India, Jan. 10 -- Each of the six stories in this volume cleverly captures the interplay between the personal and the political while exploring the everyday existence of Indians across different social strata. A landowner contemptuous of political activism finds it taking root in his home. A couple's holiday takes a surprising turn when they initiate a role-playing game. A woman's marriage quickly morphs into an endless series of humiliations, until she decides to do something about it. The tales are set in different parts of the country: a small town in Karnataka, a village in Kerala, cosmopolitan Chennai and Bengaluru, a farm near Hathras in Uttar Pradesh. They explore a range of themes, from gender violence to pandemic lockdowns and cyber fraud, fusing incisive social commentary with deeply evocative emotional truths. In doing so, they take the reader on a journey that is equal parts disturbing and memorable....