A Passage to India

Set in British-ruled India in the 1920s, this novel centres on the relationship between English visitors and Indians in the fictional city of Chandrapore. Adela Quested and Mrs Moore arrive hoping to see the real India, and befriend Dr Aziz, a charming Muslim physician. A trip to the Marabar Caves leads to an accusation that divides the town and exposes the prejudice beneath colonial politeness. Forster's most ambitious novel asks whether friendship across the barriers of empire is possible, and it remains a landmark of twentieth century literature.