Description

Something is stirring in the heart of Old Delhi…

Prowling, hunting and fighting amidst the crumbling ruins of one of Delhi’s oldest neighbourhoods, are the proud Wildings. These feral cats fear no one, go where they want and do as they please. Battle-scarred tomcats, fierce warrior queens, the Wildings have ruled over Nizamuddin for centuries.

Now there is a new addition to the clan – a pampered housecat with strange powers that could turn their world on its head. And something is stirring in the old Shuttered House – something dark and cruel and dangerous. As a terrifying new enemy emerges from the shadows, the Wildings will need all the allies they can get, as they fight for Nizamuddin, and their lives.

‘A delight to read’ Salman Rushdie

‘Could well become a classic in its own time’ Sunday Guardian

‘You’ll wish you had whiskers and could mew. The world as imagined by Roy in this remarkable debut is filled with marvels’ DNA India

Nilanjana Roy spent most of her adult life writing about humans before realizing that animals were much more fun. The Wildings, her first novel, won the Shakti Bhatt First Book Award and was Shortlisted for the Commonwealth First Book Award and the Tata Literature First Book Award. She lives in Delhi with three cats and her husband.

The story of The Wildings will continue in The Hundred Names of Darkness.

Publisher Review

A stylish, bloody, literary addition, set in India and already a considerable critical success there. Rich in cat telepathy and shuddery feral madness, it is ideal for those who need stronger meat than the fantasy-by-numbers Warrior Cat series Guardian Filled with a large cast of fascinating and unusual animal characters... this is a real page-turner, and the cats' eye view of the world is very cleverly maintained... a feline Watership Down Lovereading4kids I found The Wildings gripping, and the author had a good grip on the life of cats, really making it seem accurate and realistic from a feline's point of view. I especially enjoyed the idea of communication through whiskers, and how strength was all about how much control and power you had over your 'projection'. You will imagine yourself as a cat before you know it! SCOOP magazine I absolutely loved this book and I'm so glad that I read it In Need of a Read (blog) A captivating Indian adventure... The Wildings will take you off to exotic places full of felines and adventure... what more could you want? Catworld Nilanjana Roy's stories are a delight to read Salman Rushdie The voices of @nilanjanaroy's THE WILDINGS are as compelling as the action Imogen Russell Williams Recommend it? Absolutely Luna's Little Library (blog) Nilanjana Roy's writing is really strong and it looks to be a great start to a new series Sarah's Chapter (blog) This was like being a little kid again...I definitely recommend this book. The Whispering of the Page (blog) This is not fluffy stuff or childlike in the least, it is mythical and in the best traditions of myths and legends, it has an edge that modern tales for children often lack Screen Wipe (blog) Exciting, touching and thrilling -- Sidney Greenslade Lovereading4kids Amazing and incredible -- Toby Little Lovereading4kids A must-read... Fantastic! -- Sam Harper Lovereading4kids One of those unassuming treasures that have the power to grip children. Adults will also not be immune to its lure... As with all the classics, this is a book that has to be bought again before handing on to the next generation, because the original has fallen apart from so much use Strange Alliances (blog) Imagine Harry Potter. But with cats No Mourners, No Funerals (blog) A vivid read The Times of India A few pages into Nilanajana Roy's The Wildings, you'll wish you had whiskers and could mew... a page turner and a charming read DNA India Highly compelling... an enjoyable read New Welsh Review If you're going to read just one book this year, make it this one. I don't know where to start with The Wildings, reading this book was such an amazing experience... The Wildings is one of those books you can read and love at any age... I'd recommend this page-turner in a heartbeat. Stick it on your TBR if you haven't already, and if you're not a cat-lover, be prepared to fall in love with Southpaw and the gang anyway Sugar Quills (blog) The Wildings was an excellent read that I enjoyed immensely. It's place on the 2017 Waterstones Children's Book Prize shortlist is well deserved, and I recommend it to anyone who isn't squeamish about hunting a few rats Fairy Tales Again (blog) Amazing... you should go buy it right now Charlie CP (blog)