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The House Next to the Factory

As heard on BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime
By Sonal Kohli
0.0 (0 reviews)
3.55 goodreads logo

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Check link for latest rating. ( 161 ratings, 36 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
The House Next to the Factory by Sonal Kohli offers a vivid portrayal of life in Delhi, weaving together the stories of residents in a neighbourhood affected by the constant hum of a nearby factory. Through interconnected tales, it explores themes of family, aspiration, and socio-economic dynamics, capturing the spirit and challenges of urban India across different generations.
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Format: Hardback
$3299
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

You might enjoy this book if you appreciate stories that explore everyday life and complex human relationships. Set in a vibrant Delhi neighbourhood, it skilfully interweaves the lives of its residents, capturing the essence of Indian society and culture. If you enjoy character-driven narratives that offer a deep dive into the nuances of family, community, and personal growth, this novel may resonate with you.

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The House Next to the Factory shows a changing India over three decades through the lens of one family and the house that they live in.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

Life in the house is humdrum and confining, but on a rare evening out, Kavya sets off in search of a nun; a beloved teacher is caught in the aftermath of the anti-Sikh riots; a loyal servant worries over his relationship with a low caste woman; while in England, an aunt reads William Trevor and pines for all that she has left behind.

Over the years, the family's steel utensil business blossoms, and amid the clanging of metal and the churning of machines, the household transitions from bourgeois to elite. Yet at thirty, Kavya finds herself in Paris, hoping to get past the sorrows of her young life...

Delicate and finely textured, Sonal Kohli's extraordinary debut lays bare the complexities of class and culture and the difficulties as well as excitements of change, even as it evokes loves and triumphs, the pull of incongruous desires and the tragedies of everyday life.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

The House Next to the Factory by Sonal Kohli is praised for its deep exploration of an aspirational India amid historical and economic transformations. Reviewers highlight Kohli’s skill in subtly immersing readers in a world that's at once familiar and rapidly changing, capturing the emotional and psychological challenges faced by a rising Indian bourgeoisie. The prose is celebrated for its quiet ambition and the book is acknowledged as a testament to the power of the ordinary.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9781800751316

Publisher: Swift Press

Format: Hardback

Date Published: 03 November 2022

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Swift Press

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Width: 135.0mm

Height: 216.0mm

Weight: 250g

Pages: 208

Collections

Fiction General Fiction Literary Fiction Sonal Kohli

About the Author

Sonal Kohli grew up in Delhi and now lives in Washington, D.C. She has an MA in Creative Writing from UEA, and a BA in Economics from Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi University. Her stories have been shortlisted for the Bristol Short Story Prize and the Fish Short Story Prize. This is her first book.

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