Book Review:Seahorse by Janice Pariat

Introduction

• ISIN: 978-81-8400-582-0
• Genre: Fiction
• Publishers: Random House India
• Price: Rs. 499/- (I received the book for review from the publisher)

Nem is a student of English literature at Delhi University. He drifts between classes, weed-hazy parties, and the amorous complexities of campus life, until a chance encounter with an art historian steers him into a world of pleasure and artistic discovery. Nem’s life is irrevocably transformed. One day, without warning, his mentor disappears.

In the years that follow, Nem cocoons himself in South Delhi, writing for a chic cultural journal. When he is awarded a fellowship to London, a cryptic note plunges him into a search for the art historian—a search which turns into a reckoning with his past. Retelling the myth of Poseidon and his youthful male devotee Pelops, Seahorse transforms a simple coming-of-age story into an epic drama of loss, love, and healing.

Behind The book

Source: www.goodreads.com

About the author

Janice is a writer based between London and New Delhi/Shillong (depending on the weather). Her first book Boats on Land: A Collection of Short Stories won the Sahitya Akademi Young Writer Award and the Crossword Award for Fiction in 2013. Her novel Seahorse has been published by Vintage, Random House India, in November 2014.

She studied English Literature at St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London.

Her work has featured in a wide number of national magazines & newspapers including OPEN, Art India, Tehelka, Caravan: A Journal of Culture & Politics, Outlook & Outlook Traveller, Motherland, and Biblio: A Review of Books, among others.

Me thinks

Having read the author’s previous work I was more than eager to grab this one and the moment I read the first line of this book I knew I was in for something magical. As a writer Janice Pariat is sheer magic for me, the way she weaves a gamut of emotions in her stories it makes them so endearing like a favourite toy you just don’t want anyone else to touch it, see it or feel it. It’s yours to keep forever and even after decades when it is all rugged and worn out it still manages to give you a sense of joy for the memories it holds for you. For me this is what Seahorse is. Wrapped in those few thousand words the author has created a tale that will stay with me for long, purely for the beauty of it, the emotions at play here and the way she has conjured magic in them. Another admirable thing about her books is the way they don’t have too many characters and yet create an impact.

From the cover picture to the blurb, from the beginning to the ending this book for me is sheer work of brilliance. In brief if I had to tell about this story it would be this “It’s a story of lost and found.” It is what happens between these two things is what makes this a special and unique read.

If like me you enjoy reads which are high on emotions and have human relationships at the foray then this one is for you. A highly recommended read for people who enjoy this style of narration which I like to call deep and haunting! She is fast turning into my favourite author now, one whose book I would buy without even reading the blurb.

Foodie Verdict

This book is like Jasmine tea - healthy for your body and mind ( heart and soul)

Source: www.teluguone.com