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A review by asuph
The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra
4.0
Pankaj Mishra's first and only fiction, The Romantics, is an engaging read on many levels. The slow pace, the lack of any real story, could be a turn off for many, but it's rarely been an issue for me. Samar, Mishra's hero, seems to be be a reflection of author's young self, given that the narrator seems to be very much extension of the author's voice, if one has read Butter Chicken ...
Set in Banares, the writing is evocative, and sometimes that can be an problem because Mishra seems to be really going nowhere, till he's explained every nook can cranny of the backdrop. In fact he doesn't stop at places: even minor human characters get a special treatment in terms of being explained. The characters themselves are interesting, and Mishra touches upon many themes and sub-themes of the time, many relevant even now.
Not for everyone, but could pleasantly surprise a few, like it surprised me.
Set in Banares, the writing is evocative, and sometimes that can be an problem because Mishra seems to be really going nowhere, till he's explained every nook can cranny of the backdrop. In fact he doesn't stop at places: even minor human characters get a special treatment in terms of being explained. The characters themselves are interesting, and Mishra touches upon many themes and sub-themes of the time, many relevant even now.
Not for everyone, but could pleasantly surprise a few, like it surprised me.