Books like Difficult daughters by Manju Kapur

A Christmas Carol is Charles Dickens’ allegorical novella about Ebenezer Scrooge, whose miserly ways are transformed through visits from Jacob Marley and the spirits of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

Candide: A Tale of Conviviality and Optimism in a Wretched World

The God of Small Things chronicles the upended childhood of fraternal twins in India, exploring love, caste, and the impact of small moments on fate.

A love story set in the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, where Anne Elliot finds herself amidst the Regency era as her sister rents Miss Elliot's father's house, leading to an unexpected reunion with Captain Frederick Wentworth and the return of her beloved.

A collection of nine short stories by Jhumpa Lahiri that follows Indian and Indian‑American characters navigating identity, displacement, and complex relationships.

A Fine Balance is Rohinton Mistry's critically acclaimed second novel, set in India in the mid-1970s and focusing on four unlikely individuals who come together in a city apartment during a state of emergency.

Jhumpa Lahiri’s The Lowland traces two brothers—Subhash, who settles in America, and Udayan, who joins a political uprising in Calcutta—and their divergent paths until a tragic event forces a return to India and a quest to mend family bonds.

Henry James’s early novel follows an American diplomat in Paris who must navigate the social intrigues of diplomatic life, the complexities of man‑woman relationships, and the contrasting worlds of America and France during the late nineteenth century.

An Indian judge in a Himalayan estate grapples with retirement and family secrets when his orphaned granddaughter Sai arrives, sparking personal discovery amid the echoes of colonial history.

A Chilean woman embarks on a quest to find her lover in 1840s California's goldfields, facing numerous challenges and adventures along the way.

Natty Bumppo's first journey into frontier life and the challenges of defending his freedom against dangerous Indians and the corrupting influence of a ruthless new lawman, setting the stage for the larger story of The Last of the Mohicans.

A tale of manners and expectations in the city versus the countryside, exploring the clash between Polly and her wealthy friend Fanny Shaw.

James Salter's 'All that is' is a captivating and sometimes devastating labyrinth of love and ambition. A deeply intimate portrait of the emotional and physical experiences of being alive. Set during the golden decades following World War II, the book captures Salter's lifelong obsession with capturing the intimate, ephemeral spaces that all of us hold and leave behind on paper. After serving as a young officer in Okinawa during the war, Philip Bowman returns home to a small publishing house in New York. The frenetic social scene of New York in the post-war era is a backdrop for the story, where Bowman feels at home. However, his enduring love seems to elude him. When he meets a woman who captivates him, Bowman embarks on a journey that he never intended to take. The book is celebrated for its lyrical evocation of a post-war world imaginatively rendered and beautifully written.

Set in 1905 England, The Edwardians follows the contrasting lives of brother Sebastian and sister Viola as they navigate the glittering highs and looming decline of aristocratic society, exploring tradition, love, and rebellion.

Nobel laureate Sigrid Undset’s historical epic follows 14th‑century Norwegian woman Kristin Lavransdatter through devotion, love, family, and societal upheaval, set against a richly detailed backdrop of medieval Norway.

Short stories of life in a Louisiana bayou, featuring the Creole way of life and miscegenation, written by Kate Chopin, a prominent figure in American literature.

A multi-generational tale of three Brahmin sisters whose lives split between New Delhi and San Francisco, exploring tradition, migration, and familial bonds.

Amitav Ghosh’s The Shadow Lines weaves a contemplative domestic narrative set against the backdrop of India and Britain, exploring political and social boundaries through the lives of boys and their families.

Jeffery Deaver’s bestselling suspense novel featuring his renowned characters Lincoln Rhyme and Amelia Sachs.

In pre‑war London, the Carne sisters—Deirdre, Katrine, and young Sheil—continue their childhood game of storytelling, until Deirdre’s encounter with Judge Toddington’s wife forces the sisters to face the limits of their imagination.