THE OTHER SIDE OF LIGHT

THE OTHER SIDE OF LIGHT is the captivating tale of Asha Kapoor and her friends trying to reconcile their desires with the traditional conventions of India. There are celebratory tales of breaking the rigid shackles of social life in India, but also tragic stories of those who meet violent ends. Saran’s in-depth knowledge of Indian culture, history, and the Hindi language are on display in the intricate detail of the novel.

In THE OTHER SIDE OF LIGHT, Mishi Saran spins the tale of one young woman, two lovers, three friends, and a violent time in Indian history. Asha Kapoor has chosen an unconventional path in life, fraught with unexpected challenges and sacrifices. Asha endeavors to reconcile her past in order to fully leave behind her homeland, India, untethered by regret. Years before, when a friend's mother offered Asha her old camera, Asha’s path was irrevocably altered as her drive to pursue a creative life forced her to leave behind those she loves. Through Asha as well as her three best friends—Melana, Nishita and Meethi—readers are given a varied picture of modern Indian women who, despite their education (and, sometimes, wealth) must precariously navigate rigid societal conventions. These dynamically interwoven story lines unfold in front of the reader through the photographs Asha took of the happiest and most tragic parts of her life. Handling her past as captured through the craft she loves provokes a recollection of her story so strong that she hopes it will allow her to let go for good. Mishi Saran is the author of the travel book-cum-memoir Chasing the Monk’s Shadow: A Journey in the Footsteps of Xuanzang, published by Penguin India. The book chronicles her journey in the footsteps of a 7th Century Chinese Buddhist monk along the Silk Road from China to India. Saran has participated in international writing residencies, literary festivals and given numerous book talks. After an undergraduate degree in Chinese Studies from Wellesley College, she was a journalist in Hong Kong, publishing widely in international media. Her short stories won awards and were broadcast on the BBC. Saran was born in India and has also lived in Switzerland, Indonesia, the United States, China, Hong Kong and Korea. She moved to Shanghai in 2006 with her husband. Saran writes in English and is fluent in Mandarin, French and Hindi. She is currently working on a new novel, set in Shanghai in the 1920s. In April 2013, her novel THE OTHER SIDE OF LIGHT was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize.