Women Writers and Historical Fiction

Avvaiyar, a Tamil poet and saint, is considered the first woman writer in India. She lived during the Sangam period (3rd century BCE to 3rd century CE).

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel 'The Palace of Illusions' is a retelling of the Indian epic Mahabharata from the perspective of Draupadi, one of the central characters.

Arundhati Roy's novel 'The God of Small Things' is set in Kerala, India, and tells the story of fraternal twins Estha and Rahel.

Kiran Desai's novel 'The Inheritance of Loss' tells the story of an Indian family living in the United States.

Amitav Ghosh's novel 'The Hungry Tide' is set in the Sundarbans, a mangrove forest in India and Bangladesh.

Anita Desai's novel 'The House of Blue Mangoes' tells the story of a family living in Old Delhi.

Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's novel 'The Mistress of Spices' tells the story of an Indian woman who has the power to grant wishes.

Jhumpa Lahiri's novel 'The Namesake' tells the story of an Indian family living in the United States.

Namita Gokhale's novel 'The Red Umbrella' tells the story of a young girl named Nanu who lives in a small village in India.

Susie Morgenstern's novel 'The Tiger's Daughter' tells the story of a young woman named Tara who is forced to marry a man she does not love.

Aravind Adiga's novel 'The White Tiger' tells the story of a young man named Balram Halwai who works as a driver for a wealthy family in Delhi.

Nilanjana Roy's novel 'The Wildings' tells the story of a group of children who are raised by wolves in the forests of India.

Sarita Mandanna's novel 'The Yellow House' tells the story of a family living in a small town in India during the time of the Partition.

Manju Kapur's novel 'The Zigzag Way' tells the story of a young woman named Meera who is trying to find her place in the world.

Anuja Chauhan's novel 'The Zoya Factor' tells the story of a young woman named Zoya who is considered to be a lucky charm for the Indian cricket team.