Waiting for the Monsoon

Translated from the original Dutch by Barbara Potter Fasting

2014 Longlist

India, 1995. Charlotte Bridgwater lives with her father, a former British general, and just one loyal servant in a stately old mansion in the town of Rampur. Money is scarce and the once grand estate is crumbling.

In a desperate bid to generate income, Charlotte rents a room to Madan, an Indian tailor with an astonishing talent for making beautiful garments. Madan is unable to communicate verbally, but the two have an immediate and electrifying connection. And, as the extreme heat before the impending monsoon paralyzes the residents of Rampur, the details of their lives unfold: Charlotte’s unhappy childhood and the early death of her husband, Madan’s poverty-stricken life on the streets, and how and when their paths have crossed before.

Told in rich, rhapsodic prose, spanning decades and across continents, Waiting for the Monsoon is an unforgettable tale of love, loss, and the unwavering bond between two people.

(From Publisher)

About the Author

Threes Anna is a writer and director of film and theatre. She is the author of five critically acclaimed novels, and her debut film, The Bird Can’t Fly, premiered at the San Sebastian International Film Festival. She is currently working on the film adaptation of her novel The Silent City. She lives in the Netherlands.

Librarian’s Comments

Excellent novel about the love of a British lady for a local dressmaker in India in 1995.