Huge congratulations to Deepa Rajagopalan on being shortlisted for the Giller Prize for her debut collection of short stories, Peacocks of Instagram!
In the book, an underappreciated coffee shop server haunted by her past attracts thousands of followers on social media with her peacock jewellery. A hotel housekeeper up against a world of gender and class inequity quietly gets revenge on her chauvinist boss. And a foster child, orphaned in an accident directly attributable to climate change, brings down her foster father, an oil lobbyist, in spectacular fashion.
With an intense awareness of privilege and the lack of it, the fourteen stunning stories in Peacocks of Instagram explore what it means to be safe, to survive, and to call a place home.
For rights inquiries, kindly contact Kirsten Parucha kparucha@anansi.ca.
“Deepa Rajagopalan is a masterful storyteller. In her brilliant debut collection, Peacocks of Instagram, she unveils a world where powerful, ambitious Indian women redefine life on their own terms. In this exquisite symphony of belonging, she deftly challenges conventions with breathtaking prose. Get ready to be captivated by a writer poised to reshape literature.” — Chelene Knight, award-winning author of Junie
“These stories pulse with the stuff of impassioned observation and level-headed confidence. Deepa Rajagopalan takes no reader for granted, and wins her glowing arrival with a beautiful, rich, savvy book. If any peacocks were harmed in its making, there isn’t a feather out of place.” — Canisia Lubrin, author of Code Noir
“Peacocks of Instagram is brimming with humour, wit, and sharp-eyed insight. These are tales about the immigrant hustle and the pain of being overlooked. They explore transgressions and betrayals between friends and lovers. Spanning countries and continents, Deepa Rajagopalan’s stories show us that, in spite of it all, we can persevere. A gorgeous debut by a genuine talent.” — Sindya Bhanoo, author of Seeking Fortune Elsewhere
“Peacocks of Instagram offers candid snapshots of the intimacies, the small braveries, and the strange twists of fate that shape and connect ordinary people across time and continents. At once piercing and tender, these stories are richly textured and glittering with gorgeous detail. Rajagopalan’s characters are dreamers and survivors, risk-takers and rule-breakers—you’ll be rooting for each and every one of them from the first page to the last. A fresh voice in Canadian storytelling and a must-read collection!” — Anuja Varghese, author of Chrysalis
“Inhabiting children’s and adult perspectives with equal acuity, Deepa Rajagopalan has a finely tuned, confident voice and a seemingly effortless knack for evoking pathos in the dynamics between her diverse, and often fractious, cast of characters. Peacocks of Instagram is a mature, honest collection of stories that thoughtfully examine themes of agency and power, a book as beautifully written as it is emotionally affecting.” — Pasha Malla, author of Kill the Mall
Deepa is represented by Marilyn Biderman.
Congratulations, Deepa!!