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In 1950s Bombay, India, visionary twin sisters, Jaya and Kamlesh Malhotra, aspire to become artists in a society that denies women the freedom to shape their own lives. Inside the Mirror is a brilliant exploration of female creativity and identity-making in a country remaking its own identity in the devastating aftermath of British rule.
PRAISE & REVIEWS
"In Kapurʼs stunning debut novel, twin sisters Jaya and Kamlesh Malhotra dare to pursue their creative ambitions in 1950s Bombay (present-day Mumbai) despite the threat of ruining their familyʼs reputation and their chances of securing good marriages...Kapur perfectly conveys the twinsʼ attempts to find their purpose while defying the expectations of a turbulent post-partition Indian society. This is a beautiful exploration of the hardships endured by women artists."
—Publisher’s Weekly, ★ Starred Review
"In post-independence Bombay, twin sisters struggle to meet their parents’ expectations and pursue their artistic passions. Jaya and Kamlesh Malhotra are both following dual tracks, Jaya studying medicine while exploring her interest in painting and Kamlesh studying teaching and dance. Their parents are eager for them to be educated but see their creative hobbies as interests to be indulged only until they are married. But India is changing rapidly in the mid-1950s, and... the novel interrogates the midcentury clash of modernity and tradition as the Malhotras grapple with both...An engaging examination of female independence and familial devotion."
—Kirkus Reviews
“With breathtaking lyricism and scorching insight, Kapur captures women in flux brilliantly. This profound book complicates the impact of colonialism and throbs with life. Inside the Mirror is an extraordinary novel.”
—Jennifer Maritza McCauley, author of When Trying to Return Home
“Inside the Mirror is a complex and compelling story of a displaced family living in the shadow of post-Partition India. Parul Kapur has written a gorgeous novel about art, independence, and the roots that bind a family together.”
—Devi S. Laskar, author of Circa and The Atlas of Reds and Blues
“Inside the Mirror is an extraordinary and moving story about twin sisters, Jaya and Kamesh, as they struggle to pursue their passion and independence as women artists from a conservative society. Crafted with elegance and precision, and heartrending in its exploration of family drama, this novel is a beautiful and ambitious work of fiction.”
—Brandon Hobson, National Book Award finalist and author of The Removed
"In eloquent prose, Kapur explores...women's roles, the power of art, familial obligations, and the sacrifices entailed in seeking self-determination.”
—Geeta Kothari, author of I Brake for Moose and Other Stories
“A sparkling jewel of a novel.”
—Heather Bell Adams, author of Maranatha Road and The Good Luck Stone
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BEHIND THE BOOK
How modernism took root in post-colonial India.
THE GOLDEN AGE OF INDIAN CINEMA
A reflection on India's fascination with the movies.