Plot summary, “Clear Light of Day” by Anita Desai in 6 Minutes - Book Review

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Published on May 5, 2025 10:00:06 PM ● Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uVdR8btlEQ

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Clear Light of Day (1980) by Anita Desai is a deeply introspective novel set in post-Partition India, focusing on the lives of the Das family in Old Delhi. Centered around two sisters, Bim and Tara, the story explores memory, family tensions, gender roles, and the lingering trauma of colonialism. As the narrative shifts across time—from present adulthood to childhood and back—it reveals the emotional scars left by personal and national upheaval. The novel, Desai's most autobiographical work and a Booker Prize nominee, is a poignant exploration of forgiveness, duty, and the quiet resilience found in ordinary lives.