The Book of Everlasting Things : A Novel
Lahore, 1938. A chance encounter between Samir Vij and Firdaus Khan unfolds amid the intoxicating aromas of an ittar shop in Anarkali Bazaar. The perfumer and the manuscript illuminator find themselves drawn together, their bond deepening across years marked by whispered conversations and stolen moments. Their connection blooms quietly, tenderly. Then 1947 arrives. Partition fractures the subcontinent into two nations, and with it, their world splinters too. Samir becomes Indian; Firdaus, Pakistani. Religious identity collides with personal devotion. Family obligations clash against the pull of the heart. Distance stretches between them, not merely geographical but existential. What unfolds is a poignant meditation on loss, belonging, and the weight of memory. This assured first novel traces a love story across borders and generations, weaving past into present with remarkable sensitivity. Malhotra, herself a historian, brings scholarly rigour to an intimate narrative, exploring how personal stories fracture when nations do. The result lingers long after the final page, much like the ghost of a beloved fragrance.
- Author: Aanchal Malhotra
- Publisher: HarperCollins
- Genre: Literary Fiction
- ISBN: 978-9356999152
- Pages: 472 pages