A remarkable debut novel set in India that shows one girlas struggle for independence. During World War II and the last days of British occupation in India, fifteen-year-old Vidya dreams of attending college. But when her forward-thinking father is beaten senseless by the British police, she is forced to live with her grandfatheras large traditional family, where the women live apart from the men and are meant to be married off as soon as possible. Vidyaas only refuge becomes her grandfatheras upstairs library, which is forbidden to women. There she meets Raman, a young man also living in the house who relishes her intellectual curiosity. But when Vidyaas brother decides to fight with the hated British against the Nazis, and when Raman proposes marriage too soon, Vidya must question all she has believed in. Padma Venkatramanas debut novel poignantly shows a girl struggling to find her place in a mixedup world. "Climbing the Stairs" is a powerful story about love and loss set against a fascinating historical backdrop.