teacher, Elango, a Hindu who faced prejudice after falling in love with a Muslim woman. Switching with ease between Sara's diary entries and Elango's life a decade earlier, Roy delivers a searing exploration into the fragility of peace. As fortunes change within one explosive day, and religious extremism brings hurt and violence to a rural village, the consequences of daring to dream against the tide are unleashed. Moving its protagonists between India and Britain, The Earthspinner shows the many ways in which the East encounters the West, fanaticism wars tirelessly against reason, and the individual's creative desires struggle against a populace's basic instinct for destruction. Roy's fifth novel will delight her many faithful readers and is sure to appeal to new audiences. She has delivered a story of immigration, prejudice, art, and love for our era.

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