Finalist, 2024 Giller Prize
Engrossing, witty yet devastating stories about diasporic Indians that deftly question what it means to be safe, to survive, and to call a place home.
An underappreciated coffee shop server haunted by her past attracts thousands of followers on social media with her peacock jewellery. A hotel housekeeper up against a world of gender and class inequity quietly gets revenge on her chauvinist boss. And a foster child, orphaned in an accident directly attributable to climate change, brings down her foster father, an oil lobbyist, in spectacular fashion.
With an intense awareness of privilege and the lack of it, the fourteen stunning stories in Peacocks of Instagram explore what it means to be safe, to survive, and to call a place home.
Finalist, 2024 Giller Prize
Engrossing, witty yet devastating stories about diasporic Indians that deftly question what it means to be safe, to survive, and to call a place home.
An underappreciated coffee shop server haunted by her past attracts thousands of followers on social media with her peacock jewellery. A hotel housekeeper up against a world of gender and class inequity quietly gets revenge on her chauvinist boss. And a foster child, orphaned in an accident directly attributable to climate change, brings down her foster father, an oil lobbyist, in spectacular fashion.
With an intense awareness of privilege and the lack of it, the fourteen stunning stories in Peacocks of Instagram explore what it means to be safe, to survive, and to call a place home.
| Published By | House of Anansi Press Inc — May 7, 2024 |
| Specifications | 256 pages | 5.5 in x 7 in |
| Keywords | immigrant; edgy; How to pronounce knife; The god of small things; Jhumpa Lahiri; Arundhati Roy; Bollywood; Chrysalis; Death by a thousand cuts; Shashi Bhat; |
|
Supporting Resources
(select item to download) |
Excerpt |
| Written By |
DEEPA RAJAGOPALAN won the 2021 RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award. Her work has appeared in literary magazines and anthologies such as the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology, the New Quarterly, Room, the Malahat Review, Event, and Arc Poetry Magazine. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Guelph. Born to Indian parents in Saudi Arabia, she has lived in many cities across India, the US, and Canada. |
| Written By |
|
DEEPA RAJAGOPALAN won the 2021 RBC/PEN Canada New Voices Award. Her work has appeared in literary magazines and anthologies such as the Bristol Short Story Prize Anthology, the New Quarterly, Room, the Malahat Review, Event, and Arc Poetry Magazine. She has an MFA in creative writing from the University of Guelph. Born to Indian parents in Saudi Arabia, she has lived in many cities across India, the US, and Canada. |
Short-listed, Giller Prize, 2024
"An engaging debut." — Booklist
” —"Deepa Rajagopalan deftly tackles intricate problems among the Indian diaspora … Peacocks of Instagram is a worthwhile read." — Literary Review of Canada
” —Literary Review of Canada“Peacocks of Instagram peels back surfaces to reveal surprising and satisfying depths … Rajagopalan throws and pulls problems as ordinary as raw clay into 14 glossy, engrossing, interconnected narratives.” — THIS Magazine
” —The Miramichi Reader“Rajagopalan communicates so much with so few words; she’s one of the most gifted short-story authors we’ve encountered in quite a while.” — Apple Books
” —That Shakespearean Rag“This collection will appeal to readers who enjoy short fiction about identity and the search for home and meaning, and who like writing from underrepresented communities.” — Winnipeg Free Press
” —“A quick yet compelling read.” — Brown Girl Bookshelf
” —"Rajagopalan shares her wit and appreciation for the beauty around us with warmth, even when talking about the real drama and tragedy perfusing these stories of displacement, class difference, and privilege." — The Miramichi Reader
” —"Rajagopalan has an undeniably empathetic approach to her characters and their struggles." — That Shakespearean Rag
” —"Peacocks of Instagram not only questions our stereotypes about the immigrant past, but about the immigrant present as well. This is an original, dynamic voice poised to enrich the culturally varied field of Canadian fiction." — PEN Canada New Voices jury
” —PEN Canada New Voices jury"Deepa Rajagopalan is a masterful storyteller. In her brilliant debut collection, Peacocks of Instagram, she unveils a world where powerful, ambitious Indian women redefine life on their own terms. In this exquisite symphony of belonging, she deftly challenges conventions with breathtaking prose. Get ready to be captivated by a writer poised to reshape literature." — Chelene Knight, award-winning author of Junie
” —Chelene Knight, award-winning author of Junie"These stories pulse with the stuff of impassioned observation and level-headed confidence. Deepa Rajagopalan takes no reader for granted, and wins her glowing arrival with a beautiful, rich, savvy book. If any peacocks were harmed in its making, there isn’t a feather out of place." — Canisia Lubrin, author of Code Noir
” —Canisia Lubrin, author of Code Noir"Peacocks of Instagram is brimming with humour, wit, and sharp-eyed insight. These are tales about the immigrant hustle and the pain of being overlooked. They explore transgressions and betrayals between friends and lovers. Spanning countries and continents, Deepa Rajagopalan’s stories show us that, in spite of it all, we can persevere. A gorgeous debut by a genuine talent." — Sindya Bhanoo, author of Seeking Fortune Elsewhere
” —Sindya Bhanoo, author of Seeking Fortune Elsewhere"Peacocks of Instagram offers candid snapshots of the intimacies, the small braveries, and the strange twists of fate that shape and connect ordinary people across time and continents. At once piercing and tender, these stories are richly textured and glittering with gorgeous detail. Rajagopalan’s characters are dreamers and survivors, risk-takers and rule-breakers—you’ll be rooting for each and every one of them from the first page to the last. A fresh voice in Canadian storytelling and a must-read collection!" — Anuja Varghese, author of Chrysalis
” —Anuja Varghese, author of Chrysalis"Inhabiting children’s and adult perspectives with equal acuity, Deepa Rajagopalan has a finely tuned, confident voice and a seemingly effortless knack for evoking pathos in the dynamics between her diverse, and often fractious, cast of characters. Peacocks of Instagram is a mature, honest collection of stories that thoughtfully examine themes of agency and power, a book as beautifully written as it is emotionally affecting." — Pasha Malla, author of Kill the Mall
” —Pasha Malla, author of Kill the Mall