In Abscond by Abraham Verghese, thirteen-year-old Ravi Ramanathan is a promising tennis player living in New Jersey in 1967, under the watchful care of his surgeon father and tradition-bound mother. Life seems steady and expectations high—his mother dreams he’ll follow his father’s footsteps—until a sudden tragedy shatters their world, forcing Ravi to grow up overnight.

As Ravi navigates grief, cultural identity, and shifting family roles, Abraham Verghese portrays how loss can accelerate maturation and reshape one’s place within the family. Through the lens of immigrant life, he explores expectations, sacrifice, and the painful transition from boyhood to reluctant leadership.