New Delhi, Oct 3 (PTI) Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Thursday announced the acquisition of "Rebel English Academy", the much-anticipated fourth novel by award-winning Pakistani writer and journalist Mohammed Hanif.
The book, expected to release in the second half of 2025 under Penguin’s 'Hamish Hamilton' imprint, will be set against Pakistan's politically-charged backdrop in the 1970s.
"I am thrilled to be working with Manasi and her team. Rebel English Academy is time travel back to my childhood and my home. Hope there are takers for the journey," said the bestselling author of "A Case of Exploding Mangoes" in a statement.
Taking off from the hanging of former Pakistani prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, the novel follows a captain haunted by a botched mission, a district champion runner, a former revolutionary and a progressive imam.
As their lives intersect in the 'Rebel English Academy', a school within the premises of the local mosque of a grim small town, Hanif sets the stage for a critique of authoritarianism and a tale of loss and redemption.
Weaving together political satire and dark humour, Hanif explores themes of "power, identity, survival and the complexities of faith and resistance", according to the publisher.
"From its brilliant opening, Hanif weaves a darkly comedic tale that fearlessly explores language, love and revolution against the backdrop of political turmoil. This spiritual successor to 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' reaffirms Hanif as a vital voice in contemporary literature, unafraid to confront society's absurdities and hypocrisies," said Manasi Subramaniam, editor-in-chief, Penguin Press at PRHI.
Known for his sharp wit and powerful storytelling, Hanif's previous novels include "Our Lady of Alice Bhatti", which was shortlisted for the Wellcome Book Prize, and "Red Birds".