Alpha Land

“Around the middle of 2006, I felt like writing a novel and it occurred to me that I could return to that tiny idea fragment,” says the Delhi-based writer. And that is the beginning of her new book, Escape, which she prefers to call an “adult novel”. More of that eyebrow-raising phrase later.

The setting of Escape (Picador) is nihilistic, its landscape peopled solely by men —generals and gypsies, peasants and station masters — all intent on keeping their land women-free. Meanwhile, Meiji, the only woman, is growing up secretly at the plush estate of her three uncles, Eldest, Middle and Youngest.

While Padmanabhan is known for her affinity to science fiction, she refuses to categorise Escape as one. “Actually, it surprises me to hear people speak of science fiction as they would fairy tales or something intended for young readers,” she says. And that is one reason she has called the novel “adult”. “I know it sounds vaguely like adult movies, but that is not the intention. The only other novels I’ve written have been for children. Since Escape is my first novel for adults, I needed to make that distinction,” she laughs.