As you follow her story from the forest to the city, from independence to motherhood, you recognise the depth and magnitude of your own fears and longings, fuelled by the survival instinct that drives all life. Perumal Murugan's story, masterful and nuanced, forces us to consider our own reactions to hierarchy and ownership, selflessness and appetite, love and desire, living and dying. Poonachi is the story of a goat who has lived her entire life with the burden of being different, of a she-goat who survives against all odds. It expresses solidarity with both the animal world and the female condition. The story also serves as a commentary on our times, on the decisions we make as a society and as a nation,?