Fiction
Verdict: Read it
I read this book some time back and somehow forgot to include it in my reviews. I like Anita Nair's writing. I've read a few before. This novel was along the same stylistic lines and I liked this one as well.
The main character, Mukundan, has returned to his village. He is determined to change both his surroundings and himself and begins restoring his old home. He ends up with a crazy sidekick who helps him and provides most of his social interaction. I'm not sure what it is about Indian lore, but the disorganiztion and chaos so often results in people in almost absurd situations that you wonder how they got there and why they just accept it. Just an observation - ahem. Anyhow. His side kick Bhasi sets about trying to improve Mukundan's unhappiness through a string of neutral to absurd ideas. Mukundan is patient with these attempts, but none of them really stick and he wanders here and there like a ghost himself, never really fulfiling his quest to change his house or himself.
THere's not much of a plot line through this book and most of what we see is Mukundan's maudlin thoughts to himself. He doesn't have much of a purpose, nor does he seem to have any passions or relationships in life. You feel sorry for him. Read it if you want a slow burn of hopelessness in a village setting.
~Becky~
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