praise for the fertile earth
"A dazzling debut… The novel is grand in the way that the Indian epics are grand. It is plot-packed, emotionally extravagant, dramatically intense, and populated with a memorable cast who breathe fresh urgency into the everyday stakes of love, friendship, pride, duty and dignity. The writing, moreover, soars… Such is the unique power and enchantment of this novel that seems destined to be a future classic." ―The Guardian
"The relationship between the four characters is the heart of the book, but the village of Irumi, its inhabitants and the tensions between them are also important in this epic, ambitious debut." ―The Times
"An epic social novel that movingly weaves the political and personal." ―Daily Mail
“What a marvelous writer Ruthvika is. Her characters are so vivid and passionate, the stakes are so high and the history so complicated. The Fertile Earth is a compulsively readable novel." —Margot Livesey, New York Times bestselling author of The Flight of Gemma Hardy
"Reading The Fertile Earth it's clear that Rao is not only a sophisticated storyteller but an impressive prose stylist—her sentences sing. This is a novel you will not be able to forget." —Angela Flournoy, author of The Turner House, finalist for the National Book Award
"From its unforgettable opening pages, The Fertile Earth held me spellbound. At its heart is a transgressive love story that dares to bloom in a world of caste-based violence, vengeance, and political transformation. Ruthvika Rao is a fearless writer, and her debut is nothing short of dazzling." —Tania James, author of Loot, longlisted for the National Book Award
Ruthvika Rao is a formidable writer, her gorgeous, finely calibrated prose boldly takes on the terrors humans can inflict on one another while remaining attuned to the delicate frequencies of improbable, inevitable love. —Aube Ray Lescure, author of River East, River West, finalist for the Women’s Prize for fiction.
" This is an inspired, gorgeous book, and Ruthvika Rao’s storytelling has a confident, compassionate intelligence—I’d follow her bright voice anywhere." —Natalie Bakopoulos, author of Scorpionfish
'The Fertile Earth made me think about so many things, from family and love to politics and violence. The scope of this brilliant novel is vast. Absolutely captivating.’ Luan Goldie, author of Nightingale Point
“Lush, bold, haunting and heartbreaking. The story of a forbidden love against the violent backdrop of post-independent India, The Fertile Earth had me gripped. Rao’s gorgeous prose leaps off the page in this impressive and unforgettable debut novel.” Alba Arikha, author of Two Hours
'The Fertile Earth is an unforgettable novel. It's beautifully written, immersive, clear-eyed in its depiction of caste and oppression, yet tender in its portrayal of heartbreak and hope.’ Deepa Anappara, author of Djinn Patrol on the Purple Line
ruthvika rao is a writer from hyderabad, India
Ruthvika Rao is the author of The Fertile Earth, which was a finalist for the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, the Chautauqua Prize, the Time of India prize for debut fiction, the Ramnath Goenka Sahitya Sanman, and longlisted for the Crossword prize and the International Dylan Thomas Prize.
