Palpasa Cafe

The novel starts with the dramatic mystery of a journalist waiting for his friend, an artist named Drishya, who has suddenly been abducted by Maoist rebels. Set against the tumultuous backdrop of the Nepalese Civil War and the immediate aftermath of the royal family massacre, the narrative follows Drishya as he travels through the war-torn countryside. Amidst the violence, he falls into a platonic love affair with Palpasa, a first-generation American-Nepali woman visiting her parents' homeland. The story serves as a poetic yet gritty anti-war testimony, capturing how everyday citizens tried to survive while being caught in the crossfire between the government forces and the Maoist insurgents.