Archive · 5 Sep 2026
Arathi Menon’s Da Examines Queer Lives Through a Child’s Eyes
Da is a novel about a 13-year-old boy named Ved.
Ved is being raised by his mother’s brother, whom he calls da.
Da is in love with another man, and Ved slowly learns what that means.
At first, Ved does not like the idea of someone new entering their home.
He watches the adults, listens to the news and asks many questions.
The story takes place during an important time when Indian courts were debating laws affecting gay people.
Ved’s viewpoint helps readers understand how unfair laws can hurt families and communities.
The reviewer praises the book’s tenderness but says some parts of Ved’s voice and discoveries feel uneven.
Arathi Menon’s novel Da follows 13-year-old Ved as he observes his gay uncle’s life and relationships.
Set against India’s 2013 legal debates over homosexuality, the novel explores stigma and the effects of regressive laws.
Ved’s first-person narration presents adult queer lives through an inquisitive, vulnerable adolescent perspective.
The review praises the novel’s subtle portrayal of domesticity, family, love and Ved’s changing understanding of his uncle.
The reviewer also finds Ved’s voice uneven in places and considers some passages about adolescent sexuality overly deliberate.
- Who
- Arathi Menon, the author, and Ved, the 13-year-old narrator who observes his uncle’s life.
- What
- A review of Da, a novel about a child’s observations of queer relationships, family and legal stigma.
- When
- The story addresses India’s 2013 court debates over homosexuality; the review does not specify the novel’s publication date.
- Where
- India, including the social and legal context surrounding queer lives there.
- Why
- The novel examines how laws and stigma affect queer people while showing these issues through a child’s perspective.
- Book
- Da
- Author
- Arathi Menon
- Publisher
- Pan Macmillan India
- Narrator
- Ved, a 13-year-old boy
- Central relationship
- Ved observes his maternal uncle, da, who is in love with another man.
- Historical context
- India’s 2013 court debates over the rights of queer people
- Review assessment
- The novel is praised for its tenderness and political insight, though the reviewer finds its voice uneven in places.