Devi stared through the window into the clear, starlit night. Beneath the blanket, her firsts were curled into little balls, her nails pressing into the skin. She thought again of The tiger wedding, and of the bridegroom."Only him," she repeated to herself. "I will marry only Machu."' Coorg, 1878. Devi is born on the day of the herons, and Muthavva knows that her daughter will be special. Beautiful and spirited, the little girl quickly becomes the object of adoration of her entire family. When Devi meets Machu the tiger-killer, a hunter of great repute and a man of immense honour and pride, she falls passionately in love and vows to marry him. But a catastrophic twist of fate changes their lives forever and has consequences that affect generations to come. Rich with powerfully realized characters and intensely vivid imagery, Sarita Mandanna weaves an unforgettable story in this lush and sweeping saga.