Book Review: A.S. Byatt's "The Children's Book"

Summary (from the back cover of the book): Famous author Olive Wellwood writes a special private book, bound in different colors, for each of her children. In their rambling house hear Romney March they play in a story-book world — but their lives, and those of their rich cousins and their friends, the son and daughter of a curator at the new Victoria and Albert Museum, are already inscribed with mystery. Each family carries their own secrets.

They grow up in the golden summers of Edwardian times, but as the sons rebel against their parents and the girls dream of independent futures, they are unaware that in the darkness ahead they will be betrayed unintentionally by the adults who love them.

Review: It is difficult to review this book as the writing is extremely dense and it has so many interesting nuances. I read it a few weeks ago but there are parts of it that I am still thinking about. The book is set in the Edwardian times and I love the description of the artistic, cultural and political milieu. I especially like the contrast  between the artistic environments of England and Germany and the sprinkling of real facts, events and people, within the fictional world. They provide a rich framework of reference, within which Byatt's characters interact. 

The characters themselves are varied, some more memorable than the others. Olive Wellwood and Benedict Fludd, offer two different views of artists consumed by their art. Olive's residence, Todefright, stands in sharp contrast to the gloomy environment of Fludd's Purchase House. However, despite the differences in their personalities and their approaches to their respective arts, they both become the agents of tragedies, because of their artistic obsessions. There is an alternative offered to their tendency towards self-destruction and that is seen in the life of the German puppeteer Anselm Stern, who despite his eccentricities is able to find a balance between art and life. 

Initially Olive's world seems almost ideal. It echoes the pastoral life, even though it is clear that her husband Humphry's financial position, offers them this lifestyle. This couple is almost the antithesis of Humphry's brother, Basil, and his wife, Katherina Wellwood, and it is interesting how at the end of the book, after the destructive war, it is their home that becomes the focal point, a shadow of Todefright in it's glorious days. The physical spaces described in the book reflect and affect the personalities of those who inhabit them. The tree house becomes the everlasting symbol of the Wellwood childrens' childhood. Its destruction prefigures Tom's tragedy. For me, Tom is the single most memorable character and also the most tragic. With his inability to relate to the realities of the world, he almost becomes a part of the fiction that his mother creates for him, and is ultimately doomed because of that.

Olive Wellwood's stories, even though written for children have a dark and disturbing edge. The prince who's shadow is stolen by a rat and the girl who captures tiny people, to be captured by giant people herself, are children's tales with adult themes. They dot the landscape of the writing, and are intriguing.

In terms of the women characters, Dorothy, who follows the difficult path of becoming a doctor, stands out. Elsie, too emerges as a strong character. It is interesting that the women who seek to pursue life beyond the household, are able to find happiness in work and in their personal lives. The women who are more traditional, content to be homemakers, seem to find no contentment. Phyllis, the only Wellwood girl, who only wants to be a homemaker and a mother, is unable to achieve even that, and fades into the background, much like her mother.

The book explores themes of parenting, responsibility, freedom of choice, the city versus the country and sexual freedom, among others. It is a compelling read, but not a simple read. I was immersed into it quite quickly, but it needs to be read at leisure. It is not a book to be read in a few quick sittings. Much like Possession, which I also loved, maybe more so because of the poetry in it (I am partial to poetry!), this is a book that one needs to chew on. As for me, I think Byatt is becoming one of my favorite writers; I will definitely be reading more of her work.

Book Review: "Funny in Farsi" by Firoozeh Dumas

Summary: A memoir of a Iranian girl who migrates to America when she is eight years old. It is a humorous account of her experiences of growing up in America.

Book Review: I really enjoyed the lightheartedness of this book, the conversational tone and the simple language. It strung together Firoozeh's different experiences, being an immigrant from Iran in America. A lot of writing on the immigrant experience is preoccupied with the nostalgia for the homeland and the hardships of understanding a new culture. Even though this book did discuss the process of adjustment, it was permeated by a sense of innocence that made it refreshing.

The book, which is a memoir, is humorous. Firoozeh is able to laugh at herself and her family without demeaning them or her culture. Even though there is a sense of wonder about America, it is not blind, and she is able recognize the shortcomings of the culture, just as she can see the good and the bad in her own culture. I really liked the lack of bitterness in her tone, even as  she discussed important issues, such as being discriminated against for being Iranian, after the incident where several Americans were taken as hostages in Iran.

 In Firoozeh, one sees the intermingling of both the Iranian and American cultures. There is no pining for an idyllic Iran and no blind devotion to a perfect America. The ease of the writing and the honesty of tone makes it a delightful read. It is a quick read, that one can finish in one sitting.

Review: 'Broken Verses' by Kamila Shamsie

Summary (from the back of the book)


Fourteen years ago Aasmani's mother Samina, a blazing beauty and fearless activist, walked out of her house and was never seen again. Aasmani refuses to believe she is dead and still dreams of her glorious return. Now grown up and living in Karachi, Aasmani receives what could be the longed-for proof that her mother is still alive. As she comes closer to the truth she is also irresistibly drawn to Ed, her ally and sparring partner, and the only person who can understand the profound hurt and the profound love- that drives her. 

Review

What struck me first was how different his book is in tone and content from Burnt Shadows, Shamsie's other book that I have read and fell in love with. As opposed to the silent strength of Hiroko in Burnt Shadows, Aasmani is fiery, witty, and makes "language somersault[s] through the rings of fire." She is sharp-tongued but has build a wall of intellect around her, within which she remains consumed by her past. Her fragility and her pain at being the daughter who was left behind, pervades the novel.

Her mother Samina captures the reader's imagination, just as she captures the hearts and minds of everyone around her. So does the Poet, Samina's lover, and through them one is exposed to the socio-political milieu of Karachi. It was interesting for me to read this book, and Mohammed Hanif's A Case of Exploding Mangoes, almost back to back, due to the cross-references. Both are set in Pakistan, with
Zia-ul-Haq as the ruling President. 


The charismatic Poet and Samina resist the repressive government through their words and actions, but ultimately it is a bomb that kills the President, making Aasmani feel, that their efforts and their lives were futile. She drifts between meaningless jobs, between the past and the present. Even though the book  is not depressing, it is  characterized by Aasmani's loss. 


It is beautifully and cleverly written, punctuated with wit and sarcasm. Even though it is not an epic novel like Burnt Shadows, it needs to be read slowly and savored in the same way. I know some people found Aasmani's endless musings and her analysis of everything around her tiresome, but I reveled in it. From her thoughts on Shakespeare to her discussion of Character, her frivolous comment on a heart, or her description of her mother as being "lodged, like a tear, in the corner of her [my] eye, I loved the language. I would read it again just to savor it.








 

Review: 'A Case of Exploding Mangoes' by Mohammed Hanif

Summary
On 17 August, 1988, a plane carrying Zia-Ul-Haq, the military ruler and eventually the President of Pakistan from 1977, several important army generals and the U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, exploded soon after take off. There were many conspiracy theories but like most assassinations, no culprit was identified. In this book, Mohammed Hanif explores who could have assassinated the President and why? Is it a general waiting for a promotion, Junior officer Ali Shigri with his own private vendetta, or someone else?

Review
The novel is irreverent and darkly humorous exposing the corruption as well as the stupidity and hypocrisy of the people in power. It is a political thriller, though the tension builds up only in the last few chapters. There are times when the book tends to get a bit tedious, but not to the extent where one would lose interest. It is a scathing portrayal of the paranoia of the President, his toadying officers, the ruthlessness of people in power and the helplessness of those without it.

In terms of characters, I enjoyed the portrayal of Obaid or Baby O, Ali Shigri's roommate, who disappears at the beginning of the book, while Ali Shigri is detained in the questioning for his whereabouts. Baby O is seen reading books and poetry, splashing eu de cologne rather generously, and is somewhat of a misfit in the army. He provokes empathy more than any other character in the novel, including Ali Shigri himself. Another memorable character is the nameless Secretary General of the Sweepers Union, who further exposes the farcical government systems, who is Ali Shigri's neighbor in prison.

Superstition becomes a recurring theme in the novel as General Zia-Ul-Haq, uses the Quran almost like a horoscope. It becomes the basis for some of his most important decisions including the execution of the former Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, whom he overthrows; and for declaring Code Red. There is also a suggestion that his death is caused by the curse of Zainab, a blind woman, sentenced to death because she cannot identify her rapists, due to her blindness, and thus can't prove that it was a rape. Zainab's situation showed the idiocy of the system. The only other woman with a voice is the First Lady, who promptly declares she is a widow, when she sees a picture of her husband staring at an American reporter's cleavage. Unsurprisingly,  she is the one who sees the ridiculousness of the Zainab verdict.

What is interesting about the book is that various motives for the assassination of the President collide in the end. In some ways, all the various attempts work (I can't say too much without giving it away!) The political satire dominates the novel, and other aspects of life form the backdrop on which the political games are played.  Definitely a worthwhile read, especially for those intrigued by the machinations of government politics.

Review: The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak

Summary

Ella Rubenstein is a housewife, who lives a seemingly pleasant life in Northampton. However, she feels like something is missing from her life and eventually takes a job in a literary agency where she is asked to read a novel called 'Sweet Blasphemy by Scottish author, Aziz Z. Zahara. Based in thirteen century, Turkey, the novel talks about the legendary poet Rumi, whose life and worldview was forever transformed by the whirling dervish Shams of Tabriz. As she reads the novel, she begins communicating with the author and her own life is transformed.

Review

This was my first introduction to Elif Shafak’s writing and I will definitely be reading more of her work. The Forty Rules of Love is sensitively written and is beautifully subtle.

Rumi meets Shams for the first time (Persian manuscript)

‘Sweet Blasphemy’, which is a novel within the novel, talks about the relationship between the legendary poet Rumi and a dervish called Shams of Tabriz. Even though I am not religious and the Sufi way of life, which Shams lives by, forms the crux of the book, it was an engaging read. I have always loved Sufi music and it was really interesting to be plunged into the world of Sufi thought and philosophy. The book addresses the commonly held biases and misinformation about Sufi life, shown through the eyes of various individuals who disapprove of the dervish Shams. Sufi-ism is his way of life and yet, he is not restricted by the rules and rituals of the religious minded people around him. His interpretation of the Koran sharply contrasts with that of the scholars and the zealots who inhabit the 13^th century world of Turkey.

Whirling drvishes

The Forty Rules of Love explores how Shams’ love transforms Rumi and in parallel, reading ‘Sweet Blasphemy’, Ella, living in Northampton is drawn to its author Aziz, who becomes her modern day Shams. The quest for love and the spiritual quest fuse into one. Along with these parallel stories spanning the past and the present, Turkey and America, ‘Sweet Blasphemy’ itself is written by the points of view of various characters.  This reminded me of My Name is Red, by Orhan Pamuk, another novel set in 13^th century Turkey, though the style and subject matter is very different.

Rumi

While Rumi and Shams share their thoughts on the Koran, we also hear the zealots as well as a drunk; a harlot, a leper and various other characters express their thoughts. I like the fact that the women characters all have strong voices, including the harlot Desert-Rosee, even though the Rumi-Shams relationship dominates the landscape of the writing.  In Rumi’s household, his wife and adopted daughter, express doubts and opinions and question aspects of the Koran. While the book shows the transformative aspects of love, it also shows how people in Rumi’s household are torn apart by it.

Overall, the book is inspiring, imaginative and unforgettable. Cutting across time and space, it celebrates the universality of love, where love becomes spiritual, and spiritual longing is expressed through the language of love. 

Other Interesting Stuff

Elif Shafak talks about The Forty Rules of Love. click here

Rumi's poetry, discussion of Rumi-Shams relationship and more... click here

Rumi's poetry click here

Reading Challenges and Wishlist

Since I just started this blog, I starting exploring other blogs written by book lovers. I was really excited to see several reading challenges. After looking around I decided to partake in the following for 2011:


100 + Reading Challenge

Historical Fiction Challenge 2011 at the 'Daring and Curious' Level (5 books)














2011 South Asian Challenge at the South Asian Guru level (personal target is 15 books)

Gothic Reading Challenge at The Darkness Within level (5 books)

Besides these reading challenges, I have several books that I definitely want to get to, starting with those that are unread on my bookshelf.

Let the reading begin...

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Review of 'Luka and the Fire of Life' by Salman Rushdie

Summary

Luka and the Fire of Life is based on the adventure of Luka Khalifa, the younger brother of Haroun, of Rushdie's Haroun and the Sea of Stories. Just as Haroun saved his father's storytelling abilities in the latter, Luka has his own adventure in this book, which he must embark on, in order to save his father's life. A tale of fantasy, adventure and quest, framed in a video game format, this book is written by Rushdie for his second son for his birthday.

 Review

I must admit that I am a die-hard fan of Salman Rushdie and have read almost ALL his fictional writing. My favorite novels are Midnight’s ChildrenThe Satanic Verses, Shalimar the Clown and Shame. I also enjoyed The Enchantress of Florence, The Moor’s Last Sigh, Fury and Haroun and the Sea of Stories. (of course!),

Despite my LOVE for Rushdie’s writing, Luka and the Fire of Life was a bit disappointing. Fantasy, as a genre, fascinates me but Luka’s magical world was already familiar to me, through Haroun and the Sea of Stories. I read that a long time ago so cannot remember specifics, but do remember being excited by the magical world of storytelling that Rushdie had created and being charmed by the book. A new adventure in that same world just did not work for me; recreating that context made this book WEAKER.

Rushdie with his son Milan. Photographer: Richard Young (guardian.co.uk)

The book does have Rushdie’s signature word play and puns. Calling the Sultana “Insultana” (due to her cussing habit) and Luka’s father’s death “Nobodaddy” (a combination of Nobody and daddy) is very Rushdie.  Although, it is a bit overdone, what I found particularly irritating was the VIDEO GAME FORMAT of Luka’s adventure. OK, maybe he wanted a Contemporary angle, and the book is after all written for his younger son, but it really IRKED me!

He does address larger issues of time and death, the importance of storytelling and the father-son bond but the adventure tale DOMINATES and it fails to inspire. Despite the delightful world of magic, and the imaginative use of metaphors, the book did not strike a chord in me.

If you have never read Rushdie, this would not be the book I’d recommend. It has some interesting elements but it lacks the depth, richness and texture that Rushdie’s reading usually promises.