Village by the Sea [Paperback]

Anita Desai (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 7, 1992 | Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up

A beautiful story set in a fishing village near Bombay. on the life of children and familiary, useful for courses and an understanding of change and tradition in modern India

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Anita Desai was born and brought up in India and has written widely for both adults and children. She has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize and has won the Guardian Fiction Award.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 157 pages
• Publisher: South Asia Books (May 7, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0140118861
• ISBN-13: 978-0140118865
• Product Dimensions: 7.9 x 5.2 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,712,003 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 32 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A very moving story, July 30, 2004

By 

HORAK (Zug, Switzerland) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Village by the Sea (Paperback)

Anita Desai's wonderful novel tells the story of a family living in the small fishing village of Thul, 14 kilometres from Bombay, India. It is more precisely the story of two young people, Hari, a boy of 14, and Lila, a girl of 13, with a will to survive. Their task is not easy. Lila has to look after their mother who is very ill with fever and requires constant care. She is also in charge of all the household chores and has to look after their two younger sisters, Bela and Kamal. Hari on the other hand has to work in the fields, selling whatever he can at the market to feed the family. Indeed, their father has long ceased to be a fisherman, his sole occupation being to get drunk on toddy every night along with his chums in the village.

Fortunately, next to their hut is a large country house called Mon Repos which is owned by the de Silvas from Bombay and whenever they come on holiday to Thul, Lila and Hari can earn some extra money by helping with the household or doing work in the garden. But there is a rumour in the village saying that soon the rice fields and the coconut groves will be replaced by a large fertiliser factory. The location of Thul was chosen by the Government for its closeness to the port of Rewas. So new highways and railway lines are to be build and the villagers are worried about their future. Are they skilled enough to get a job at the factory? What will become of their traditional way of life? Will the air and the sea be polluted by chemicals? When a delegation is sent to Bombay to express their worries to the Minister Sahib, Hari decides to join the party. Before leaving, he decides that Bombay may offer him a better life opportunity than his frightened sisters, his sad house, his ill mother and his drunken father. And it is indeed in Bombay where this delicate boy, who

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The Power of Human Spirit, February 14, 2003

By 

"pisquare" (Bombay, India) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Village by the Sea (Paperback)

It is only once in a while that one comes across a book which is so very genuine in presentation and content. The story of Hari and Lila, two village kids aged 12 and 13 respectively and their struggles with an ailing mother and drunkard father, while supporting a family is poignant and refreshing at the same time.
Why and how Hari in the face of abject poverty and destitution runs away to Bombay and how Lila manages to pull through the months when he's not there makes a very pleasing reading. In a country as India, where poverty abounds and personal despair can never be desparate enough, it shows how circumstances can make men out of boys and ditto for girls. There is no loss greater than the loss if human spirit and this is the message from this book. Coping with change is the most basic of human instincts yet we often struggle to maintain status quo.
Apart from this, the style is very pleasant and smooth. Having visited both Bombay and the villages near Alibagh, I can vouch for the fact that justice has been rendered to those environs. The ace in the stroy is the inclusion of Dr Sayyed Ali, India's noted orinthologist, to bring out a very important aspect. Overall the use is symbolism is profound and the conclusions heart warming. A definite read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book from Anita, May 18, 2003

By 

Azrul Yahya (Malaysia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Village by the Sea (Paperback)

This is a novel about everything in Indian culture. The author succesfully blended Indian's traditions, environment, politics and bunch more problems that sorrounded the poor Indian family. This is Anita Desai's best novel for me and touches my heart everytime. This is especially true when the bird lover said "Adapt! Adapt!". That part alone may surpass the power of moving and changing that featured in 'Who Moved My Cheese"