The subject of Avni Doshi’s first Booker-shortlisted novel was mothers and daughters. Or, rather, the long, jagged legacy of having a toxic mother.
In Burnt Sugar, set in the Indian city of Pune, Antara grapples with caring for her mother, Tara, who has dementia. Tara bridled against the constraints of motherhood in Antara’s young life. In flashbacks, we see her abscond from her marriage to join an ashram, where she pursues a relationship with a guru. She also subjects Antara to horrible neglect. How can Antara care for a mother who fell so grievously short in caring for her? The novel was a blisteringly honest, unforgettable study of memory and childhood trauma.
Four years after it was published in the UK comes Doshi’s new novel, The First House. It also interrogates trying family bonds – but this time focuses on a troubled marriage.
So, what are Doshi’s own most prized books about domestic drama? Here, she shares her top five novels about family dysfunction.
A Heart So White by Javier Marias
