Set outside Bombay in the quiet coastal community of Dahanu, young Zairos Irani must decide whether or not to become involved with the daughter of one of his farm workers who has tragically died. Attracted by the beautiful but tragic Kusum, does Zairos have the courage and commitment to try to rescue her from a life of poverty and misery, or will he weaken before the barriers of class and ethnicity? And can any efforts of his possibly succeed enough to justify the price they both must pay? As the story unfolds, Zairos learns from his embittered grandfather that he, too, faced this same decision sixty years in the past, and his choices led to tragic consequences for both the farm worker’s family and his own. A compelling story of the tension between hope and hopelessness, desire and fear.

This is a very sensual novel, appealing to the senses. Zairos Irani is a young man, close to his grandfather Shapur. As he spends time with the old man, he is told stories of the past. He is also the one to find a worker's body in the orchard, and he finds himself drawn to the man's daughter. Kusum also finds herself drawn to Zairos and at the basis of this is a memory from her childhood. Zairos has lived a life of idleness and his first moves are hesitant. As the both find themselves defying taboos with their relationship, it is Kusum who has the strength. Their story also leads back to the story of Shapur and Banu, Zairos' grandparents. We see the age-old conflict between the landowning Iranis, and the local tribal Warlis who work for them. Zairos discovers this history is part of his family story as well. This book has humour and sadness, but it is the evocative nature of the writing that makes it come alive. This book is one of the ten finalists for the 2011 OLA Evergreen Award.