This book is the story of a young girl obsessed by a childhood prophecy of disaster. The author builds up an atmosphere of tension and oppression, in the middle of an Indian summer.

Cry, the Peacock is the story of a young girl, Maya, obsessed by a childhood prophecy of disaster. The author builds up an atmosphere of tension as torrid and oppressive as a stifling Indian summer, both in the crowded, colourful cities and the strangely beautiful countryside. Maya’s extreme sensitivity never alienates the reader because it is rendered in terms of measurable human loneliness... How well Desai does in the business of carrying her narrative through to a satisfactory, even explosive end.' — The Times Literary Supplement, London

This book is the story of a young girl obsessed by a childhood prophecy of disaster. The author builds up an atmosphere of tension and oppression, in the middle of an Indian summer.

Exacting a terrible price, the nuclear apocalypse divided humankind into two: Mutated and Untainted. Kilia & Josh, child counselors for the United Nations, are tasked with telling this horrible truth to tween-agers. Yet forced to lie about their own feelings for each other. Despite the UN’s efforts, life is harsh for Mutants and an underground resistance has sprung to life in the Quarantine Zone. Untainted humans living in the safety and comfort of a terrarium, most of them migrant volunteers, remain blissfully unaware of things to come. Under the watchful eyes of the Chief Administrator, life at the UN mission in Diablo Valley unfolds in mundane quietude. But then, the universe begins to conspire. Paying homage to counterculture, The Carol of the Reactors blends scifi, suspense and philosophy in the dystopia of an alternate reality. Laced with pop-culture, real world contemporary and historical references, this novel speculates on the future of humanity in the face of climate change, our dependence on technology and the fears that accompany it.

Anita Desai S Work Represents A Unique Blending Of The Indian And The Western. Her Novels Catch The Bewilderment Of The Individual Psyche Confronted With The Overbearing Socio-Cultural Environment And The Ever-Beckoning Modern Promise Of Self-Gratification And Self-Fulfilment. In The Face Of This Dual Onslaught, Her Protagonists, Male Or Female Maya, Sita, Monisha And Amla; Sarah, Nanda And Raka; Bim And Tara; Devan, Baumgartner Are Seen Poised Rentalizingly At Different Junctures Of The Philosophic Spectrum.Applying Sociological, Psychoanalytic, Structural And Other Approaches Of Formal Textual Analysis, The Essays In The Present Anthology Take A Fresh Look At Established Works, Revealing Aspects Of Study Hitherto Unexplored, Offer Critically Insightful Probes Into Individual Novels And Explore The Deployment Of Images, Symbols And Other Poetic Devices, Besides Diverse Narrative Strategies.An Indispensable Source-Book For Students, Researchers And Teachers Of Indian English And Commonwealth Literature In General And Fiction And Anita Desai In Particular.An Insightful Companion For Research In Sociology And Women-Studies.