An orphaned girl. A cruel twist of fate. A spectacular adventure. Bengal, 1930. Young pom's life changes forever when her family is wiped out in a devastating flood. She becomes a maidservant in a british boarding school where she discovers her gift for languages. Amidst the drudgery of her duties, she finds unexpected friendship and experiences the stirrings of first love. However, tragedy strikes and she is forced into hiding. Alone and desperate, she is recruited into a brothel for english officers. She hopes this secretive, decadent world will shield her from the demons of her past. But fate intervenes, and our heroine is on the run again-to calcutta, the city of palaces, where she finds herself caught up in the rising tide of indian nationalism. Changing her name to kamala, she creates a new life for herself, one that holds the promise of happiness and true love . . . Until her past returns haunt her. Filled with romance, danger, intrigue and betrayal, the city of palaces is a lush, sprawling saga about a feisty young heroine and her struggle for survival. 'sujata masterfully weaves her heroine's life with india's struggle and fight for freedom and gives us an elegant piece of indian history wrapped beautifully in pom's story'-amulya malladi, author of the mango season.