House Of Hidden Mothers, The

Description: "Dazzling. Intense and gritty at times, sparkling and hilarious at others. I found it absorbing, witty, joyous and moving...and that's all I really want from a book!" (Jo Brand). "Warm and witty." (Sunday Times). "The gifted Syal does it again." (Independent). How far would you go to get the life can't have? Shyama, aged forty-eight, has fallen for a younger man. They want a child together. Meanwhile, in a rural village in India, young Mala, trapped in an oppressive marriage, dreams of escape. When Shyama and Mala meet, they help each other realise their dreams. But will fate guarantee them both happiness?...Brimming with warmth, wit and indignation, Meera Syal immerses us in a devastating story of friendship, family and the lengths we will go to have a perfect life. The House of Hidden Mothers is her long-awaited third novel and shows Meera Syal at the height of her literary powers. "Brilliant. It is destined to be a bestseller." (Esther Freud).

Review: "Moving and incredibly funny at the same time. A great achievement." RICHARD E. GRANT "Moving and incredibly funny at the same time. A great achievement." RICHARD E. GRANT "Dazzling. Intense and gritty at times, sparkling and hilarious at others. I found it absorbing, witty, joyous and moving...and that's all I really want from a book!" JO BRAND "Wise, witty and warm - a deliciously exotic feast of a book, spiced with the two best ingredients, love and laughter" KATHY LETTE "Through her novels, screenwriting and acting Meera Syal has not only changed the way Britain sees British Asians, but how British Asians see and talk about themselves. It is no surprise that her new, much-anticipated, novel is totally original and important and true." SATNAM SANGHERA "Through her novels, screenwriting and acting Meera Syal has not only changed the way Britain sees British Asians, but how British Asians see and talk about themselves. It is no surprise that her new, much-anticipated, novel is totally original and important and true." SATNAM SANGHERA "A delicately written, profound study of the female condition in the rich world and the poor. The gifted Syal does it again." Independent "Surely the makings of a hit ... This book is bound to delight many readers, who will embrace Syal's well-chosen subject, her warm and witty voice and her passionate involvement with the world." Sunday Times "Wonderfully candid .. Syal's main achievement with this rumbustious, confrontational and ultimately heartbreaking book has been to turn the standard British-Asian displacement narrative on its head" Guardian "Witty and moving" Fabulous Magazine "Sharp comedy" A Marie-Claire magazine Must-Read "Great read" A Woman and Home Great Read "Sprawling, humorous, sensitive" Metro "For sheer scope and ambition Syal makes Dickens and Tolstoy seem single minded. She pulls it off with panache." Independent "Warm, witty, exotic. This wise, indignant novel goes many miles beyond your average celebrity effusion." -- Kate Saunders The Times "Deeply impressive .. Syal has done a beautiful job on the very modern problems faced by women everywhere, and the compromises they make and the inevitability of ageing." Sunday Express "Deeply impressive .. Syal has done a beautiful job on the very modern problems faced by women everywhere, and the compromises they make and the inevitability of ageing." Sunday Express "Syal's main achievement with this rumbustious, confrontational and heartbreaking book has been to turn the stand British-Asian displacement narrative on its head." -- Alfred Hickling Guardian "A frank and beautifully written tale of friendship and motherhood." Candis Magazine "Funny, wise, warm, confidently straddling the contrasting cultures of Britain and India and acutely perceptive about both." Daily Mail

Author Biography: Meera Syal, CBE, is one of our most acclaimed actors and writers of stage and screen. She starred in the hit series The Kumars at No. 42 and recently in the BBC film of David Walliams' The Boy in the Dress. She is currently in David Hare's play Behind the Beautiful Forevers at the National Theatre, and in the latest series of Broadchurch. Meera is also known for her funny, sharp and provocative fiction. Her two earlier novels are Anita and Me (a national curriculum set text) and Life Isn't all Ha Ha Hee Hee. The House of Hidden Mothers is her long-awaited third novel.