Climbing The Stairs

Read Padma Venkatraman’s posts on the Penguin Blog.Fifteen-year-old Vidya dreams of going to college- an unusual aspiration for a girl living in British occupied India during World War II. Then tragedy strikes, and Vidya and her brother are forced to move into a traditional household with their extended family, where women are meant to be married, not educated. Breaking the rules, Vidya finds refuge in her grandfather’s library. But then her brother does something unthinkable, and Vidya’s life becomes a whirlwind of political and personal complications. The question is, will she be strong enough to survive?Watch a VideoPlt;bPgt;In British-occupied India, a young girlP#8217;s dream defies the limitations of her society.Plt;brPgt;Plt;brPgt;P#8220;This novel vivifies a unique era and culture as it movingly expresses how love and hope can blossom even under the most dismal of circumstances.P#8221;P#8212;Plt;iPgt;Publishers WeeklyPlt;/iPgt;, starred reviewPlt;brPgt;Plt;brPgt;P#8220;Venkatraman paints an intricate and convincing backdrop of a conservative Brahmin home in a time of change.P#8221;P#8212;Plt;iPgt;Booklist,Plt;/iPgt; starred review Plt;brPgt;Plt;brPgt;Plt;/bPgt;What if your only dream was forbidden?Plt;brPgt;Plt;brPgt;Fifteen-year-old Vidya dreams of going to college, an unusual aspiration for a girl living in British-occupied India during World War II. But then tragedy strikes, and Vidya and her family are forced to live with their relatives in a traditional household, where women are meant to be married, not educated. Breaking the rules, she finds solace in her grandfatherP#8217;s library. Here she meets Raman, who treats Vidya like an equal and encourages her education. Then VidyaP#8217;s brother leaves unexpectedly, and VidyaP#8217;s life gets caught up in political and personal turmoil. Plt;brPgt;Plt;brPgt;In the midst of all this chaos, will Vidya be able to hold on to her dreams and make them a reality?