Pyre — Perumal Murugan

By the author of One Part Woman: “A haunting story of forbidden love set in Southern India that illustrates the cruel consequences of societal intolerance.” -- Kirkus Reviews, starred review

Saroja and Kumaresan are young and in love. After meeting in a small southern Indian town where Kumaresan works at a soda bottling shop, they quickly marry before returning to Kumaresan's family village, where they hope to build a happy life together. But they are harboring a terrible secret: Saroja is from a different caste than Kumaresan, and if the villagers find out, they will both be in grave danger.

Faced with venom from her mother-in-law and questions from her new neighbors, Saroja tries to adjust to a new lonely and uncomfortable life, while Kumaresan struggles to scrape together enough money for them to start over somewhere new. But in a world filled with thorns, their love may not be enough to keep them safe.