Anita Desai's 'Fire on the Mountain' Explores Isolation and Family

This book is about an old woman named Nanda Kaul who wants to be left alone in her quiet house in the hills.

She is not interested in her children or grandchildren.

Then, her granddaughter Raka comes to stay with her.

Nanda is not happy about this at first.

The story shows how these two, who are quite alike, find a way to connect.

There's also another woman, Ila Das, a friend from Nanda's past, who visits.

The story shows how different people deal with loneliness, family ties, and the beauty and danger of nature, especially wildfires.