A review by faintgirl
The Romantics by Pankaj Mishra

3.0

I'm not sure I gave The Romantics enough attention. I read the final 80 pages or so in one fell swoop, and they stuck with me much more than the snatched moments I had devoted to it before. Another coming of age tale, this one is set in modern day India. The central character has come to Benares to take his civil service exams, but his attentions are drawn elsewhere by the mishmash of people and cultures all looking to find themselves in a town historically known for its spirituality. In the end, no one really manages to figure themselves out, and there is sorrow, but not of the striking, all consuming despair of life kind that you were confronted with in "A Fine Balance". It's unfair to compare the two really, as this novel is much simpler, and much easier. It's more a trip towards some kind of acceptance, away from the glint and drama of romance.