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The Tree, the Well & the Drag Queen
Dream. A Threat.
A Mumbai-based drag queen must return to their ancestral village to confront an uncanny opponent: A demonic jackfruit tree.
Centuries ago, a man and a woman in search of an elusive treasure fall into the servitude of a dark force that transmogrifies into a gigantic jackfruit Tree.
Generation after generation, their descendants serve the Tree. It’s a vicious cycle of greed and cowardice. And then, a voice of dissent. A descendant defies the gender, familial and social expectations. They manage to break free and build an authentic life, far away from the Tree’s malevolent gaze. But then, they realise that the Tree still holds the reins of their destiny.
Will the drag queen defeat the Tree and break the vicious cycle of servitude? Will they claim absolute freedom?
The Tree, the Well & the Drag Queen blends folklore, myth and magic with a contemporary exploration of gender identity as it follows a queer person’s quest for freedom and authenticity.
A Mumbai-based drag queen must return to their ancestral village to confront an uncanny opponent: A demonic jackfruit tree.
Centuries ago, a man and a woman in search of an elusive treasure fall into the servitude of a dark force that transmogrifies into a gigantic jackfruit Tree.
Generation after generation, their descendants serve the Tree. It’s a vicious cycle of greed and cowardice. And then, a voice of dissent. A descendant defies the gender, familial and social expectations. They manage to break free and build an authentic life, far away from the Tree’s malevolent gaze. But then, they realise that the Tree still holds the reins of their destiny.
Will the drag queen defeat the Tree and break the vicious cycle of servitude? Will they claim absolute freedom?
The Tree, the Well & the Drag Queen blends folklore, myth and magic with a contemporary exploration of gender identity as it follows a queer person’s quest for freedom and authenticity.
126 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2026
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2 people want to read
About the author
Salini Vineeth
8 books30 followersSalini Vineeth is a fiction writer based out in Bangalore, India. Her latest book is Everyday People - a short story collection. Her previous work, Magic Square has sold over a 1000 copies on Amazon. She is an engineering graduate from BITS Pilani, Goa. She later completed MTech from IIIT-Bangalore. Along with fiction, she writes technical blogs for start-ups. She also takes up freelance writing assignments.
Salini is a history buff and ardent fan of mystery novels. One of her proudest achievements is completing the entire Shelock Holmes works by Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle. She adores Sherlock Holmes.
She also has travelled across India, visiting most of the historical destinations. She also takes a keen interest in ancient Indian architecture and philosophy.
Salini is a history buff and ardent fan of mystery novels. One of her proudest achievements is completing the entire Shelock Holmes works by Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle. She adores Sherlock Holmes.
She also has travelled across India, visiting most of the historical destinations. She also takes a keen interest in ancient Indian architecture and philosophy.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
January 19, 2026
This folklore mixes magic realism with battling ancestral traditions to come to terms with one’s own identity. I found this powerful and deeply moving. It’s a novella that I finished in a day. Lovely writing. Highly recommend.
January 22, 2026
4.5 ✨️
A very well written novella. Fluid prose, engrossing narrative. I didn't want it to end.
Half a star less because I thought the ending was a bit rushed, and the font of the print version is too tiny for my old eyes 🫣
A very well written novella. Fluid prose, engrossing narrative. I didn't want it to end.
Half a star less because I thought the ending was a bit rushed, and the font of the print version is too tiny for my old eyes 🫣
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews