The Mistress of Spices, Divakaruni’s first book, seemed low on zest. But its unfair to pigeonhole anyone on the basis of one encounter, so when this latest arrived from the publisher, I decided to renew the acquaintance.
The one interesting thing about this book (‘amazing’ is a special word and one that should not be used lightly) is that it is, or sets out to tell, a different story.
A motley group of people (all hoping to travel to India) are trapped in the visa section of the Indian consulate in an American city following an earthquake. As time wears on and chances of escape or rescue look bleak, one of them decides that they should ‘focus their minds on something compelling’ and tell an important story from their lives, ‘one amazing thing’ that has made a difference or made them who they are.
So unfold stories by the visa officer Mangalam, his colleague Malathi, an estranged American couple, Tariq, an angry young Muslim man, Jiang, a Chinese-Indian woman returning to Kolkata… the characters are stereotypical but their stories are interesting, if on a basic level.
The human paradox, or dilemma,if you will,is that there are nearly always several lives in one. Divakaruni delineates that through her characters, credible and nuanced enough to keep you turning the page.
The words flow quick and easy, and the book can be, indeed is, ideal for one sitting. It’s the perfect ‘in-transit’ read — just don’t be taken in by the superlatives that pepper the blurbs on the jacket.
ONE AMAZING THING
Author: Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: viii + 210
Price: Rs 450
