Fireflies
Fireflies by Shiva Naipaul, published by Penguin in 2012, is a UK edition of the author’s first novel, originally released in 1970. This work is set in Naipaul’s native Trinidad and revolves around the Khoja family, a prominent Hindu household known for their strict adherence to tradition and their management of sugarcane fields. The narrative explores the complexities of family life through the experiences of ‘Baby’ Khoja, who faces the challenges of an arranged marriage with a domineering bus driver.
Readers will find a blend of humor and melancholy as the story unfolds, highlighting themes of resourcefulness and survival. The novel presents a vivid portrayal of the Khojas, particularly through the lens of Baby’s journey, which serves as a central focus amidst the family’s rigid dynamics. With its exploration of family life and cultural identity, Fireflies offers insights into the struggles and triumphs of its characters, making it a significant addition to the realm of fiction and classics. This edition spans 412 pages and is written in English.
Official synopsis Publisher
Shiva Naipaul was the brother of V. S. Naipaul and author of Firefles and The Chip-Chip Gatherers. Fireflies, his first novel, published in 1970 and longlisted for the ‘Lost Man Booker Award’ in 2010, is set in Naipaul’s native Trinidad. It includes a new foreword by Amit Chaudhuri.
The Khojas are Trinidad’s most venerated Hindu family. Rigidly orthodox, presiding over acres of ill-kept sugarcane and hoards of jewellery enthusiastically guarded by old Mrs Khoja, they seem to have triumphed more by default than by anything else. Only ‘Baby’ Khoja, who is parcelled off into an arranged marriage with a blustering bus driver, proves an exception to this rule. Her heroic story – of resourcefulness, strength and survival – is the gleaming thread in Shiva Naipaul’s ferociously comic and profoundly sad first novel.
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