First novel by Malaysian author (and economist) Rani Manika, it tells the story of three women from three different generations - grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter - in exotic Malaysia, on a journey that reaches up to the late 20th century.

From a poor village in Ceylon, the stubborn and beautiful Lakshmi finds herself at fifteen in Malaysia, married to a poor man much older than herself. However, she does not succumb to her fate. She sets up her new home, gives birth to and raises six children, and when World War II breaks out, she stands up against gods and demons for the sake of her family.

Through the first-person narratives of all the family members, a modern saga unfolds, dominated by the proud figure of mother and grandmother Lakshmi, on a journey that reaches up to the late 20th century. History and everyday life intertwined. The epic of survival of anonymous people.

In this exceptional novel, which is a tribute to the indomitable nature of women, Malaysian Rani Manika gives us a captivating description of the life and culture of another place.