A Suitable Boy

A phenomenon, a prodigy, a marvel — Evening Standard
One of the BBC’s 100 Novels That Shaped Our World

A modern classic, A Suitable Boy is an epic tale of families, love, and political intrigue set in newly independent India. At its heart lies the story of Lata and her mother’s determined search for a “suitable” husband—whether found through romance or through careful maternal judgment. Alongside this intimate love story unfolds the larger narrative of a nation in transition, as one-sixth of the world’s population faces its first great general election and the chance to define its own destiny.

Praise for A Suitable Boy:

• “Seth is the best writer of his generation.” — The Times

• “Fiction on a grand scale. By the time you reach the last page you will have absorbed a splendid story, full of the tangle and perfume of India.” — Sunday Telegraph

• “The greatness of the novel, its unassailable truthfulness, owes less to research than to imagination, an instinctive knowledge of the human heart.” — Observer

• “You should make time for it. It will keep you company for the rest of your life.” — The Times