Bhattacharya . . . serves up an illuminating tale about a woman fighting for her agency in India . . . Through Charu's experiences, Bhattacharya provides a wide-angle view of India's inequality and patriarchal gender roles, all while depicting in intimate detail how his protagonist struggles to live on her own terms.

Publishers Weekly

This big novel is curiously weightless . . . those who are patient will find beauty in small moments . . . This elusive, tantalizing novel aims for the effect of the raga-to conjure “the sadness, the richness, the pleasure of the waiting and the wandering.

The Wall Street Journal

[Railsong] brims with heart and compassion and is clearly deeply felt . . . There are promotions, examinations, heartbreaks-and they're all rendered with an artful and sympathetic eye. The novel bristles with outrage at the difficulty of living a life of one's own and the disappointments of marriages and careers; marvels at the quicksilver joys of solidarity

The Guardian

[A] sprawling tale, told with flair and heart.

California Review of Books

The novel's witty, slightly Dickensian tone offers both humor and poignancy. This bildungsroman concerning one woman's quest to define her identity also brings India into sharp focus.

Kirkus Reviews

Tracing Charu's story against tidal forces of history is brilliant, and her perception of feminism's impact is moving.

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