In a time when most Indian writers are looking at a modern day India and its current trends and dynamic development into a force to reckon with, The Edge of Desire comes as a refreshing change by weaving a tale about the tough years gone by that India has survived through to reach where it is today. Told from the perspective of Shruti Ranjan, a rape victim who believes it is her right to avenge the crime against her, the book describes her various struggles and while doing so brings to light naxalism, Kashmir, religious conversions, money laundering, political wars and many other problems that were the order of the day in the India of the 90’s.
What I liked the best about the book was the rape victim was not a mere vulnerable entity. She was portrayed as a modern Indian woman who was strong, fearless and ready to fight for the right cause. A woman who could be the chaste, calm Draupadi with undying faith in her mentor, but also ready to take on the role of a merciless Durga and make the required sacrifices and trade-offs when it came to getting even with her tormentors and avenging an attack on her dignity.