A Thousand Times Before

Thanki debuts with a gorgeous fantastical tale of family history and political strife, spanning from the 1947 Partition of India to the present. It’s told by Ayukta, a Brooklyn artist, to her partner, Nadya, by way of explaining why she’s hesitant to have children. Ayukta’s family has an ancient magical tapestry, and when a new family member is sewn into it, the person receives the ability to shape the future. As Ayukta gradually reveals over the course of the novel, the special powers conferred by the tapestry can be a curse. She begins the story with her grandmother, Amla, growing up in Karachi when the Partition throws daily life into disarray. Amla’s mother, Chandini, sews Amla’s image into the tapestry, but she is unable to explain the gift to Amla before dying in a sectarian riot. When Amla’s friend is raped, Amla inadvertently kills the rapist by depicting his death in a painting, and suspicion falls on her father after police find the painting in their house. Later, Amla passes the gift on to her more cautious daughter, Vibha, rather than to Ayukta’s mother, Arni, drawing Arni’s outrage. Thanki threads her saga with rich themes, including mother-daughter tensions, the burden of inheritance, and the power of art. Readers won’t want this to end. Agent: Stephanie Delman and Danya Kukafka, Trellis Literary. (July)