The Daughters of Madurai

Publisher details

Author
Rajasree Variyar
Publisher
Hachette
Genre
Fiction
Released
30 May, 2023
ISBN
9781398707276

The Daughters of Madurai

Buy now

Retail partners

Synopsis

Madurai, 1992. A young mother in a poor family, Janani is told she is useless if she can't produce a son – or worse, bears daughters. They let her keep her first baby girl, but the rest are taken away as soon as they are born – murdered before they have a chance to live. The fate of her children has never been in her hands. But Janani can't forget the daughters she was never allowed to love.

Sydney, 2019. Nila has a secret, one she's been keeping from her parents for far too long. Before she can say anything, her grandfather in India falls ill and she agrees to join her parents on a trip to Madurai – the first in over ten years. Growing up in Australia, Nila knows very little about where she or her family came from, or who they left behind. What she's about to learn will change her forever...

Perfect for fans of Christy Lefteri and Delia Owens, The Daughters of Madurai is a moving and powerful debut from an unforgettable new voice.

Reviews

How Far Would You Go for the Ones You Love? Read an Extract from The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar

Review | Extract

20 June 2023

How Far Would You Go for the Ones You Love? Read an Extract from The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar

    A Heart-Wrenching and Thought-Provoking Debut: Read Our Review of The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar

    Review | Our Review

    20 June 2023

    A Heart-Wrenching and Thought-Provoking Debut: Read Our Review of The Daughters of Madurai by Rajasree Variyar

      Rajasree Variyar
      About the author

      Rajasree Variyar

      Rajasree Variyar grew up in Sydney, Australia and now lives in London, where she juggles writing alongside a career in digital insurance product development. She received her MA in Creative Writing from the University of East Anglia in 2020. Her manuscript of The Daughters of Madurai was shortlisted for Hachette UK's 2019 Mo Siewcharran prize. Her short stories have won second prize in the Shooter Literary Magazine short story competition and been long-listed for the Brick Lane Bookshop short story competition.

      Books by Rajasree Variyar

      Related articles

      PODCAST: Francesca Albanese on War and Power

      Podcast

      1 June 2026

      PODCAST: Francesca Albanese on War and Power

        PODCAST: Dervla McTiernan on Ruthless Editing and Finding Home in Australia

        Podcast

        25 May 2026

        PODCAST: Dervla McTiernan on Ruthless Editing and Finding Home in Australia

          What Should You Read Next? Let WAYR? The App Decide

          News

          19 May 2026

          What Should You Read Next? Let WAYR? The App Decide

            The Best Podcast Episodes You’ll Find on WAYR? The App

            News | Events & Festivals

            19 May 2026

            The Best Podcast Episodes You’ll Find on WAYR? The App

            How to Download What Are You Reading? The App

            News

            19 May 2026

            How to Download What Are You Reading? The App

            PODCAST: Antoinette Lattouf on Books, Battles and Breaking Barriers

            Podcast

            18 May 2026

            PODCAST: Antoinette Lattouf on Books, Battles and Breaking Barriers

              3 Reasons Why You Should Read The Farmer's Pyjamas by Ruth Paul

              News

              11 May 2026

              3 Reasons Why You Should Read The Farmer's Pyjamas by Ruth Paul

              Q&A: Judith Katherine, Author of Simply Beside Herself

              News | Author Related

              11 May 2026

              Q&A: Judith Katherine, Author of Simply Beside Herself

                PODCAST: Ann Mossop on the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival

                Podcast

                11 May 2026

                PODCAST: Ann Mossop on the 2026 Sydney Writers’ Festival

                  The Culture of WAYR? The App

                  News

                  6 May 2026

                  The Culture of WAYR? The App

                    COMMENTS

                    Leave a Reply

                    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *