I have been following Shevlin Sebastian as a writer for many years now. He is a veteran journalist who has worked for The New Indian Express, The WeekI have been following Shevlin Sebastian as a writer for many years now. He is a veteran journalist who has worked for The New Indian Express, The Week, Sportsworld, etc. I would categorize him as one of the best feature writers in the country, not just for being an engaging writer but also for being committed to the profession for many years.
I was happy to know he had written a book and since the synopsis sounded engaging, I took it up to read. The story is about a man called Thajudheen, who works in Doha and has returned to Kerala, Kanoor for his daughter鈥檚 wedding. Though Thajudheen has seen many ups and downs in his life (as you will know in the flashback scenes), he is unprepared for what he is fated to experience. The local police accuse him of stealing a necklace based on CCTV footage, where he is seen riding a scooter and riding away from the crime scene. Thajudheen is in disbelief and pleads that the man seen on camera is not him. The police, eager to solve the case, and to bolster their reputation, show unwillingness to believe Thajudheen. He is jailed for several days, while his family tries to make their voice heard through social media and by contacting local leaders. Besides the physical abuse, he faces in prison, he is more affected by the humiliation and shame that he and his family are subjected to. Thajudheen is finally out when the real culprit is caught.
Shevlin is an excellent recounter, with his ability to observe little things. His writing is deceptively simple, as he often uses shorter sentences. But the simplicity of his writing does not take away anything as it does in the case of other writers. For example, Shashi Tharoor once said of R. K Narayan that some intense and potentially charged scenes would be rendered bathetic by the inadequacy of the language used to describe the scenes. Shevlin has an enviable range of expression and always chooses his words well. He surprises with that one word every now and then that adds sparkle and flair to his descriptions.
There are parts in the book that can seem like a tangent and Shevlin also tends to over-describe. Also, the book in the end starts to digress from Thajudheen鈥檚 story and attempts to make a larger comment about victims and police atrocities they have suffered. People only invested in Thajudheen鈥檚 story may find these parts stretched.
Overall, though, Shevlin makes a stellar debut, and the first 150 pages especially are solid and gripping. In the hands of another writer, the story may have turned too gloomy and dispiriting. But Shevlin infuses drama and colour into what would have remained an unusual local crime story and makes it his own.
One word of praise for the book cover and marketing efforts. Rather than relying on a generic crime image, they opt for the scooter image, and rightly market it as a small crime in a small town....more
Devapriya Roy鈥檚 novel proves once again why books and literature continue to offer women the most satisfying expression to their lives.
After thoroughlDevapriya Roy鈥檚 novel proves once again why books and literature continue to offer women the most satisfying expression to their lives.
After thoroughly enjoying her first book, 鈥楾he Vague Woman鈥檚 Handbook鈥�, I took up her second, 鈥楾he Weight Loss Club鈥�, with a certain assuredness in the young author鈥檚 talent. Also, since Devapriya Roy tends to draw a lot from her own personality and interests, which I relate to, I knew I was in for a good time. The author is a bibliophile and much of the things that happen in her fictional universe mirror her real-life passion for books. Her lead characters have academic careers, revel in their intellectual pursuits, and have a singular love for books. Like all book lovers who love leisure and have a special fondness for cafes, bakeries and tea time in general, Devapriya鈥檚 books abound in lush descriptions of food, which are guaranteed to make you head to the kitchen while reading the book. Being a researcher herself, she has a curious mind, and many subjects find expression through the novel鈥檚 varied and interesting characters.
I read this book for the same reason that Shyam Selvadurai seems to have written it. To find a bridge between worlds one is interested in, and relatesI read this book for the same reason that Shyam Selvadurai seems to have written it. To find a bridge between worlds one is interested in, and relates to.
Selvadurai, who now is a citizen of Canada, and has been residing in Toronto for years, is a Sri Lankan by birth. He was among the thousands of refugees who fled their home country during the Tamil-Sinhalese riots in the 80s. The author鈥檚 first book, 鈥楩unny Boy鈥� was an exceptional one in many ways. Sparkling with simplicity, the novel instantly placed Selvadurai as an exceptionally new talent in South Asian literature. The fact that he is now long settled in Canada has enabled his wonderful work to be appreciated by the western world as well. Back home in Sri Lanka, he remains a much admired writer, and a recipient of many awards.
When a writer is part of two worlds 鈥� Sri Lanka and Canada 鈥� with a readership in both countries, his instinct is often to combine these worlds so as to help his readers relate better. That seems to be one of the ideas behind his third novel, 鈥楽wimming In The Monsoon Sea鈥� - a forgettable title that I鈥檓 literally never able to remember without looking at the cover again.
The book鈥檚 14 year old protagonist, Amrith comes face to face with his Canadian cousin, Niresh after years of not knowing him. This introduction of a foreigner into an affluent Sri Lankan family of affable parents and plucky teenagers turns the story into a cultural exchange of sorts.
Young Amrith who is at the threshold of puberty has much to be happy about, but many things to mull over as well. His parents are no more, and he has no blood relatives to call his own. However, he has a solid support system and protective guardians in the form of Aunt Bundle and Uncle Lucky. The couple has two girls, Maya and Selvi, who treat Amrith as one of their own, even if they are bickering for most part.
As children experience so often when they step into young adulthood, a strange sense of loneliness takes over, a self-consciousness creeps in, and new emotions find home in the heart. The only interesting part of Amrith鈥檚 life at this time is a play he鈥檚 taking part in. Being a boys鈥� school, the female part is also essayed by boys. Instinctively, Amrith is drawn to the female roles. In this case, he sets his mind of playing Desdemona from Othello. The Shakespearean drama about intense jealousy and unfairness serves as a backdrop to Amrith鈥檚 story, as he is faced with unspeakable truths about himself. His cousin coming into his life throws him literally into a deluge of discovery about his sexual orientation. Till now, Amrith only has a small idea about what such a thing means. He knows 鈥榮uch people鈥� are made fun of, and he dreads what its consequences could be.
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