Books like The better man by Anita Nair
Mukundan, a middle‑aged bachelor from a rural Indian village, comes back home after years away. Haunted by the memory of a dead mother and a domineering father, he feels the weight of failure and guilt.
To confront his inner turmoil, he decides to restore the family house and hires Bhasi, an outsider painter known for a unique healing style. Bhasi quickly perceives the deep fractures in Mukundan’s psyche and works to mend his companions through cajoling, manipulation, and a transformative plan.
However, when an influential neighbor offers Mukundan a chance for recognition, status, and power, the durability of their friendship—and the possibility of a future with a woman in his life—comes into sharp question, forcing Mukundan to choose between ambition and the bonds that shaped him.
First publish date: 1999
Genre: General Fiction/General Fiction
Authors: Anita Nair
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