Mansions of the Moon

In this sweeping story, at once epic and startlingly intimate, Shyam Selvadurai introduces us to Siddhartha Gautama, otherwise known as the Buddha, a promising and politically astute young man settling into his life as a newlywed to Yasodhara, a young woman of great intelligence and spirit. The novel traces their early life together, and then the unthinkable turmoil as Siddhartha's spiritual calling takes over and their partnership slowly, inexorably crumbles. How does a woman live in ancient India if her husband abandons her? Even a well-born woman with a revered husband? And what path might she take towards enlightenment herself? Selvadurai examines these questions with empathy and insight, creating a rich portrait of a singular marriage, and of the woman who until now has been a shadow in the historical record. Mansions of the Moon is a literary event, and a remarkable moment in an esteemed author's extraordinary career.