The Asian literary phenomenon of the 90s.

The classic Number One bestseller from award-winning author Vikram Seth.

In this deeply involved study of the German Upper Class before 1914 , Sybille Bedford has re-created a way of life in a manner that is absorbing, moving and sometimes very funny.

Set in India at the time of mutiny, this novel tells a story of 19th Century India, when the thin patina of English rule held down dangerously turbulent undercurrents. It presents a story about and English man - Ashton Pelham-Martyn - who brought up as a Hindu and his passionate, but dangerous love for an Indian princess.

World War II has shown that the British are not invincible and the self-rule lobby is gaining supporters. Against this background, Daphne Manners, an English girl, is raped. The racism, brutality and hatred launched upon the head of her Indian lover echo the violence perpetrated on Daphne and reveal the desperate state of Anglo-Indian relations.