The City Of Good Death by Priyanka Champaneri

 

Someone recommended this book to me. 

In the first place, I find it difficult to decide which book to read and then, whether I must read it once I make that decision zeroing in on the title. The hesitation in my thoughts were there before I started reading the book. There was little insight exposed about the plot except that its based in the holy city of Banaras. 

This is the authors' debut added to my reluctance. However, the language was simple. The word scape was ethnically molded. The story ran slow. Despite having finished more than half the book, I was yet to establish answers to the most basic questions about the plot. It was then, I started to believe - perhaps this book is the prequel to the main plot which may open up in the next book. Even when I finished reading the book, I wondered whether the entire story was all about what I call 'an emotional hairpin'. An attachment to a emotional moment in one's life or to people. 

The cover design is beautiful. The parrots and the visual diffuses a yogic feel. Yellow color though is the color of Haldi, which was quite contradictory to what the story was about. 

One thing I absolutely despised was the attempt to debunk Indian customs, beliefs and practices as "Superstition". I always prophet it is the ignorance of people who devalue Indian practices. Those people have not bothered to have studied Indian scriptures, to know the reason behind every belief, custom and practices which exist. The science behind which supersedes everything they may have ever learned. 

'The pots.. ' was really not funny. There is much anger there. The spirits in Banaras are real. As real as the existence of our ancestors who are worshipped in our puja. The Garuda Puran sheds more knowledge into it, when it is organized right after someone passes away. They should not be mocked or misused for the benefit of a plot. The author was not able to deal with it well, she brought it out but couldn't resolve it due to her half knowledge. 

The good thing about the book is, the writer is able to keep the reader going. A person reads on, irrespective. 

The characterization is on the surface. The transformations in characters, which makes the reader see the different colors of a character over time has lot of scope. 

With this I end my review and wish the author best of luck!!