From the book blurb
Kumar and Raman are champion kite flyers. Lakshmi makes delicious
burfis. Their friendship develops on the banks of the Kaveri in a tiny village
named‘crow shit’. They are inseparable till tragedy strikes, shattering their
idyllic childhood and altering the course of their lives.
The story then moves to Madras, into a house of eunuchs and the
barber salon, Cool Cut. These are searing times in Tamil Nadu, and MGR is the
revolutionary leader – God to his followers, who surge forward, their voices
linked, their tongues loyal only to their mother tongue and to their deity. As
the story follows the three friends coming to terms with their new lives, the
author vividly brings to life 1970s Madras, with its politics of caste,
geography, gender and language. Ultimately, The Kite Flyers is a poetic fable
of friendship, severance and redemption.
Author
Sharad P. Paul was born in England in 1966, but grew up in India.
He is a doctor, writer, medical law-degree holder and social entrepreneur. His
first novel, Cool Cut, was published in 2007. He is the man behind the Baci
Group which includes Baci Lounge, an award-winning independent bookstore/café;
Baci Cosmetologie, a skin care company; and Baci Foundation, a charity which
runs literacy and mentoring programmers for disadvantaged children.
Characters
Kumar, the owner of Cool cut, a barber shop. He is
kind-hearted and a good one with scissors. He is an efficient kite flyer too.
Lakshmi is a dreamer and a good friend
who is brilliant in making coconut barfi.
Raman is an efficient kite flyer
with dreams of making big. He is determined and doesn’t let circumstances to
deter him. He continues to remain good in spite of the twist in his fate.
Gowrie teacher is a self-taught village
school teacher. She is well-read and takes immense effort to lead her students
towards the right path. She is the kind of teacher who forever remains in student’s
memories.
Rajinder (The Evil One) has the heart of
a mother… Mira (The Hooker) is
understanding like a sister… Kamalam
(The Professor) gives unconditionally without expecting anything in return.
What I think
To
begin with, the cover page is very simple and depicts the essence of the book.
It complements the title – The Kite Flyers. I also loved that fact that the
book is hardbound with hard cover. It makes the book appear more interesting. The
book blurb is brief, yet fascinating enough to arouse reader’s interest. The
author’s note further garbs the reader’s attention and makes him/her wonder
what is so special about the story.
I
have a confession. When I saw the book’s name in IndiBlogger for review, the
first thing that came to my mind is Khaled Hosseini’s The Kite Runner; all the thanks
to the similarity in the names. But then, when I noticed that the author Sharad
P. Paul actually talks about the similarity in names, I fell in love with the
book. I liked that humbleness in the tone.
Coming
to the narrative style, it is outstanding. It starts as a first person’s
narrative, from the point of view of a fifteen years old boy who visits Kumar’s
Cool Cut. Then, as we are taken
through the memory lanes of Kumar, Raman, Lakshmi and Gowrie teacher, it takes
a third person narrative. But, such a shift in style is not confusing instead
it makes the tale more intriguing. There are several thought-provoking sentences
in the book that will linger in your memories. It also carries a tinge of philosophy
with it.
Another
interesting aspect about this books is that it talks about Tamil Nadu politics,
the emergence of ADMK, the death of the celebrated MGR and the raise of Amma, Dr. Jayalalitha. It also touches
the controversial topics like child marriage, the fate of untouchables/lower-caste
people and the pitiable state of village schools. It extensively talks about
the lives of eunuchs; their lives, thoughts and feelings. And most importantly,
the love for the language Tamil and the hatred for Hindi; something that is
still existing in Tamil Nadu.
Above
all, a special thanks to the author for taking us through the villages of Tamil
Nadu, Kaveri river, superstitions, adolescence, friendship and redemption.
But...
The
book is addictive.
It
will linger in your thoughts and makes you cry!
Should you read it?
Don’t
miss it…
It
is an experience…
And
you will enjoy it!
Rating
4/5
Thank you
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