Dream Builders

A stunning, multi-perspective epic about class division, the contraints of gender roles, and the history of India.
After living in the US for years, Maneka Roy returns home to India to mourn the loss of her mother and finds herself in a new world. The booming city of Hrishipur where her father now lives is nothing like the part of the country where she grew up, and the more she sees of this new, sparkling city, the more she learns that nothing — and no one — here is as it appears. Ultimately, it will take an unexpected tragic event for Maneka and those around her to finally understand just how fragile life is in this city built on aspirations.
Written from the perspectives of ten different characters, Oindrila Mukherjee’s incisive debut novel explores class divisions, gender roles, and stories of survival within a society that is constantly changing and becoming increasingly Americanised. It’s a story about India today, and people impacted by globalisation everywhere: a tale of ambition, longing, and bitter loss that asks what it really costs to try to build a dream. 

Reviews

‘In this astonishing debut, Oindrila Mukherjee tells a grand tale of class, gender and globalisation. This is a character-driven story of India today, masterfully told through ten alternating perspectives. While the perspective constantly shifts, you never feel lost or disoriented. Achieving this sense of ease within such an ambitious and innovative narrative structure reveals Mukherjee’s true talent.’