The Woman Who Climbed Trees

At fourteen, Meena’s life takes a drastic turn when her parents marry her off to Manmohan, a twenty-one-year-old Nepali boy she has never met. According to custom, she must leave her childhood home, abandoning everything and everyone she knows, to move to Nepal and adapt to the life and identity of her husband’s family.

Manmohan, a college student, spends most of his time in Kathmandu, leaving Meena alone in a small village with her demanding mother-in-law. Isolated and lonely, Meena gradually finds solace and affection in her sister-in-law, who becomes a source of comfort in her new and challenging environment.

“The Woman Who Climbed Trees” masterfully blends realism with ghost stories, myths, and folktales. It follows the courageous and resilient Meena as she navigates her new life in a foreign land, struggling to meet her new family’s expectations. The story also extends to her daughter, exploring their diasporic experiences and the complex dynamics of family and identity in an ever-changing world. Through this journey, Meena and her daughter learn to find their own strength and voice amidst the uncertainties of their lives.