Partition, independence, democracy. This book tells the tale of the birth of two new nations, experienced in the lives -- and deaths of its young citizens. Set in Luknow of the 1940s, Qurratulain Hyder's masterly early novel is a story of kinship, intimate friendships and love in a context of political upheaval. Rakshanda, Peechu, Kiran, Salim, Christabel -- the youthful protagonists are idealistic and enthusiastic, fighting for a brave new world. With the turbulence of partition and independence, the quiet rhythms of domesticity are brutally disrupted. New animosities replace old loyalties, and the merry "Gang" of Lucknow is torn apart as the old order begins to fragment.