Fireflies in the Mist A Novel

Ambitious, subtle and intricately structured, Fireflies spans nearly four decades of East Bengal`s history , from the dawn of nationalism to the restless aftermath of the bloody struggle for an independent Bangladesh. At the heart of this many-centred novel is Deepali Sarkar, a young Hindu attracted to the extreme left wing of the nationalist movement, and Rehan Ahmed, a Muslim radical of Marxist inclinations who introduces her to the life of the rural deprived. Their common political engagement draws them into a quietly doomed love affair. Through their relationship, Hyder explores the growth of tension between Bengal s Hindus and Muslims who had once shared a culture and a history. History, says Hyder, is another name for humanity s inability to learn its lesson. Lit by the flare of Hyder s prose, history is captured in the glow of the firefly s wing, unfolding in the lives of her characters as they try to come to terms with their own and Bengal`s shifting fortunes.