A Necessary Evil - Abir Mukherjee

photo courtesy:goodreads.com

A well plotted story about Maharajas and their lives.

If the first book is a daring debut, Mukherjee ups the game with yet another classy plot and narrative. This time he decides to leave the dusty lanes of Calcutta and takes the action to the exotic and mysterious princely Kingdom of Sambalpore in Orissa.

Gist:

Mukherjee and Sergeant "Surrender not" are summoned by a prince - the Sergent's Harrow classmate - who seeks their help about some threats to his life. Not long after, they find themselves witnessing his assassination landing them right in the middle of a diplomatic muddle. Mukherjee gets to accompany the body to the princely state, in non-official capacity and he uses this chance to find the mastermind behind it. What he sees is the stark reality behind the the brocades and the traditional splendour that marks a prince's life.

What works:

• The grandeur of the royal palace, their lifestyle and traditions is well captured.

• Also Mukherjee's description of the use of opium is very detailed. I could easily imagine. Couldn't help wondering how much practical research would have gone into it!

• The story is well paced, the narrative is fluid and the suspense is maintained throughout. I had a tough time figuring out who the culprit was. The story feels complete as the characters are all well etched and move the story forward.

• Mukherjee's strong point is research. He depicts bygone era where rules and regulations were paramount. As a reader, I could feel the rustle of the curtains of the zenana and the lavish lifestyle of the princes. He really brings them to live, creating a superb atmosphere.

• The camaderie between the protagnists, the way the subordinate explains the Hindu customs to the Englishman is very endearing at times enlightening.

• The writing is very smooth, effortless and setting very authentic.

Overall a fabulous read. One of my top reads of the year, easily.

Legacy of Spies - John Le Carre

A master storyteller work that did not work for me

Le Carre is often called as a literary great when it comes to spy stories. His best known one "The Spy Who Came In From The Cold" is supposed to be a classic and it is often recommended as the introduction to his works. Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy is another popular book that has been adapted for the big screen many times. I watched the latest TV series and rather enjoyed it.

Having read all the big reviews, I felt I was really missing out by not reading his books. More so because his new book came out recently after a gap, which resurrected all his earlier ones. Apparently, his latest one was also a hit with the likes of Gordon Brown talking of how accurate his observations were.

With all this hoopla around the writer, I finally decided to go for one of his latest ones, although it followed on from his earlier books.

Gist:

The past has come back to haunt Peter Guillam, one of the aides of Smiley. The new management at MI6, an attempt to protect its reputation, is keen to find out about Operation Windfall. Guilliam is tracked down and asked to account for the various anomalies during the operation.  While Guilliam gives them explanation, we as the reader are taken into confidence as he reveals his own parallel verison to the reader.

What works:

• The writing style is interesting. The reader is taken into confidence as the version of events unfold. Usually the reader is told of the events, here she is the confidante, privy to the actual set of events.

What doesn't:

• The writing gets quite dry at times and you are left wondering where is it leading to. Perhaps Le Carre's writing style needs getting used to. 

• It is a bit of a laborious read. The pace is slow and since much of the story is told in reverse, the story lags in between, leading to wavering attention.

• It will help if you are familiar with the characters, I was not. I had only seen the TV and on screen adaptation of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy which was more like a standalone story.

• I struggled with some bits and even getting to the end, felt a bit dragged along.

Not the greatest of reading experiences, I am afraid. 

A Rising Man - Abir Mukherjee

photo courtesy: amazon.co.uk

A crime story set in the fascinating Old Calcutta

This book created a lot of waves especially since it won a crime writing competition. An accountant by profession, the author explains how the inspiration for it all in an interesting interview on the Asian writer website (http://theasianwriter.co.uk/2016/06/abir-mukherjee/) Reading the interview along with the book was a great way of understanding the writer and his work. Thanks Farhana for posting an insightful interview.


Gist:

Sam Wyndham comes to India for a fresh start. However, within a week of his arrival, there is just the case of him: the murder of an Englishman outside a brothel with his throat slit and a note stuffed into his mouth. A potential loss of face if the word got out, Sam is asssigned the case along with his Sergeant "Surrender-not" (Surendranath) Banerjee to track the perpretrator.

What works:

• Abir shows off the old Calcutta incredibly well through Sam's eyes. He visualises a beautiful city under British Raj revealing a good grasp of setting. 

• Loved the word play with "Surrender-not" and how Mukherjee establishes the relationship between the two main characters - The oriental and the occidental (the idea behind using these words is to shed light on the subject of the rulers and the subjects) . the two main characters are well etched as are some other recurring characters such as Miss Grant.

• The plot is well thought out, detailed and Mukherjee is clearly comfortable with the setting. The idea of setting crime stories in British Raj Calcutta is novel, unexplored as yet. The story pans out very well and it is amazing how the characters fit in so well with the characters.

• It is very easy to visualises this as a TV series. Here's hoping it happens soon.

What doesn't:

• The book is how it should be. Entertaining with lots of action, as well as educating a colonial about the ways of Indian culture.  It is laid out commendably well and has the ingredients of a satisfying read.

I am on the lookout for the next book in the series.

Ishq and Mushq - Priya Basil

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I am reading this book at at time when the existence of the commonwealth body is being questioned.

Although I have reservations about how and why Commonwealth came into existence, I appreciate how it has contributed to the fields of Sports and Literature. 

Funnily enough I picked up this book only after learning that it made it to the commonwealth writers shortlist. To me, it adds a certain level of credibility and often I have enjoyed Commonwealth shortlists more than the Booker prize ones.

Commonwealth offers opportunities to countries that otherwise eclipsed by the more powerful who always almost hog the limelight.

When it comes to sport, India always shines at Commonwealth games rather than the Olympics. It always bags more medals at this event rather than the Olympics  where it is China and America who rule the roost. 

But I am more concerned about literature and to me, it showcases a vast array of writers who would have escaped notice. Discovering Basil in this manner was a surprise and a lovely one at that.

Gist:

Sarna a young bride is travelling with her husband from Amritsar to Kenya to her in laws house. The story tracks the journey of this young couple as they move into a joint family and then move out to seek their own fortune in London. Spanning continents with historic events at the backdrop, the story is a fascinating tale of the importance of food, domestic lives and how the past comes back to haunt the present and threatens their future.

What works:

• Basil writes beautifully. Her imagery and her descriptions are superb and it is a joy to read it.

• She is talking of a time when Kenyan immigrants moved into London and made it their home. She draws a great verbal picture and though I have no idea how authentic it is, to my mind, it felt genuine. It felt as I was peeking through a door that showed me how London became the cosmopolitan city that it is now is.

• The characters are distinct - particularly Sarna. It is a strong woman character and the story pivots around her. It is a character driven story and yet it shows how she has an impact on the lives of her family. 

• Loved the way food has been used to convey emotions such as resentment, hatred and secrecy.

What doesn't:

• The story slags a bit in the middle. I lost the momentum and was a bit bogged down by the slow pace. However like every good story it perks up as the denouement comes in sight and then tights up neatly.

• The story could have really picked up if only something drastic would have happened. However, the turning point doesn't seem that significant. The so called revelation does not seem to have that much impact and that was a bit of a letdown.

But it is a well written book. The imagery and the description especially connecting food and emotions is beautifully done. 

I liked it enough to gift a copy to a bookloving friend.