I wonder how it must be to be a young writer, publishing a few pieces here and there, no novels or short story collections out just yet, and The New Yorker publishes my story. I’m thrilled when it happens and wish those authors well! Here we have Kanak Kapur’s debut New Yorker fiction, but in looking around I don’t think she’s published much elsewhere. Her interview with Deborah Treisman says she is working on her first novel. So congratulations all around, and I hope we like the story itself.

Here is how “Prophecy” begins:

The night of Dev’s twenty-second birthday, he was invited to sit with the elders after dinner. The summons was conveyed by Bhakti Bai, the maid, who called Dev into the kitchen once the dinner plates had been cleared, and placed in his hands a tray of glasses filled with water. “They’ve asked for you,” she said.

Please feel free to comment below with your thoughts on the story. And Happy New Year, by the way! I hope 2025 is a good year for you all.