Rumours of Spring by Farah Bashir is the unforgettable account of an adolescence spent in Srinagar in the 1990s. As Indian troops and militants battle across the cityscape, and violence becomes the new normal, a young schoolgirl finds that regular tasks – studying for exams, walking to the bus stop, combing her hair, falling asleep – are riddled with anxiety and fear. With haunting simplicity, Farah captures moments of vitality and resilience from her girlhood amidst the increasing trauma and turmoil of passing years – secretly dancing to pop songs from banned radio stations; writing her first love letter; going to the cinema for the first time. This deeply affecting comingof-age memoir portrays how territorial conflict surreptitiously affects everyday life in Kashmir.