Moustaches, mad minds and more: 5 modern Malayalam novels for you

Here are a few contemporary Malayalam novels with translations that offer a glimpse into the many facets of Kerala while delving into contemporary issues that are prevalent nationally.

Benyamin, K.R. Meera, S Hareesh

Written by: Anosha Rishi Kakanadan

4 min readAug 22, 2025 12:22 PM IST First published on: Jun 30, 2025 at 05:59 PM IST

Over the last few years, Malayalam cinema has gained popularity both nationally and internationally due to its compelling narratives often delving into socio-political issues as well as the exceptional performances by the actors. However, another sphere that reflects the cultural richness of Kerala is its literature.

With narratives that challenge the mainstream, Malayalam novels explore a diverse array of themes and topics including socio-political issues and philosophical concepts. Malayalam literature is abundant, and with more and more works getting translated to other languages, its readership is increasing.

Here are a few contemporary Malayalam novels with translations that offer a glimpse into the many facets of Kerala while delving into contemporary issues that are prevalent nationally:

Maria, Just Maria

Cover of Maria, Just Maria by Mary Sandhya ( photo: amazon.in)

Written by Mary Sandhya, Maria, Just Maria (Harper Perennial India, pages 244, Rs 499) or Maria Verum Maria, is a novel about Maria, currently admitted in a psychiatric hospital, who believes that the death of her grandfather triggered her madness. The novel evokes questions about normalcy and madness, and depicts madness not as a disruption, but as a divergence from what is considered normal. Through its incorporation of magical realism, the novel presents a world different from as we know it along with an array of fascinating characters that include talking animals, dead family members, saints, and even Jesus Christ.

Moustache

Cover of Moustache by S. Hareesh ( photo: amazon.in)

Winner of the JCB Prize For Literature 2020, Moustache (Harper Perennial India, pages 360, Rs 440) or Meesha, by S Hareesh is a novel following Vavachan who refuses to trim his moustache as a rebellion towards caste norms. Set in the Kuttanad region in Kerala in the early 20th century, the novel presents the power dynamics involved in the caste system through a story that entails magic and myth amidst the jarring cruelty of caste hierarchies.

Goat Days

Cover of Goat Days by Benyamin ( photo: amazon.in)

There is an abundance of successful stories with respect to the Gulf migrants, however, through this novel Benyamin, the author, depicts the pain of the migrants that get entrapped in a routine of suffering. Based on a true story, Goat Days (Penguin, 264, Rs 250) or Aadujeevitham features Najeeb, an abused migrant worker who gets trapped working as a goatherd in the Saudi desert. Following this novel, Benyamin was awarded the prestigious Kerala Sahitya Akademi Award, and a movie adaptation of the novel was released in 2024 with the title The Goat Life.

Also Read | Harry Potter turns 28: 10 facts you might not know about the magical series

Hangwoman

Cover of Hangwoman by K.R. Meera ( photo: amazon.in)

Another novel regarded as a Malayalam contemporary classic, Hangwoman (Penguin Books Classic, pages 448, Rs 550) or Aarachar written by KR Meera, is a story about the first female executioner in India, Chetna, who belongs to a family with a long lineage of executioners. KR Meera is known for her depiction of strong and complex female characters in her novels, and through the unconventional story of Chetna she explores patriarchy, gender roles, and themes of death and execution.

Valli

Cover o Valli by Sheela Tomy ( photo: amazon.in)

Valli (Harper Perennial India, pages 420, Rs 454) by Sheela Tomy is a story about Bayalnad, now the popular tourist destination, Wayanad, its culture and its people. It’s a multi-generational tale spanning across four generations about the land, home to a lot of adivasis. The novel is interspersed with epistles exchanged between characters and diary entries, which craft a textured narrative that entails a story of exploitation, of both the land and the people, and its implications.

(The writer is an intern with The Indian Express.)