Thursday, June 05, 2008
[Book Review] THE DEATH OF VISHNU by Manil Suri
Fiction/InternationalJesse Pool reviews THE DEATH OF VISHNU by Manil Suri (Norton, 2001)
At the beginning of the novel, we are introduced to Vishnu, an aging drunk who lives on the landing below the Asrani and the Pathak families. He's paid Tall Ganga, the former resident of the landing, for the privilege to live on the stairs and to do menial chores for the families in the building.
Vishnu becomes very ill, but the people in the building go on living their lives around him. Some hope that he is merely feigning illness, while others hope that he has already died. A very few feel empathy for him, although everyone seems to fear infection by coming to near him.
As Vishnu dies, he is separated from his body and ascends the stairs of the building. The novel alternates between Vishnu's vivid memories of his mother and his lover Padmini and stories of the residents of the Bombay building where Vishnu has lived. It's hinted that Vishnu may in fact be the final incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Through the interconnected stories, readers are exposed to many of the facets that make up modern Indian life. The Asranis and Pathaks, for instance, are bitter rivals as well as neighbors because they are forced to share a kitchen from which each believe the other to be pilfering. There is a forbidden romance between the Asranis' daughter Kavita and Salim Jalal, a Muslim boy upstairs. We see other conflicts between different faiths and traditions as well.
This novel is sometimes comical, and sometimes tragic, but always engaging. It may help to know a little bit about Indian customs and the Hindu religion, but it is not necessary to enjoy this novel.
Jesse Pool, Highland Branch Library
Labels: International Fiction, Reviews by Jesse Pool
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
[Book Review] THE SNACK THIEF by Andrea Camilleri
Fiction/Mystery, InternationalDoris Dixon reviews THE SNACK THIEF by Andrea Camilleri (Viking, 2003)
Two murder investigations distract Inspector Montalbano from his chief passion--devouring the cuisine of his native Sicily. In the first case, a sailor is murdered on a Tunisian trawler that had ventured illegally into Italian waters. In the other, the residents of an apartment building find the corpse of a fellow resident in the building's elevator. The Inspector must deal with hysterical people in both instances: irate, scheming bureaucrats and politicians in the former and disgruntled, meddlesome residents in the latter.
Montalbano discovers that a beautiful Tunisian housekeeper/prostitute is implicated in both cases. When she turns up missing, the Inspector reluctantly takes in her young son, who is the snack thief of the book's title. Montalbano, who desperately wants to get rid of the boy and return to his favorite pastimes, summons the full power of his sleuthing skills to solve the murders.
I enjoyed much about this book. In particular, I appreciated the insights the author offers into Sicily's politics and culture and the lives of its Tunisian immigrants. His depictions of the many people who annoy the Inspector are humorous. Other readers will no doubt enjoy Camilleri's lush descriptions of Sicilian cuisine.
The Snack Thief is part of Camillerri's Inspector Montalbano series of mysteries. This is the third title to be translated into English by Stephen Sartarelli.
Doris Dixon, Raleigh Branch Library
I enjoyed much about this book. In particular, I appreciated the insights the author offers into Sicily's politics and culture and the lives of its Tunisian immigrants. His depictions of the many people who annoy the Inspector are humorous. Other readers will no doubt enjoy Camilleri's lush descriptions of Sicilian cuisine.
The Snack Thief is part of Camillerri's Inspector Montalbano series of mysteries. This is the third title to be translated into English by Stephen Sartarelli.
Doris Dixon, Raleigh Branch Library
Labels: International Fiction, Mystery, Reviews by Doris Dixon
