Janis Paryat is the author of three novels and a collection of short stories, for which she received the National Crossword Award and Young Writer of the Year status from the Sahitya Academy. A specialist in world culture and literature, she studied Creative Writing at the University of Kent, English literature at the University of New Delhi and art history at the School of Oriental Studies in London. Nehemiah comes from a provincial Indian city. His parents send him to the capital's university and actually forbid him to return home after the scandal in which his friend Lenny was involved. Now Lenny is locked in a psychiatric clinic, and Nehemiah is in his own mind. His everyday life is filled with lectures, student parties and thoughts about art. But the meeting with Nicholas, the art historian the whole university is talking about, changes everything. And Nehemiah spends the following years between Delhi and London, trying to heal from loss, ghosts of love and memories of an imperfect youth. “Janis Paryat's debut novel is a piercing plot and linguistic perfection. Reflections on art, love and sexuality - with complete immersion and passion." – The Sunday Guardian "A well-thought-out look at homophobia and human relationships." – Kirkus Reviews “This book is about travel. Both outside and inside yourself.” – Scroll.in“We are shaped by absence. Places we didn't visit, choices we didn't make, people we lost. It's like the spaces between the bars of a lattice through which we move from year to year." "My parents sent me to Delhi. They decided it would be better this way. They heard about a good community college based on sound Christian principles. Where can those who, like me, come from places far from the capital, considered disadvantaged and marginal, study? I was sent away. I was handed to Nicholas on a platter.”