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The Ex Daughters of Tolstoy House
‘A scalpel-sharp, blood-soaked, glittering debut.’—Nilanjana Roy
‘A superb Gothic novel set in the bland calm of Lutyens’ Delhi. Never has the misogyny of desi men been more monstrously imagined in fiction. The story’s connective tissue is blood and its characters are often walking meat… a dark and dazzling debut.’—Mukul Kesavan, writer
Meera appears to be living the perfect life. She has a good husband, Ambarish, and three obedient daughters, Sujata, Kavita and Naina. But Ambarish’s odd disappearances in the middle of the night and the salt he leaves scattered on the floor, all lead her to a dark secret. One that brings the past into the present, and threatens to consume her daughters’ lives.
Naina is used to following her father’s orders, it’s how her mother has raised her. So when he calls on her to wipe blood off a dead body, Naina obliges, after all, she has been doing this for nearly thirty years. But this time, the body is not a stranger. It’s her mother.
Forced to reckon with her own complicity in the act, Naina must navigate her family’s history, if only to provide the next generation with a better life.
In this brilliant debut, Arunima Tenzin Tara writes with the skill of a master storyteller, and the power of her prose turns this macabre novel of crime into a near-hypnotic study of evil that will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
‘A superb Gothic novel set in the bland calm of Lutyens’ Delhi. Never has the misogyny of desi men been more monstrously imagined in fiction. The story’s connective tissue is blood and its characters are often walking meat… a dark and dazzling debut.’—Mukul Kesavan, writer
Meera appears to be living the perfect life. She has a good husband, Ambarish, and three obedient daughters, Sujata, Kavita and Naina. But Ambarish’s odd disappearances in the middle of the night and the salt he leaves scattered on the floor, all lead her to a dark secret. One that brings the past into the present, and threatens to consume her daughters’ lives.
Naina is used to following her father’s orders, it’s how her mother has raised her. So when he calls on her to wipe blood off a dead body, Naina obliges, after all, she has been doing this for nearly thirty years. But this time, the body is not a stranger. It’s her mother.
Forced to reckon with her own complicity in the act, Naina must navigate her family’s history, if only to provide the next generation with a better life.
In this brilliant debut, Arunima Tenzin Tara writes with the skill of a master storyteller, and the power of her prose turns this macabre novel of crime into a near-hypnotic study of evil that will stay with you long after the last page is turned.
- GenresFiction
304 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
August 26, 2025
Every family is complicated and harbours secrets, but none like those who live in the Tolstoy house. ‘Tolstoy house’ is home to a seemingly perfect family living in Delhi. From the outside, Ambarish and Meera appear to be the ideal parents any child could wish for. Ambarish, a surgeon trained in China, is smart and successful, while his wife Meera is the epitome of grace and loyalty. They raise their three daughters with culture and lots of love, ensuring they carry forward their family’s values without any questions. But beneath the surface lie stories and secrets that would leave anyone’s blood curdling.
Sujata, Kavita, and Naina were taught to obey their father’s every order and to never reveal what he is truly up to. But unlike any normal father, Ambarish doesn’t expect just respect and obedience. He demands secrecy and silence and the daughters are forced to soak up the blood he leaves behind. Every woman he has encountered and loved knows about his dark passion for murder and how he collects a memento from each of his victims. Yet no one dares question him, such is the control he holds over them. Meera and Rini compete for Ambarish’s love, even grooming and endangering their own children in the process. But will the daughters ever escape the black hole that is the Tolstoy house?
This book literally gave me chills and stayed with me long after I finished it. It is a powerful parallel between a gothic, macabre mystery and deeply rooted patriarchal family values. At many points, I found myself gasping at the extent of control the parents had over their children, leaving them with no choice but to obey. There was an intense rage and urgency within me to pull the daughters out of the book and into safety. The mystery is laid open from the start, yet the storytelling is so intense and passionate that you can’t stop reading.
This book reveals the terrifying lengths to which women may go to win the man they love and how much damage parents can inflict on their own children. Also, the author’s reference to Tolstoy when writing about an unhappy family was a clever literary touch. I definitely hadn’t heard of this book before Blogchatter listed it, and now I can’t imagine not having read it. You will absolutely love it for the fine details and intricate storytelling.
August 21, 2025
4.5/5 ⭐
This is one of the most disturbing books I have read this year. It's a haunting and chilling story of a psychopath of a surgeon who thrives on killing other people just for the sake of adrenaline rush. It's set in the posh locality in Delhi and it's macabre.
The book also highlights how patriarchy flows, how men are capable of such control on women, how women are conditioned to obey men even when they are wrong and at their absolute worst, just to keep the secrets of the family within the family and to keep united as one unit in the face of social settings.
Meera, Naina and Rini are such characters in this book. They wanted to be loved and for the mere morsels of love thrown their way they would do anything Ambarish would say without even questioning him.
Meera, wife of a renowned surgeon Ambarish falls down the steep path of jealousy with Rini with whom she thinks Ambarish is closer and their understanding of each other. She would do anything to make Ambarish fall in love with her, even if her daughters' lives are at stake.
Naina, the youngest daughter of Ambarish and Meera was conditioned in a way that she would never question her father because of the safety net he provides and no one can measure up to that when it comes to taking care of his own. She falls into the competition with her other two elder sisters as to who'd become their father's favourite.
Rini is the most important piece in this puzzle, an accomplice in everything Ambarish did because she loved him beyond measure and wanted to be loved in return by him for she feared loneliness. Belonging in some way is far better than living a lonely life for a divorced woman.
For a debut, the author has done an amazing job writing it so well. If you're a fan of gothic/horror/macabre literature I'd say this is the one you should pick. It will disturb you for days and you'll be amazed to witness how a person puts an immaculate image in front of society yet he's everything one should be feared of.
This is one of the most disturbing books I have read this year. It's a haunting and chilling story of a psychopath of a surgeon who thrives on killing other people just for the sake of adrenaline rush. It's set in the posh locality in Delhi and it's macabre.
The book also highlights how patriarchy flows, how men are capable of such control on women, how women are conditioned to obey men even when they are wrong and at their absolute worst, just to keep the secrets of the family within the family and to keep united as one unit in the face of social settings.
Meera, Naina and Rini are such characters in this book. They wanted to be loved and for the mere morsels of love thrown their way they would do anything Ambarish would say without even questioning him.
Meera, wife of a renowned surgeon Ambarish falls down the steep path of jealousy with Rini with whom she thinks Ambarish is closer and their understanding of each other. She would do anything to make Ambarish fall in love with her, even if her daughters' lives are at stake.
Naina, the youngest daughter of Ambarish and Meera was conditioned in a way that she would never question her father because of the safety net he provides and no one can measure up to that when it comes to taking care of his own. She falls into the competition with her other two elder sisters as to who'd become their father's favourite.
Rini is the most important piece in this puzzle, an accomplice in everything Ambarish did because she loved him beyond measure and wanted to be loved in return by him for she feared loneliness. Belonging in some way is far better than living a lonely life for a divorced woman.
For a debut, the author has done an amazing job writing it so well. If you're a fan of gothic/horror/macabre literature I'd say this is the one you should pick. It will disturb you for days and you'll be amazed to witness how a person puts an immaculate image in front of society yet he's everything one should be feared of.
March 27, 2025
Naina, oh Naina! Her tragedy is that she cannot believe she can survive without a man. All that blood pulling and blood letting and blood cleaning made her think this. This was the greater tragedy than the bizarre and dark plot point that forms the fulcrum of the story.
Let me first congratulate Arunima on her tight prose. i don’t think there was one unnecessary word in there. The writing reminded me of Namita Gokhale’s Gods, Grave and Grandmothers. While it is being sold as genre fiction, I am persuaded that it is literary simply because Naina’s character drives the plot. Meera’s character too has been well developed, her arc gradually going from being wide-eyed and in love to becoming the devious person she is. But her refrain always that she did it for her daughters; and that she knew her daughters will understand. How many of us know such characters? I know many, wives, mothers and daughters, all to different degrees, enabling male toxic traits around them. There is no saying that they would draw a line at murder. This mirror that the novel holds to society is perhaps the one thing that makes the novel live long in the minds of readers.
What i really liked about the book is that Tara sets out to tell us a story about patriarchy and she does not complicate it with characters from different class locations (except for Lakshmi Amma ). Because class brings with it its own set of complications. And I love that they are all elite. Poverty and patriarchy have been over explored anyway and it is nice to see something that is almost exclusively in Lutyen’s Delhi, hardly spilling out.
Initially, the Naina chapters reminded me of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, especially the suspense part. But not for long. I think the reader figures out pretty early on what is happening. I wonder if the suspense could have been retained for a little bit longer.
I am very intrigued by the absolute absence of Meera’s family in the whole novel. I understand that sociopaths will isolate you from people close to you. And it does follow character. But it seems unlikely that her family wouldnt even try to keep in touch or even suspect that something was wrong. Even if their efforts are thwarted, i would have liked to see the “social network,” at the very least, curious.
The most poignant part of the novel, to me, was when Naina dreams of “a room of one’s own”. Apart from the obvious hat-tip to Virginia Woolf, the sentence that follows, “I want one so that I can dance naked in the living room.” is so evocative. What follows is more evocative prose filled with Naina’s longing.
Let me first congratulate Arunima on her tight prose. i don’t think there was one unnecessary word in there. The writing reminded me of Namita Gokhale’s Gods, Grave and Grandmothers. While it is being sold as genre fiction, I am persuaded that it is literary simply because Naina’s character drives the plot. Meera’s character too has been well developed, her arc gradually going from being wide-eyed and in love to becoming the devious person she is. But her refrain always that she did it for her daughters; and that she knew her daughters will understand. How many of us know such characters? I know many, wives, mothers and daughters, all to different degrees, enabling male toxic traits around them. There is no saying that they would draw a line at murder. This mirror that the novel holds to society is perhaps the one thing that makes the novel live long in the minds of readers.
What i really liked about the book is that Tara sets out to tell us a story about patriarchy and she does not complicate it with characters from different class locations (except for Lakshmi Amma ). Because class brings with it its own set of complications. And I love that they are all elite. Poverty and patriarchy have been over explored anyway and it is nice to see something that is almost exclusively in Lutyen’s Delhi, hardly spilling out.
Initially, the Naina chapters reminded me of Daphne Du Maurier’s Rebecca, especially the suspense part. But not for long. I think the reader figures out pretty early on what is happening. I wonder if the suspense could have been retained for a little bit longer.
I am very intrigued by the absolute absence of Meera’s family in the whole novel. I understand that sociopaths will isolate you from people close to you. And it does follow character. But it seems unlikely that her family wouldnt even try to keep in touch or even suspect that something was wrong. Even if their efforts are thwarted, i would have liked to see the “social network,” at the very least, curious.
The most poignant part of the novel, to me, was when Naina dreams of “a room of one’s own”. Apart from the obvious hat-tip to Virginia Woolf, the sentence that follows, “I want one so that I can dance naked in the living room.” is so evocative. What follows is more evocative prose filled with Naina’s longing.
May 23, 2025
The Sunbird and the beautiful embroidered pattern in which the cover holds the title was what attracted my attention towards the book. But the story the book holds is probably the darkest I have read so far this year.
Set in Delhi, the story revolves around a well-to-do family of south Delhi that enjoys high social status. But they are not all what meets the eye. Narrated through the point of view of the youngest daughter Naina and the mother Meera, the story unfolds between what has happened in the past and what’s going on in the present. It is a tragic story of crime and patriarchy.
Unsettling and creepy at certain points and haunting and chilling at some others. The use of detail is beautiful. With every narrative you come closer to unveiling something new about the Sehgal and just when you think you have figured it out, you realise there is more.
The story requires you to read with full focus to get each and every detail. I loved that there were references to birds and food, two of my favourite things peppered across the storyline. And having read the book, I might avoid eating fish for a while (you’ll have to read the book to know why I said so).
Even though it is the debut book of the author, it feels like the work of someone who has already written multiple books. I thoroughly enjoyed going through each page of the book. Decoding the complexities of the characters and seeing everything come together in the end was an amazing experience.
Took me a month to read this, and every bit was worth it!! People who like to read crime and psychological thrillers should definitely pick this up.
Set in Delhi, the story revolves around a well-to-do family of south Delhi that enjoys high social status. But they are not all what meets the eye. Narrated through the point of view of the youngest daughter Naina and the mother Meera, the story unfolds between what has happened in the past and what’s going on in the present. It is a tragic story of crime and patriarchy.
Unsettling and creepy at certain points and haunting and chilling at some others. The use of detail is beautiful. With every narrative you come closer to unveiling something new about the Sehgal and just when you think you have figured it out, you realise there is more.
The story requires you to read with full focus to get each and every detail. I loved that there were references to birds and food, two of my favourite things peppered across the storyline. And having read the book, I might avoid eating fish for a while (you’ll have to read the book to know why I said so).
Even though it is the debut book of the author, it feels like the work of someone who has already written multiple books. I thoroughly enjoyed going through each page of the book. Decoding the complexities of the characters and seeing everything come together in the end was an amazing experience.
Took me a month to read this, and every bit was worth it!! People who like to read crime and psychological thrillers should definitely pick this up.
January 2, 2026
This book might as well have been written in blood on stitched skin. It is brilliantly crafted, leaping between the past and the present, both equally eerie and horrifying. It might appear easy to write a character that is evil for the sake of evil, that commits atrocity because it is second nature. Arunima, however, navigates that temptation and instead weaves the portrait of a family that is both complicit and desperate. At times, the choices made by the characters (particularly Naina, Rini and Meera) are baffling, so much so that you want to tear into the page, grab the character by the scruff of their neck and demand, "what is the matter with you!" But then, like all good fiction, you begin to question your own treacherous loyalty towards family and all things love.
A lot of these characters are not easy to like or root for. Their choices stem from insecurities and fears stretched to a radical, elastic extreme; but like all things elastic, there is always a survival instinct that blooms at the point of snapping. Even when it comes absurdly late, you get the sense that it could have been later.
And while there is blood of many kinds, and buried bodies and stolen skin, enough to curdle your insides, there's also some lovely imagery, particularly of birds and food. Arunima's knowledge of food thrives in this story. Her scenes with recipes and bird watching are not forced upon the reader, but form a very delectable backbone to much of Naina's interiority. Really enjoyed those bits.
A lot of these characters are not easy to like or root for. Their choices stem from insecurities and fears stretched to a radical, elastic extreme; but like all things elastic, there is always a survival instinct that blooms at the point of snapping. Even when it comes absurdly late, you get the sense that it could have been later.
And while there is blood of many kinds, and buried bodies and stolen skin, enough to curdle your insides, there's also some lovely imagery, particularly of birds and food. Arunima's knowledge of food thrives in this story. Her scenes with recipes and bird watching are not forced upon the reader, but form a very delectable backbone to much of Naina's interiority. Really enjoyed those bits.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 17, 2025
There is no escaping blood. In the veins, in the weight of the body in the smell that seeps into every pore or in the oozing of gelatinous tracks from dead bodies. For a book with such a morbid theme The Ex-daughters of Tolstoy House by Arunima Tenzin Tara is surprisingly readable and keeps the reader engrossed.The colour red winds its way through the pastels and whites and the smell of blood is countered by the aromas of the kitchen till the dissonances collide and implode. The suggestion of a bloodline is there in the title itself but like the other dichotomies in the novel it is not simply a patriarchal inheritance. The women in this book are its real core raising questions about the force of women's agency when driven by the passions. The 'ex' before 'daughters' hints at ruptures to come which culminates in the final fate of the entwined family tree.
Under the guise of a potboiler the novel fulfills the true promise of the gothic, a journey into the dark abysses of our selves.
Under the guise of a potboiler the novel fulfills the true promise of the gothic, a journey into the dark abysses of our selves.
March 16, 2025
Unsettling, as a book on crime and patriarchy should be. Easy to read, there is a dissociativeness and denial that appropriately captures the psyche of women like Naina and Meera, doing what they have been - especially Naina who grew up in it.
I think this will stay with me, not least because the patriarchal systems shown are not atypical even in ordinary, real families. Reminds me in that way of when I learned about the Burari case.
The themes of blood and physicality of shame carried by the daughters was well wrought and visceral.
The beautiful descriptions of home & love in food was another interesting part juxtaposed with the shame and guilt. As a former meat eater who remembers well the enjoyment/temptations of eating meat, some descriptions of the butchering process and allusions to violence were vivid enough that it definitely made me feel secretly relieved that I am now vegan awhile!
I think this will stay with me, not least because the patriarchal systems shown are not atypical even in ordinary, real families. Reminds me in that way of when I learned about the Burari case.
The themes of blood and physicality of shame carried by the daughters was well wrought and visceral.
The beautiful descriptions of home & love in food was another interesting part juxtaposed with the shame and guilt. As a former meat eater who remembers well the enjoyment/temptations of eating meat, some descriptions of the butchering process and allusions to violence were vivid enough that it definitely made me feel secretly relieved that I am now vegan awhile!
May 29, 2025
I did not enjoy this book. But I still think it's a 4-star book because of the reactions it elicited from and the way it disturbed me, which I think is the hallmark of a good work of art.
The plot is macabre - an outwardly respectable and respected member of society has an evil perverse, alter ego, a Hyde to his Jekyll, that kills women and then gets his daughters, who are gifted with an unnatural power to soak up blood, to clean up after his deeds. (And as I write this, I'm wondering why I would have wanted to read an entire book about this.) His daughters are torn about their complicity, part of them wanting to break free from him while another part feels indebted to him and is unable to break free, and therein lies the real story - one of powerplay, dependence, enmeshment, and entrapment.
If this were a movie, it would be an artsy horror film. Not my scene, but if you can handle such gruesomeness, you could give this a shot.
The plot is macabre - an outwardly respectable and respected member of society has an evil perverse, alter ego, a Hyde to his Jekyll, that kills women and then gets his daughters, who are gifted with an unnatural power to soak up blood, to clean up after his deeds. (And as I write this, I'm wondering why I would have wanted to read an entire book about this.) His daughters are torn about their complicity, part of them wanting to break free from him while another part feels indebted to him and is unable to break free, and therein lies the real story - one of powerplay, dependence, enmeshment, and entrapment.
If this were a movie, it would be an artsy horror film. Not my scene, but if you can handle such gruesomeness, you could give this a shot.
March 19, 2025
haunting and chilling. beautifully written. from the very start itself there is something unsettling and creepy about the way things are unfolding, there are small subtle hints. love how the narrative shifts between Meera and Naina and their anxieties and wishes and desires. lovely ending. very gripping.
the essence of clothes tied to memories and this v nuanced silence that speaks v loudly through both the generation about not questioning their boundaries but what is their inante boundary, the hereditary one or the ones that are refined.
the essence of clothes tied to memories and this v nuanced silence that speaks v loudly through both the generation about not questioning their boundaries but what is their inante boundary, the hereditary one or the ones that are refined.
December 22, 2025
Chilling (gothic) thriller about the horrors of patriarchy. The myths, the connections across Asian borders, the breathtaking cooking descriptions, the supposed modernity of the South Delhi neighborhood, the sisterhood - all pulled me in instantly and I literally wolfed down this brilliant debut within 24 hours.
December 29, 2025
Well written although it isn't a genre I usually read so shouldn't comment about plot points that didn't make sense to me but I suspect they aren't supposed to except in an over arching way in conveying the theme and the struggle of the protagonist. I enjoyed it.
June 2, 2025
The end was a little lacking for me, but otherwise the characters and story was gripping and beautiful
June 5, 2025
Almost 4 stars but for the end.
September 5, 2025
A thriller about a family, and the killer is known to the family? A page turner and for the debut this is a wonderful story.
May 30, 2025
On the face of it the Sehgals who live in a sprawling mansion in Luteyen’s Delhi are a perfect family. But beneath the polished exterior lurks a gruesome secret- the daughters have been taught to soak up human blood from the floor and hold it in their bodies till it is ejected out during their periods!
The book begins with Naina, the youngest daughter now in her forties, being summoned by her father to clean up the blood pooled around the dead body of her mother. After this dramatic beginning, the book settles into the story that could be that of any other family. Like many other similar families, this family too is seeped in patriarchy- the kind of patriarchy which seems almost benign, but where everything runs according to the wishes and whims of the patriarch, and where the women learn very soon that obeying and pleasing him is the only way to buy peace.
Gradually the macabre makes an appearance, but though those incidents are gruesome, true horror remains in the soul of the people. While you are repulsed by many of the incidents of pure evil, when you reflect on the book, you realise that what is truly revolting is the choices that human beings make.
Told through the alternating viewpoints of the mother and her youngest daughter, the book is a exploration of emotional abuse within families and of how easily generational trauma gets passed on.
The writing is so assured that is hard to believe that ”The Ex-Daughters of Tolstoy House” is Arunima Tenzin Tara’s debut novel. While reading the book, my mind kept skipping back to that other great debut novel, Mary Shelly's “Frankenstein”. If one invented the genre of Gothic novels, the other carries the tradition forward with pride.
This is one of the most disturbing books I read this year. By using the backdrop of an affluent household to tell a chilling story of abuse and violence, the author has proved yet again that the true horror is the horror within us. While this may not be a genre that is appealing to most people, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read books that expose the human soul.
I received a review copy from Speaking Tiger, and you can find a more detailed review here- https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2025/05/...
The book begins with Naina, the youngest daughter now in her forties, being summoned by her father to clean up the blood pooled around the dead body of her mother. After this dramatic beginning, the book settles into the story that could be that of any other family. Like many other similar families, this family too is seeped in patriarchy- the kind of patriarchy which seems almost benign, but where everything runs according to the wishes and whims of the patriarch, and where the women learn very soon that obeying and pleasing him is the only way to buy peace.
Gradually the macabre makes an appearance, but though those incidents are gruesome, true horror remains in the soul of the people. While you are repulsed by many of the incidents of pure evil, when you reflect on the book, you realise that what is truly revolting is the choices that human beings make.
Told through the alternating viewpoints of the mother and her youngest daughter, the book is a exploration of emotional abuse within families and of how easily generational trauma gets passed on.
The writing is so assured that is hard to believe that ”The Ex-Daughters of Tolstoy House” is Arunima Tenzin Tara’s debut novel. While reading the book, my mind kept skipping back to that other great debut novel, Mary Shelly's “Frankenstein”. If one invented the genre of Gothic novels, the other carries the tradition forward with pride.
This is one of the most disturbing books I read this year. By using the backdrop of an affluent household to tell a chilling story of abuse and violence, the author has proved yet again that the true horror is the horror within us. While this may not be a genre that is appealing to most people, I would recommend this book to anyone who loves to read books that expose the human soul.
I received a review copy from Speaking Tiger, and you can find a more detailed review here- https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2025/05/...
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