Tag: Book Review

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy [Book Review]

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy [Book Review]

The Ministry of Utmost Happiness by Arundhati Roy book review

Title : The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

Author : Arundhati Roy

ISBN : 9780670089635

Publisher : Penguin Random House India

Genre : Comtemporary Fiction

Pages : 464

Source : Self

Rating : 1 star

While I write this review, I am simultaneously thinking if there is a way to give a negative rating- negative because the 2nd half of the book ruins all the charm and exuberance that I felt for the unearthly prose and surreal analogies in the 1st half of the book. I wonder why Ms. Roy didn’t go ahead with another non-fiction if all she had to do was to push her propaganda with a fiction that she came up after 20 years of the legendary “God of Small Things”

The first half of the book narrates the story of a transgender Anjum, her trials & tribulations as he transitions from Aftab to Anjum, her life and struggles as a “hijra” in contemporary Delhi and her coming out of age when she finally chooses to be independent and make a graveyard her permanent dwelling. Even in this half, Ms. Roy leaves no stone unturned to propagate her political beliefs- addressing Modi as “Gujarat ka Lalla”, incongruous addition of 2002 Gujarat riots- calling those who burnt the train as ‘miscreants’ while the Hindus become ‘Hindu Terrorists’. However, this half still mostly revolves around Anjum’s life, her maternal feelings and finally her independence.

Come the 2nd half and the reader is introduced with the Kashmir issue and this is where Ms. Roy completely loses it and pours all her hatred for the Indian Army on the pages. The prose becomes extremely chaotic, interspersed with multiple anecdotes of army’s cruelty in Kashmir and for hundreds of pages, the story seems to go nowhere. The reader is made to believe that all the army has done is killing innocent civilians.

I had been anxiously waiting for this book, had pre-booked it months ahead in advance (and hence got an author-signed copy) but now I feel sorry that I have to abandon this book. 20 years after The God Of Small Things, Roy is more of an activist rather than an author and this clearly shows up in the book. Expecting another path-breaking narrative from her was a gross mistake from my side.

Get a copy from Amazon here: The Ministry of Utmost Happiness 

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Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie [Book Review]

Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie [Book Review]

 

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Title : Home Fire

Author : Kamila Shamsie

ISBN : 9789386606655

Publisher : Bloomsbury India

Genre : Contemporary Fiction

Pages : 272

Source : Publisher

Rating : 5 stars

 

 

 

I am glad and thankful to Bloomsbury India for sending me a review copy of this groundbreaking work of fiction, even before it was long-listed for Man Booker 2017 award. 

I had never read Shamsie before and heard great deal about her for “A God in Every Stone” and “Cartography“. When I received this book, I had no plans to finish it in almost one go, but the plot ensuring emotionally upheavals and a crisp, no-nonsense narration just didn’t let me go before I reached the last page.

“Home Fire” is a classical example of having multifarious themes enter-wined in one book- Familial love & loss, xenophobia, extremism, terrorism, religion, politics and then the space where all these collide.

Aneeka & Parvaiz are British Muslim twins, brought up by their elder sister Isma after their father left them for Jihad and their mother passed away eventually. After Aneeka is old enough to join the law school and Parvaiz has disappeared, Isma also leaves for USA to pursue her PhD. In USA he meets, Eamonn, son of a powerful British politician who had an malignant history with their family. Eamonn then also meets Aneeka after returning to London and what ensues between them brings the world upside down for all three of them.

The ending of the book is explosive and it uncannily reminded me of the ending of “The Reluctant Fundamentalist“. The author has shown a great deal of maturity in dealing with the topics of xenophobia & discrimination against Muslims in West and have subtly highlighted their plight.

I would be glad to see this book make it to the Booker shortlist because I feel more and more people should read this book to expand their perspective and thought process towards the families of those who are involved in war/extremism/terrorism. This book will break your heart but will still leave you with a typical feeling of having a satisfying read.

Buy a copy from Amazon here: Home Fire by Kamila Shamsie

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