Set in a time of rising Hindu nationalism, Quarterlife is an attempt to examine the forces that shape a society's political beliefs. The novel was published in 2023 by HarperCollins India, and named one of the best books of the year by over a dozen publications including The Hindu. It was also a finalist for five Indian awards and won the Mathrubhumi Book of the Year Award and the Ramnath Goenka Sahitya Samman for Best Fiction. It will be released in the US by W W Norton and in Italy by Guanda in 2024.
Praise for Quarterlife
'A landmark novel... Rege has a vast descriptive repertoire, is willing to take astonishing risks with structure, and is immaculate in her numerous interiority dives. Her hand is so sure it's often impossible to believe that Quarterlife is a debut.'
– The Indian Express
‘What's especially exciting is the freshness in Rege's turn of phrase - the rhythm in her sentences feels new, and marks the arrival of a voice we have not heard before in Indian literature in English.'
– The Hindu
‘Quarterlife is one of the best character-driven novels out in India this year: it is wholly about how people think, how their perceptions shape their behaviour, and how those perceptions may change... This, one feels, is a reflection of reality.'
– Open Magazine
'An exploration of the relationship of the self with the nation in the fashion of the big novels of Salman Rushdie, Amitav Ghosh... Rege's biggest achievement is her fidelity to her object of exploration and her refusal to make aesthetic concessions in its representation."
– Biblio
"If the novel is, arguably, one of the more democratic forms, Quarterlife demonstrates how this is enabled not only by subject matter but also by technique... this is an ambitious, demanding and deeply rewarding novel."
– The India Forum
'Steering the narrative away from becoming a crusade to find reason in political pockets, Rege makes the story one that bears witness to an extraordinary moment in history. Quaterlife... should be read as a testament to the clarity truth can gain from craft.'
– Scroll India
'Quarterlife is that rare novel that dares to speak differently... Its boldness is backed by Rege's unmistakable commitment to storytelling and her sheer talent for it. A quiet confidence permeates each page.'
– Moneycontrol
'Quarterlife delves deep into the inner landscapes of individuals on the precipice of crises, both moral and existential. Rege offers us not only a literary gem but a stark mirror reflecting the complex interplay between personal struggles and the shifting tides of politics."
– The New Indian Express
'A brave, astute book... Rege shows a deep understanding of the fragile complexity of India and the country’s intricate web of identities. I was astonished by the detail, the veracity, and the openness with which she tackles her subject.'
– Hindustan Times
"With such brutality to contend with, it is almost shocking to find such delicacy of attention, such depth of listening, and such ability to hold us, simply and directly, with wisdom and with grief."
– National Herald
'What a blazingly original voice, what a fiercely intelligent engagement with world politics and culture. Devika Rege is at the forefront of a new generation of authors who are challenging notions of what transnational literature can do and remaking global literary culture in the process.'
– Vauhini Vara, author of The Immortal King Rao, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize
'What begins as a novel of ideas becomes the secret history of a nation. A superb read ... both moving and inspiring.'
– Jeet Thayil, author of Narcopolis, a finalist for the Booker Prize
"A significant debut that should be read by anyone seeking to understand the political and social tensions at work in 21st-century India… Rege's imaginative sympathy is broad enough to include voices and perspectives that a lesser novelist would discount."
— Hari Kunzru, author of Blue Ruin
'Finally, a novel about our roiling times by a writer of clear-eyed empathy, the ability to listen closely and to step out of cosmopolitan cocoons. I am reminded of the genius of Kiran Nagarkar. Utterly masterful and moving.'
– Gauri Gill, author of Acts of Appearance
'Dazzling, moving, sophisticated, and wholly achieved in its ambition, Quarterlife emerges out of the tradition of the philosophical novel... Devika Rege is a transformative novelist.'
– Maureen McClane, author of More Anon
Copyright © 2023 Devika Rege; Image credits: Ronny Sen
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