Mumbai, July 24: Audible, an Amazon company and the creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, announced the release of The First House, the much-awaited second novel from Booker Prize-shortlisted author Avni Doshi. Published in partnership with HarperCollins India, the audiobook launches simultaneously with the hardcover and eBook editions, giving readers and listeners the opportunity to experience the story in their preferred format from day one. Narrated by Avni Doshi herself, the audiobook brings an added layer of intimacy to one of the year's most anticipated literary releases.
Following the global success of Burnt Sugar, first published in India as Girl in White Cotton and shortlisted for the 2020 Booker Prize, The First House marks Doshi's return with a deeply evocative novel about emotional rupture, reinvention and the possibility of starting over.
The novel follows a woman whose seemingly secure life is upended when her husband unexpectedly asks for a divorce. As she finds herself raising two young daughters while confronting the collapse of the future she imagined, she begins an inward journey through memory, mythology and self-discovery.
Narrated by Avni Doshi, the audiobook offers listeners a uniquely personal experience of the novel. Hearing the story in the author's own voice adds emotional depth and authenticity, allowing audiences to experience its shifting moods, quiet tensions and lyrical prose exactly as she envisioned them.
Shailesh Sawlani, Head of Global Revenue Marketing, Audible, said,
"Avni Doshi is one of the most distinctive literary voices of our time, and The First House is a powerful exploration of identity, change and resilience. Releasing the audiobook alongside the print edition ensures listeners can experience this remarkable story from the moment it enters the world, in whichever format they choose. Having Avni narrate the audiobook herself makes the listening experience especially intimate, allowing audiences to connect with the emotional depth and nuance of the novel through the author's own voice. "
Avni Doshi said,
“Writing and narrating are very different acts of storytelling. When I recorded The First House, I found myself returning to the emotional rhythms of the novel in a way I hadn't anticipated. Reading the story aloud made me notice its silences, its tensions and its moments of transformation differently. I'm happy that listeners will be able to experience the book this way, and I hope hearing it in my own voice creates a more intimate encounter with the story.“
Praised by celebrated authors including Douglas Stuart, Katie Kitamura, Geetanjali Shree and Deepa Anappara, The First House has already been recognised for its incisive prose, emotional intensity and powerful exploration of marriage, motherhood and identity.
The First House audiobook is now available on Audible.in. Listeners can access it by downloading the Audible app from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store.