Woman of an Uncertain Age - by Priya Malhotra (Paperback)

About the Book

"When fifty-something Naina Mehta's husband dies of a heart attack, she transforms herself from a suburban wife into a bold woman thirsty for new experiences. A far cry from the classic image of the aging Indian widow who dresses in subdued colors and focuses solely on her children and God. Naina moves to New York City, takes up a low-paying job in a contemporary art gallery, and becomes besotted by Jai, her daughter's boyfriend. But that's only the beginning of her journey into this new world that allows her to explore the possibilities of being who she wants to be. As Naina becomes more empowered, she dips her toes into the world of dating for the first time in her life. Maybe the possibility of love still exists for a woman of her age. But what happens if the man in question is Muslim and stirs generational wounds and the wrath of her conservative son? Woman of an Uncertain Age explores the rocky, uncertain terrain of female midlife during a time when the parameters and ideas of midlife are being challenged. What does it mean to be a fifty-plus woman with grown children in such an environment? Especially for Naina, who comes from a culture where life is expected to follow a strict traditional course"--

Book Synopsis

When fifty-something Naina Mehta's husband dies of a heart attack, she transforms herself from a suburban wife into a bold woman thirsty for new experiences. A far cry from the classic image of the aging Indian widow who dresses in subdued colors and focuses solely on her children and God.

Naina moves to New York City, takes up a low-paying job in a contemporary art gallery, and becomes besotted by Jai, her daughter's boyfriend. But that's only the beginning of her journey into this new world that allows her to explore the possibilities of being who she wants to be.

As Naina becomes more empowered, she dips her toes into the world of dating for the first time in her life. Maybe the possibility of love still exists for a woman of her age. But what happens if the man in question is Muslim and stirs generational wounds and the wrath of her conservative son?

Woman of an Uncertain Age explores the rocky, uncertain terrain of female midlife during a time when the parameters and ideas of midlife are being challenged. What does it mean to be a fifty-plus woman with grown children in such an environment? Especially for Naina, who comes from a culture where life is expected to follow a strict traditional course.

Review Quotes

Selected as one of the most anticipated books of September, 2022 by Bustle Magazine.

"In her debut novel, India-born, New York-based journalist Malhotra vividly portrays aspects of Indian immigrant life in the United States." - Library Journal

"Woman of an Uncertain Age is a resounding 'Yes!' to everything that can go right, all that's worth saving and whether life still wants to surprise us. In the intelligent and sensuous Naina, Priya Malhotra has given us the propelling verve of a classic Terry McMillan character with the multicultural tack we love Bharati Mukherjee's Indian American women for. An American story, a New York story, a grown woman story . . . Here is a novel to represent these high times of new life and reopenings." - Kalisha Buckhanon, author of Speaking of Summer

"A poignant and yet witty account of a woman in her fifties grappling with her past, her at times inappropriate desires, and her life as a single widow. Woman of an Uncertain Age is a delightful and surprising read." - Helen Benedict, author of The Good Deed and Wolf Season

In Woman of An Uncertain Age, Priya Malhotra has deftly woven a complex novel that will draw in readers through her beautiful prose, vivid imagery, and memorable characters. I found myself mesmerized by every step in the plot while identifying with every character's trait, choices, and whims. Even the ones I found challenging, they challenged me in a way that made me a better reader, thinker, and ultimately, human. - Reema Zaman, author of I Am Yours and Paramita: A Dystopian Matriarchy

"With a poet's sense of lyricism, a painter's sense of color, and a novelist's sense of story, Priya Malhotra pushes her language to ever greater heights, teetering at the edge, but always pulling back in time. To me, A Woman of an Uncertain Age is about loneliness and longing, about acceptance and understanding, about the strangeness of existence, especially for Naina, who grew up in India but now lives in New York, all caught in an intoxicating range of metaphors, yet told with an honesty that cuts to the bone." - Birgitta Hjalmarson, author of Fylgia and Artful Players: Artistic Life in Early San Francisco

"Priya Malhotra writes with style and verve. Woman of an Uncertain Age is acutely observed and ably brings to the fore the particular anxieties and challenges of ageing, immigration and finding love in the most unexpected of circumstances." - Pallavi Aiyar, author of Smoke and Mirrors: An Experience of China and Orienting: An Indian in Japan