I had read Peter Carey’s ‘Parrot and Olivier in America’ last year, which was released in 2009 and had really enjoyed the dry wit and unusual humor in it. So it was with some excitement and expectation that I picked up ‘His Illegal Self’, a book released in 2008. This novel however did not live up to my expectations and I felt quite unsatisfied with it in the end.
This protagonist of the novel is Che Selkirk, an eight year old boy, the son of SDS (Students for a Democratic Society) activist parents. Che lives with his grandmother, an upper class American woman. His activist parents are absent, being on the run from the FBI having been involved in violent activities. Che’s life is comfortable and peaceful; decidedly maintained that way by his grandmother who has kept him away from the television, shielding him from all the disturbing news of his famous parents. But there is one time when she lets her guard down and permits Che to meet his mother for an hour. Anna Xenos an ex-SDS activist and a present day professor of English, volunteers to take the boy to his mother. But what would have been a mildly illegal activity on Anna’s part quickly blows out of proportion and she finds herself on the run with the boy. Anna and Che head to Australia where they are promised support by a revolutionary faction there, but are ultimately left to fend for themselves.
The narrative is tight and intriguing in these opening chapters. Carey tries to delve into the unstable and traumatic life of the child and succeeds in getting the reader involved in the boy’s emotional upheavels. With the background of the SDS, and the themes of class differences and wars hinted upon, the novel seems to promise a complex and layered storyline. But unfortunately the latter half of the novel flounders and none of the themes are really explored in depth. We are just allowed a glimpse into these hefty topics but never get a full picture of the effects of these on the characters involved. Additionally the emotional bonding between Anna and Che is also not brought out well and falls flat.
Though Peter Carey’s prose is crisp and sharp as usual, the novel itself ends up being ineffective due to the flaws in its plot. I would say this novel is not one of Carey’s best and I would rather recommend ‘Parrot and Olivier in America’ if you are interested in reading Peter Carey’s work.
'His Illegal Self' can be downloaded for Kindle or can be bought at Flipkart.
Book Source: Self
Every passing year marks the arrival of a new technology or a scientific breakthrough. But sometimes it is difficult to forecast how a certain technology will apply and evolve in context of human society. The difficulty does not arise due to the nature of the technology but rather on account of the human nature itself. In 'Oryx and Crake', Margaret Atwood takes a keen look at genetic engineering and draws an eerie graph to show how human caprice and greed can culminate into a catastrophic end for our species.
‘Snowman’, who is the last surviving human being, is the protagonist of the novel. The world has been wiped clean of its human inhabitants by a deadly plague. Snowman mourns for the dead world while trying to survive in the dangerous realities of the altered world. He is constantly haunted by the memories of his past life, he pines for Oryx, the love of his life and for Crake, his best friend. While the unbridled nature is taking over the cities and reclaiming its domain, Snowman attempts to piece together the sequence of events that led to the annihilation of his species.
Oryx and Crake is a very captivating and at the same time a disturbing novel. In its dystopian world, the rampant usage of genetic engineering to make transgenic animals, to create artificial foods, and to improve human bodies has skewed the sanity of the society. This results in sexual depravity, exploitation of the underprivileged, and scarcity of resources for the large population. When the disaster arrives it feels hardly surprising. This world seems too broken to be mended. And this is where Atwood’s prose shows its real strength. Though the events pertain to an alternate world and to a specific technology, it is very easy to draw similarities with our present day world. Atwood speaks in a very concise and logical manner and the impact of her ideas is hard hitting.
Oryx and Crake is an outstanding first of Atwood’s MaddAddam Trilogy. I will recommend it highly for its intriguing plot and for the strength of its ideas. I am really looking forward to read the next book in the trilogy ‘The year of the flood’.
'Oryx and Crake' can be downloaded for Kindle or can be bought from Flipkart
Book Source : Self
The Jaipur Literary festival, the biggest literary event in India, brought the ugliest facet of the Indian democracy out in the open. Salman Rushdie, one of the finest writers that India has ever produced, was not only forbidden from entering the country, but was also not allowed to meet people virtually. This is truly disturbing; another step on the regressive road that India has taken where freedom of expression is curbed and ideas are stifled.
Salman Rushdie is a prolific writer. His books are thought provoking, a rich expression of philosophy that provides a keen look at humanity. His writing addresses universal themes that find appeal with people of any country, and at the same time it is also deeply entwined with the Indian culture, its geography and its languages. Indian minds find a special resonance with his ideas, and his language.
But sadly enough, the great merit of Rushdie’s work turned out not to be enough to make him welcome in the country. I am outraged and hurt at the callousness with which Rushdie was prevented from attending the festival. Today I am going to write about Rushdie’s magnificent novel ‘The Enchantress of Florence’, a novel which among other things speaks of being open minded, fair, and tolerant to new ideas which seems especially relevant to India today.
‘The Enchantress of Florence’ is the story of two journeys, one which takes a willful Mughal princess, Qara Koz, the sister of Babar (founder of the great medieval Mughal empire of India) from her battle torn homeland in the East to the politically churning West; the second journey brings a young man from the West to Akbar’s (grandson of the emperor Babar) court at Fatehpur Sikri in India.
Rushdie’s Akbar is a magnanimous ruler, a philosopher, an anthropologist and a man of contradictions. He trusts his nine Jewels but he is unable to trust his own sons. He wishes for a young man whom he can trust, and rely upon. And Akbar perhaps has a bit of witchcraft in his blood because when he words this wish to himself in a lonely hour of conjecture, he warps the fabric of time and a young man, bearing all the qualities of a royal heir, arrives at his court. This young man who calls himself the ‘Mughal of Love’ brings with him a secret, a tale of a journey undertaken by a forgotten Mughal princess.
The journey that Qara Koz undertakes is extraordinary for a woman of her time. She makes unconventional choices and shapes her own destiny; she chooses love over duty, and then again survival over love. Through her journey we get to see the noisy and exuberant Florence at the doorstep of Renaissance. It is Rushdie’s great talent that he can so seamlessly bring together the great events and people of history and weave them into fictional ones. We see Machiavelli write his ‘Prince’ and hear of Amerigo Vespucci’s discovery of the new continent. Queen Elizabeth writes letters to Emperor Akbar and Medicis take over Florence. Tansen sings Deepak raag and Birbal unravels puzzles with his wit.
Rushdie is a master story teller. With Rushdie, no place on earth is unreachable and no idea is untouchable. He juxtaposes two entirely different worlds and uncovers the similarities in their ideas pertaining to civilization and shows how these ideas might have evolved in parallel. He ponders on the meaning of freedom, of individual will, the tenacity of ideas and of passion. Full of wit, humor and generosity, this novel offers a rare opportunity to peek into history and decipher the meaning of the rich human past.
For those who have already read Rushdie’s novels, they will find his pleasing magical realism rendered beautifully. And for those who have not read his work before, this is a great book to begin with.
The Enchantress of Florence is a stunningly beautiful novel and I recommend it highly to all those who possess a love for the written word.
Here is a great essay where Salman Rushdie speaks about ‘The Enchantress of Florence’ and the need to defend ideas.
'The Enchantress of Florence' can be downloaded for Kindle or can be bought from Flipkart.
Book source: Self
Growing old can be associated with gains, and of course with losses. The passing years leave behind experiences and sometimes these congeal into a philosophical understanding of the process of living itself. But is such a comprehension sufficient to enable you to face the paring off of precious years from your life? Philip Roth’s 'Exit Ghost' ruminates on the melancholy process of aging and also the unavoidable question of mortality.
Nathan Zuckerman, a seventy one year old writer has returned to New York after a self imposed exile of eleven years. In these years he has stayed out of touch with the world, shutting himself off from the events and the people living in it. But when his friend succumbs to cancer and in his last note to Zuckerman implores him to give up his loneliness, it shifts something inside Zuckerman’s heart. He comes down to New York.
It is 2004 and the world has moved on. Mobile phones ring incessantly, different kinds of authors are worshipped, and unexpected presidents are elected. Zuckerman enters this transformed world and gets quickly drawn into its whirlwind when he meets a young writer and feels attracted to her. There is also another attachment from the past which comes out seeking for him. It is a secret from the past of the renowned author Lonoff who had been a mentor to Zuckerman in his youth. It has been some years since Lonoff has passed away, but a young writer, Kliman, wishes to write his biography and reveal Lonoff’s secret. Zuckerman, infuriated by Kliman’s unsympathetic views, finds himself in something of a duel with the young writer.
Philip Roth leads the reader into the highly intense dilemma of Zuckerman’s life. His sudden entry into the speedy urban world poses severe strain upon him and the desires he has repressed in his lonely life surge up with new vigor. Roth’s writing is very lucid and it powerfully brings to life the complexity of Zuckerman’s predicament. The unhappiness in his life does not remain constrained to the pages of the novel but escapes out and seeps into our own hearts.
Another important theme at the center of the novel is regarding the distinction of an author’s personal life from his work. The young Kliman interests himself in revealing an unsavory aspect of Lonoff’s past, but Zuckerman holds that such a thing will be of no consequence in understanding the literature that Lonoff has produced. Interestingly, the older characters side with Zuckerman, while the younger ones with Kliman (Zuckerman himself hints of having held similar views when young). These arguments shed light into the various aspects of literature itself and are a very interesting read.
'Exit Ghost' is a rich literary fiction which combines multiple themes. I will recommend this complex novel for its poignant rendition of the process of growing old and for the depth of its characters.
The novel can be downloaded for Kindle or can be bought from Flipkart in India.
Book source: Self
A Cavansite is a rare, exotic blue mineral which is highly coveted by collectors. It is often found around Pune, India where Manjiri Prabhu’s thrilling novel ‘The Cavansite Conspiracy’ begins.
A very large Cavansite makes its home in the Crystal Museum of Rare Minerals in Pune and draws large crowds to the museum. But there also many interested parties willing to acquire it in legal or illegal ways. A Thai cult who believes in the spiritual powers of the Cavansite needs it to bring peace and harmony to the world, while there are others who want it for not so noble purposes. The Cavansite is stolen from the museum despite the high security, and what is peculiar is the uncanny resemblance of the theft with the plot of a bestselling novel ‘The Cavansite Conspiracy’.
Koyal Karnik, who works in Hamburg, is visiting Pune to attend her best friend’s wedding and to enjoy a day of happiness. But the day unfolds in a dreary manner when a gruesome murder is committed and Koyal finds herself implicated for the murder and for the theft of the Cavansite. Chased by police, and by the goons of the underworld, Koyal finds only one person she can trust and who will stand by her through this ordeal, her ex-boyfriend, Neel. Together, they must find the missing Cavansite and prove Koyal’s innocence before the worst plans of the enemy are accomplished.
Manjiri Prabhu has woven a truly exciting plot for her novel. It is great fun to be by Koyal’s side and see the mystery unfolding through its twists and turns. What I liked best was the way the novel ended. The twist at the end was most surprising and completely unpredictable. It is a very cleverly designed novel and is made a page turner by its intricate plot.
There is also an important message that the novel tries to convey. Koyal Karnik is a left handed person who has suffered in her childhood due to the prejudices held against left handed people in India. It is indeed unfortunate that many cultures still consider left handedness inauspicious or associate it with bad luck. The novel discusses this aspect and shows what harmful effects such misconstrued beliefs can have on the upbringing of a child.
The Cavansite Consipiracy was published recently and is a fun and enjoyable read. I recommend it to readers who like thrillers with a dash of romance.
The novel can be bought from Flipkart or Rediff in India.
Book source: Self
