In Can You Hear the Nightbird Call?, Anita Rau Badami weaves a multigenerational saga that follows three women from the upheaval of the 1947 India-Pakistan partition to the devastating explosion of Air India Flight 182 in 1985. Through vivid imagery of India and Canada, the novel explores how history shapes identity and family bonds across continents.
Badami’s narrative brings together the personal and the political, revealing how memory and myth intertwine in the lives of immigrants striving to reconcile past losses with present challenges. Her warm, empathetic prose captures intimate moments of love, resilience and the quiet power of storytelling.
The narrative shifts gracefully between voices and eras, offering fresh perspectives on cultural dislocation and the immigrant experience. Readers encounter generational tensions, evolving relationships and the enduring strength found in community.
Highlights
- Fifty-year span from partition to the Air India tragedy
- Three female protagonists navigating change and displacement
- Rich settings in India and the Canadian diaspora
- Themes of memory, identity and belonging
