I've always struggled a bit with short stories, as I've mentioned in my reviews before, however I engaged with this more than I thought I would. I still found it slightly frustrating that I didn't get to engage with the characters in more depth or find out their back or indeed future stories, but that's not really the point of this book. You are dipping in to the lives of ordinary people and that is what makes it so engaging. Beautifully written and often poignant and powerful, I look forward to reading more by this author, especially after reading The White Tiger, though I would still say I preferred that. I had to give this book 5 stars although I normally reserve this rating for classics. Adiga has skilfully managed to convey a sense of the place and its people not by engaging in sociological snalysis or selecting average types but rather by fixing his gaze on the unusual, the out-of-the-ordinary and the unexpected. The book is a collection of short stories centred around the Indian town of Kittur. Each story is about a different character -- this initially creates a sense of disconnection, however as you read on you realise that the town itself is the canvas on which storylines crisscross. There's a lot about caste in India and how it affects human relationships (an aspect that was totally new to me) and also about corruption, esp. among state officials (which rang a bell as I come from a country where corruption is rife, too). The stories feel slightly unfinished in the sense that it's not entirely clear why the characters act in the way that they do, but I think that's in line with a lot of recent short story writing where conveying a powerful sense about a character and/or place is more important than providing clear answers. The stories themselves are involving and strangely fascinating. There seems to be a connecting thread that runs through the stories, a personal quest for purity that sets the main characters apart from the others around them. Cast in an uncaring world, these characters seem to have a will and a mind of their own despite often being the lowliest of the low. I was especially touched by the story about the conductor on the No. 5 bus -- a boy who arrives at Kittur only to be shunned by his uncle, therefore living on the streets and going hungry. Despite the Dickensian element, the story is not in the least sentimental or building up towards some sort of redemption. Out of personal ingenuity the boy rises to the coveted position of conductor on bus No. 5. And then, all of a sudden, he blows everything: he turns against his patron and loses the position of conductor (and at the same time his means of livelihood). This happens without explanation or obvious reason why, possibly out of some secret act of rebellion or malaise of the soul. This pattern is repeated in many of the stories; rather than keep their heads down, lie low, know their place, the characters throw to the winds everything they strove for as if driven by a strong moral code or a deep sense of integrity which goes against customary morals.Overall, I'm finding that I'm learning a lot about contemporary India, a country that's rising fast to become one of the world's superpowers. Very much looking forward to reading The White Tiger.
What do You think about Mellan Attentaten (2008)?
An insightful glimpse into the Insia that Aravind observes, a great read.
—Nikhil
