The Miraculous True History of Nomi Ali

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Set in the Andaman Islands during oppressive imperial regimes, this novel is a gripping homage to those omitted from collective memory. Nomi and Zee, Local Borns with a convict father and a mother who accompanies him, navigate the inhospitable beauty of the islands. Their lives are anchored by their friend Aye, their pet hen Priya, and the distracted love of their parents. Meanwhile, Prisoner 218 D wages a personal war against her jailers using only her body and memory. When war descends upon this overlooked outpost of Empire, the British are ousted, and the Japanese take control. As conflict erupts, Zee is forced to flee, leaving Nomi and the islanders to confront new dangers. The islands and surrounding seas transform into a battlefield, leading to tragedy for some and a fragile freedom for others, who become entangled in a web of alliances and betrayals. Ambitiously imagined and hauntingly alive, this narrative weaves together the interwoven stories of individuals caught in history’s vortex—powerless yet possessing their own forms of bravery, wonder, empathy, and endurance. This extraordinary novel offers an unflinching and lyrical exploration of a largely forgotten chapter in subcontinental history.