Truth/Untruth

Book Details

• Author: Mahasweta Devi

• Publisher: Penguin

• Language: English

• Edition: 2023

• ISBN: 9781803090771

• Pages: 151

• Cover: Hardcover

• Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.3 x 0.7 inches

About the Book

Truth/Untruth by Mahasweta Devi presents a searing critique of Calcutta society in the mid-1980s. The fast-paced thriller revolves around the death of Jamuna, a pregnant maid working in an affluent apartment complex, and Arjun, the businessman who seduced her. Set against a backdrop of moral corruption, lust, and societal greed, the novel explores the complex dynamics between different classes of society—from the middle-class intellectuals to the unscrupulous promoters and the domestic workers and slum dwellers who populate the city.

Through dark humor and biting satire, Devi dissects the relationships of power, exploitation, and hypocrisy, exposing how sex, lies, and death shape the interactions between the wealthy and the underprivileged. Known for her activism and feminist writing, Truth/Untruth takes a bold departure from her usual style, offering a chilling portrait of urban life marked by inequality and moral decay.