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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Harmonious look at life.,
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This review is from: The Immortals (Hardcover)
India has given us the spare writings of Narayan who wrings every bit of meaning out of each word; and the voluminous books of Ghosh and Seth. Chaudhuri's style incorporates the best of each of them.
Unusually, this is not a book heavily laden with India's politics and religions. People, their families and the vagaries of life are explored in 'The Immortals'. The book explores the relationships between the lower upper class and the upper lower class. The practicalities of the voice teacher's life are set against the idealism of the privileged student. Through these two main characters, and their families, the author draws us into the Bombay of thirty years ago. The story flows smoothly throughout and the low-key style of writing made it seem as if this was the real world with real people. Music is the 'glue' of the story that ties the characters together. The book has the obligatory native words, but no glossary. This is not particularly a problem, but can be disconcerting to readers unfamiliar with Indian literature. Most can be figured out by the context and none are critical to the understanding of the story. This would be a good introductory book to Indian fiction. Chaudhuri makes you comfortable with a place and people that are unfamiliar to Western readers. Give this one a try.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Enjoy the sheer beauty of the prose,
By
This review is from: The Immortals (Hardcover)
The story centres around Shyamji, singer and musician, the son of a notable singer; one of his students, Mallika, the wife of a successful businessman who herself has a voice that could make her famous; and Mallika's son Nirmalya, an increasing loner with high ideals and a critical outlook. Yet as the story unfolds we encounter many other characters, and as each is introduced given a clear image of that individual, however brief a role they play in the story.
The story follows the relationship between the various characters, and in particular the three mentioned, at a time when Shyamji and Mallika have attained what they will, and Nirmalya has yet to prove what he will achieve, as he considers his future and the direction of his education will take. Mallika looks to Shyamji to promote her as a singer, in turn Shyamji sees in Mallika a source of security, while Nirmalya regards Shyamji with the the shy reverence due his guru. It is the fine attention to detail which characterises Chaudhuri's writing, and which enables him to convey so vividly the sights, sounds and smells of India. It is a beautifully written book, with three main protagonists who each has his or her own appeal. It is a story about ideals, perceptions and realities. It is above all a story to be enjoyed for the sheer beauty of the prose.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Fascinating Look at Indian Classical Music and Art, and a Culture in Transition,
By
This review is from: The Immortals (Hardcover)
I just happened to pick this book up at the library on a whim, partly because I am interested in Indian culture, but I am not familiar with the author's other books or Indian contemporary literature in general. It was not a light read - I can sympathize with the reviewer who said he couldn't follow all the characters (I flipped back and forth at times to refresh my memory.) Also, another reviewer mentioned that many Indian terms are used, in relation to music and Hindu culture, and this is definitely true (this was less of an issue for me, as I have studied these enough to follow.)
Despite these minor hurdles, I ended up enjoying the book, mostly because of the snapshot it provides of a culture in transition. Through its various characters the author explores the role of classical Indian music and culture in Bombay as business and Western culture invades, and as Indian pop culture develops in its own right. In addition, the insights about art in general, and particularly on the difference between Western 'self-expressive' art/music and classical Eastern 'religious' art/music, were very intriguing to me. And as the main character develops an interest in philosophy and metaphysics, that becomes a platform for probing the relationship and differences between Western and Eastern philosophy also. So to me, it's a heady book, and a thematic one, but a good read if you are interested in either classical or contemporary Indian culture, or both.
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