The Valley of Masks

by Tarun J. Tejpal

This is my story. And the story of my people. The Valley of Masks examines the pathologies of power, purity and dogma to give us a frightening yet ultimately redemptive vision of the future. In the words of Ashish Nandy, critic and social commentator, This brilliant, superbly imaginative but terribly disturbing novel transcends borders, cultures, reading habits and literary fashions. As a story of the inhumanity of any human search for absolute perfection, it probably has no parallel in our literature. As a fable, it has a moral that will return to haunt you.

Genres: India, Fiction, Asia, Science Fiction, Dystopia, Indian Literature

348 pages, Hardcover

First published July 14, 2011

About the author

Tarun J Tejpal is a journalist, publisher, and novelist. In a 26-year career, he has been an editor with the India Today and the Indian Express groups, and the managing editor of Outlook, India’s premier newsmagazine. In March 2000, he started Tehelka, a news organisation that has earned a global reputation for its aggressive public interest journalism.

In 2001, Asiaweek listed Tejpal as one of Asia’s 50 most powerful communicators, and BusinessWeek declared him among 50 leaders at the forefront of change in Asia. In 2007 The Guardian named him among the 20 who constitute India's new elite. In 2009 BusinessWeek has named Tarun one of India’s 50 most powerful people.

Tarun's debut novel, The Alchemy of Desire, published in 2005, was hailed by Sunday Times as “an impressive and memorable debut”. Le Figaro called it a “masterpiece”; and Nobel Laureate V.S. Naipaul declared, “At last – a new and brilliantly original novel from India.” Translated into more than a dozen languages, in France the book won the Prix Millepages and was the finalist for the prestigious Prix Femina.

Tarun's second novel, The Story of My Assassins has been published in 2009 to rave reviews. Pankaj Mishra has said, "It sets new and dauntingly high standards for Indian writing in English", while Altaf Tyrewala has called it "an instant classic". He has just recently stepped down from his position as editor of the Tehelka magazine in light of charges of repeated sexual harassment brought against him by a female journalist.

Reviews

[Mridu Bhattacharya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very disturbing yet intriguing... does such a world really exists? A must read... It demands a certain level of maturity and acceptance towards changes to complete this book. It strikingly shatters some old beliefs. It is very interesting and at times it is very disturbing. It offers a completely different view towards the worldly affairs.

Initially I liked it, then I didn't like it, then I like it again, then I didn't like it and finally when I completed the book, I was confuse whether to like it or not. So I decided to give it a 3 star, then I realize how much I'm thinking about this book, even after completing it. It deserves a 5 star. Not to mention, I'm still grasped in the portrayal of the 'valley of the pure' or rather the portrayal made by Tarun Tejapl, to the extent that I'm finding it difficult to let it go. The writing is good, but the vivid imagination of the Nest, Kilns, Cookhouse etc. are giving me goosebumps.

[Tanvi Srivastava · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is not like anything you have read. It has something which puts you to think.. it is that disturbing at times. You are scared that what if it turns out to be a reality one day.
I brought this book due to its title and a mystic cover.. the inside is much more than that. It revolves around how a ordinary human mind is more willing to submit to the leader.. the authority... than to stand up against. I would not like to re read it again as it frightens me to some extent..and would not like to dilute the impact it has on me.. at least for some time...! Well deserved critical acclaims..! Highly Recommended.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sometimes, literary prizes serve a very useful role in publicising books that have escaped attention, and it’s probably true that I would never have come across this remarkable book, The Valley of Masks, had it not been longlisted for the Man Asian Literary Prize 2011. It is a confronting work, but I found it intriguing reading with a powerful message for our times.

The Valley of Masks is a parable. It is a passionate warning about the dangers of fundamentalism and warped ideologies espousing ‘purity’. Like Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale it depicts a barren society in a dystopian landscape; and in its themes it resembles two of George Orwell’s novels: like Animal Farm it shows how a mask of equality can be a sham; like 1984 it shows the heroic resistance of the individual against homogeneity.

To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/201...

[Prashant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book by Tarun Tejpal is an excellent display of mysticism and creativity. He comes up with an entirely new world and created characters you can actually link with. The way the story flows keep you hooked till the end and the beautiful language acts as an added flavour.
Tarun has the capacity to link his mystic world with the real problems of our world. He gives significant space to each of his characters to grow in the readers mind.
All in all a beautiful read and a sure recommendation for anyone who can handle a little good english.
P.S.- After reading this book I immediately ordered his other book "Story of my Assassins". Will tell you guys how that turns out.

Happy Reading !!

[Prabhat · Rating 1 out of 5]

Found UNREADABLE. Considering ALCHEMY OF DESIRE is my best fiction ever, and I much savored STORY OF MY ASSASSINS too, this one was a shocking disappointment. Either I totally failed to appreciate TEJPAL's evolved genius or TEJPAL just lost it...I don't know!

[Apoorva · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounded down. Pretty good but not groundbreaking or anything.

I was assigned this as part of an MA English presentation, and had about 5 hours in which to finish reading. I'm just glad that I managed to do that while remaining sufficiently engrossed. It could've done with tighter editing though, because it loops back and keeps repeating the same idea.

Also the ending, far from being chilling or revelatory, is just Oedipus. First person POV, long flashbacks intermittent with a few snatches of the present. Once again, the receptacle of his story is a woman, called Parvati. Reminiscent of Midnight's Children.

Look, it's a dystopia along the lines of Animal Farm (equality and its perversion because concentration of power) and The Handmaid's Tale (women as reproductive machines reduced to their wombs) and 1984 (brainwashing and torture) and Anthem (Alphanumeric names and locatedlessness) and Harrison Bergeron (absolute equality) and Cloud Atlas' Sonmi section (the rebels getting brutally punished, and one rebel getting to tell her story and that of her killers just as she prepares to be executed), tracing the history of what happens when an (arguably) good idea is ruthlessly executed to its logical extreme and the fanaticism that results from that. Also power corrupts, fundamentalism.

"He who fights monsters should look to it that he himself doesn't become a monster. When you gaze long into the abyss, the abyss also gazes into you."
So there's nothing new other than that it's set in an Indian context, and tackles the specifically Indian issue of caste and drainage inspectors. Otherwise it uses local flavours to highlight the same universal themes and concerns that pretty much every dystopia ever portrays. I might've rated it slightly higher because it's the first Indian dystopian novel I've read.

Themes for discussion (Because I'm basically making notes for my presentation):
Emotion/attachment as the ultimate sin one must cleanse oneself of. The way he brutalizes his lover who had taken care of him, the way he is brutalized by his brothers in the ass (very reminiscent of corrupt Indian gurus who take sexual favours from their chelas in private).
Sex as a primal bodily need you need to get past to focus on higher things, and that as a justification for institutionalized rape.
Subsuming the individual to the collective.
Ruthless suppression of dissent via a coup and murder.
Sanitization of murder by evoking Aum and the ideals of purity and duty.
Dismantling of motherhood and fatherhood, children indoctrinated from birth into aspiring to be Wafadars or Bhakts.
Women as the source of all evil within the dystopia, the black haired the black eyed girl becomes his MPDG.
Masks: Uniformity, V for Vendetta connection because iconization.
Concentration camps and torture chambers: The Nest of the Unable: they're burnt because they're seen as the source of evil. The Crater where everyone is flung once they've stopped being useful.
The Yodhas who plant themselves in the regular human society.
Drain Inspector and caste: All shit smells like shit, and how Karna thinks he's more virtuous than all the Helmsmen he's met. He also has hopes for a revolution, the lower castes are seen as the ultimate impurity. He is also a listener of his recorded story.
Very Hindu religious in its imagery and terms: Pathfinders, Aum, Bhakts and Yodhas. The origin story is very Christ/Mohammedlike.
Epic references: Pandavas. Philosophizing the flaws of Indian heroes.
Wafadars: conformists who are trained and glorified, spiritualization of combat skills. Pushing your physical and psychological limits. But actually pawns in the hands of the Helmsmen (oops God-men). Free will curbed because they're told what they should want.
Gentle Father is neither gentle nor fatherly, again a critique of the cult of personality that's found at the centre of dictatorships, exploitative spiritual organizations, religions etc.
Homoeroticism is hinted at, and there are two men fucking but the moment it begins to acquire emotional significance, he kills his lover.
Disability: seen as useless because the society is very Spartan. They're all trained to be warriors and those who die, die. They emerge from a ritual of purification (very relevant given caste and shuddhikaran).
The Chonch: symbol of the brutality of precision and perfection.
Matter-of-fact narrative style very reminiscent of Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go.
World-building: Mausoleum of Our Egos, Serai of Fleeting Happiness, Kiln of Inevitable Impulses, Room of Inner Truths and the Crater of Resurrections.

Personally, what I've liked about allegories and dystopias is that they make political points that are universal while evoking specific cultural contexts. So the Russian Revolution, Nazism, whatever the source might be, their message is deeply political. They tend to be highly symbolic, and easy to mistake as fantasies while they're actually fables that make deep political points.
Supposed to be a thriller but is only partially thrilling: we can see the end coming. But then we know how dystopias end.

[Kalpita Karan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It stirs you. Its makes you crave for that hidden thought in you which is honest. It creates dilemma and kills you with the mesh of confusions. Its brilliant. I can't believe Tarun has crated such a rare creative world. You get deep into darkness before you know it. Anyone who wants to leave the comfort zone for some is most welcome to be a part of this creative journey.

[Nandita Goswami · Rating 2 out of 5]

Got tired of reading it after a while! The story barely moved along and did not even end satisfactorily.
A disappointment after reading " The Story of My Assassins " by the same author

[Ashwini Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tarun Tejpal displays a good understanding of human lives and the origin and journey of its ideas. How ideas, taken to their logical extremes can often create new forms of difficulties, as opposed to those which they had sought to remove. So in a way, its George Orwell's Animal Farm packed with Indian Mythical characters and names, symbols and references. lol. Though the lines in between used by Tarun are higly original at times - such as the one which labelled gratitude as a sin. That one is something not many people would understand anyway, as along several other things that have been stated in the book. Thats why some have called it a boring and dreadful read, labelling it as a deadpan read. A certain level of mental depth is required to be brought along before you can even attempt reading this book. Oh yes, but of course, while western literature constructs an outerworld and derives the meaning of the self, in contrast, oriental literature straight from the mahabharatha has first found the meaning of the inner self and then gone on to construct the outer world. But then if you see, both the two positions are not disjunct from each other ;), its just a matter of paths. But anyway, a good read this is. That's why, this book is of an orwellian world, which highlights a different aspect, that of inner equality and achievement of outer realities, whereas the orwellian novel was about equality in the outer realities in order to arrive at a sense of inner achievement. Many more things could be said about the book, but I would keep it to this only, as the book is primarily a philosophical positioning on ideas and questions humans face, rather than just a story. If you are looking just for a story, then this wont be the one for you.

[Julie lit pour les autres · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lu en français : La vallée des masques

Je suis sans mots - ce qui n'est pas totalement vrai, haha, si je me fie à la longueur de ce commentaire. L'expérience de lecture est déroutante : j'ai eu un peu de difficulté à me plonger dans cet univers, mais je me félicite d'avoir fait preuve de persévérance. Le narrateur de ce roman est né dans une communauté religieuse retirée en Inde, où le gourou Aum aurait mené les élus. Dans cette communauté, on cherche la pureté, l'égalité. C'est pour cette raison qu'est appliquée l'effigie, un masque anonyme (et d'où le titre), sur les adolescents devenus adultes. Faire disparaître l'unique derrière l'anonyme. C'est pourtant hors de cette communauté que le narrateur raconte son histoire, alors que dans la nuit il attend le châtiment ultime, la visite de guerriers impitoyables, qui comme lui à l'époque, débarrassent le monde de l'impureté...

Le quatrième de couverture propose que ce roman est une fable philosophique et politique. On ne peut y voir que des ressemblances avec le fondamentalisme religieux, l'intégrisme et le prosélytisme dont on parle de plus en plus. Ce sont toutes les notes fausses qui surgissent au tournant d'une phrase qui nous permettent de découvrir que l'on n'est pas dans une fantaisie guerrière et noble : la transformation d'actes abjects (viols, assassinats, etc.) en événements purificateurs, la rhétorique "nous vs eux", les punitions pour ceux qui dévient de la voie d'Aum... La dérive se déroule sous nos yeux, par la voix dépassionnée du narrateur. C'est à la fois fascinant et horrifiant.

À suggérer aux lecteurs.trices qui apprécient les romans philosophiques. Le style plaira à ceux qui aiment les univers inventifs, riches, empreints d'images fortes. Les dernières pages donnent le frisson.

[Theresa Nardi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Could not get into this....

[Moushine Zahr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the story of this novel is set in the valley of the Hilamayas in India during the late 19th century, it cannot be categorized as a fiction history, but more as religion/spiritual novel and not quite. The narrator and leading character counts the story of his life inside a secret sect of a new religion created by a born guru "AUM" sometimes during the early 19th century. The narrator tells his birth inside this sect, his childhood and teenage years growing inside a sect and how he realized his dream to become one of the best fighter/soldier of this sect until given one last order before becoming one of the top leaders of the sect, but instead he ran away from it all. The book is well written with characters equally well developped. However, it is impossible for me and most readers neither to relate to the leading character born inside a sect nor to connect with the story itself. The author through the narrator chose a non-judgemental tone to write this novel and describe of the various ideologies of this religion, a,d how this new religion changed with time into a sect before transforming itself again into a dictatorship. The author let the readers make their own opinions. Although some might be attracted to the egalitarian philosophy as basis of a new society, we clearly and easily as outsiders see that the system doesn't work from the start and the more it tries to distance itself from the outside world the more it actually ressembles it.

This book is unlike any other book I've read. It is difficult to describe, categorize, or read at times. It raises a lot of questions about society, religions, political systems, and individuals.

[Shree · Rating 5 out of 5]

A striking read.Tarun has diagonised the crux of human kind that is not so easily detected and is roaming freely in the society. This beautifully written text is against sanctity which is actually the origin of despotism. And it is a fervent revolution against the term 'dogmas'.The attitude of 'I know what is good for you' is the root cause of authoritarianism. This world is not a replica factory for one to become a copy of each other. It is not surprising to think why this puritanism is not considered as a major problem in this humanity because everyone has a lust for power, everyone has a share in it and wants to participate. Be it rich or poor, be it men or women, be it privileged or oppressed, it is a common problem of humanity across polarity. No one is exempt. Upon paper, Tarun has inscribed his voice against puritanism. 'The valley of masks' is a nonpareil fable trasncends ages and cultures.It can stand forever. Something to remember Tarun has found a place in the sun and my heart.Forever, I wish to be embosomed by the essence and wisdom ascertained from the book. The requisite one for the susceptible person like me. Juxtaposing the English and Tamil versions, the Tamil version is more profound and mind-blowing. I heartily deem literature is the only tool to convey the many dimensions of the human mind to others without taking away their freedom.

[Rachana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked it and then I started to dislike it because I felt aliented as a female reader and then I got in my head about it because I was like, "do I dislike the book simply because I dislike the characters and ideas within?" which is a stupid reason to dislike a book actually and I probably wasn’t engaging with it as ought to have. So I think I have to read other people's reviews, give it some time, and then come back to Valley of Masks to give it another shot.

The language was rich but then repetitive at times which started to make me feel bored.

Quotes I liked:

Someone is laughing so hard it is ripping open the night.

and

Not all the wood in the world became a chair unless you knew how to craft it. From all the gallons of information being poured into us, we had to distil wisdom.

and

Men can genuflect to greatness if it comes from afar; up close, they want to nail it to the cross.

and

It's the principle on which men must operate. Do what they ought to, in the faith that someone else will do what they ought to.

[Mythili · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book completely cast a spell on me. Tarun Tejpal creates an entire mini-civilization hidden away somewhere on the Indian subcontinent; the novel is narrated by one of its former inhabitants recounting his life story. I was particularly taken by the way the book enters into a dialogue with The Mahabharata -- the protagonist, tellingly, is given the name "Karna" by his mother -- as it considers twisting questions of ethics, morality and how to live. In some ways, the book's message against the evils of totalitarianism and the fundamentalist thinking ("quest for perfection") is a simple, familiar one. But the combination of discipline and credulity of the book's narrator, as well as the poetic richness of the elaborate world he inhabits takes this book to another plane. As I was reading, I had some issues with what seemed to be gratuitous sexual violence (an easy of a metaphor for repression) in the book, but by the end of the book, a couple of key plot twists brought me around to Tejpal's vision. I'll say no more.

[Flopperstein (Shajeela) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Im quoting a review I found on Goodreads (by Mythili) because I cant write one myself for this book. Not yet.

"This book completely cast a spell on me. Tarun Tejpal creates an entire mini-civilization hidden away somewhere on the Indian subcontinent; the novel is narrated by one of its former inhabitants recounting his life story. I was particularly taken by the way the book enters into a dialogue with The Mahabharata -- the protagonist, tellingly, is given the name "Karna" by his mother -- as it considers twisting questions of ethics, morality and how to live. In some ways, the book's message against the evils of totalitarianism and the fundamentalist thinking ("quest for perfection") is a simple, familiar one. But the combination of discipline and credulity of the book's narrator, as well as the poetic richness of the elaborate world he inhabits takes this book to another plane."

[Chandrashekar BC · Rating 4 out of 5]

The title of the books talks about "Masks". The mask one wears can be as per one's need and sometimes the system you are living forces you to wear. The story is about how a new religion takes its birth from an already existing religion, because it does not respect all the values in it. it defines new set of values which it started believing and also identifies its Guru. In doing so, it sets certain social rules, ethics, values all around the newly invented "ideology" of the new religion, which again encounters individuals who is for and who are against it.
Yes, we have already seen this kind of changes in history and the novel makes the reader to think around that observation. It raises many questions in the reader related to philosophy, religions, social systems , individual thinking patterns. It pushes our thoughts to retrospect our past.

[Vikrant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read, unlike anything typically written by contemporary Indian authors in English. Strongly thematic novel, exploring the dynamics of faith, pursuit of perfection, totalitarianism and religion. Evokes memories of 'Animal Farm' and '1984', but obviously not in the same class. The setting is imaginative and detailed, certain sections are enthralling. Unfortunately, as in his previous novels, there is unnecessary repetition and use of fancy words. I would definitely recommend it as also his previous novels 'The Alchemy of Desire' and 'The Story of my Assassins'.

[Subbu G · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Intense, Dark and Disturbing piece of fiction. This is another book about a Utopian Society, as thought-up by an Indian author, and I would put this book up there with the other greats in this genre.

You'll definitely need Guts of Steel to get through certain parts, without feeling queasy; this book has a very 'Soylent Green' kind of an ending.

[Pratik Agrawal · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is not a thriller; it is a bitter dark satire on the very thought of our belief system through the millennia. It is not a fiction, it has happened through the ages, it is happening not very far from you and in all probability it will keep happening. That’s how we are.
Complete review:
www.dipanib.wordpress.com/2012/10/04/...

[Shubham Tiwari · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tarun transcended the boundaries of imagination. A quest for purity that sometime will fill you with the inferiority complex(Not everyone), but at the end humanity conquers the perceived purity. Thanks Tarun for such masterpiece.

[Surbhee · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book has manages to draw many parallels with the situations in India. Loved the way the author has taken the teachings of the cult to reflect so many real-life situations i.e. religion and the whole god vs evil debate has been covered beautifully.

[Mahjabeen Cheema · Rating 3 out of 5]

Addictive!thought provoking! repetitive at times...but written very well .....i see a movie in there ....! Better than "The Story of My Assassins"..but nothing like "Alchemy of Desire"..!

[Sarthak Dev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Among the most stylistically written books I've ever read from an Indian author. The story is a dark, deep insight into the human brain itself, but the way the author has put that into words, oooof!

[Prateek Parekh · Rating 1 out of 5]

Not one of my finest reads.

[Heidi Attwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Re Tarun Tejpal’s previous work: I loved “The Alchemy of Desire”, and while “The Story of my Assassins” wasn’t as impressive IMO, it was well-written and engaging.

“The Valley of Masks” is another scenario altogether. Departing from the real to the fable, the story follows the trajectory and downfall of a mythical warrior, through an authoritarian, dystopian world where adherence to a long-dead leader’s ideal is mandatory (i.e., not negotiable).

Comparisons can be drawn with “1984” in terms of how this ideal is implemented and maintained (brainwashing/punishment) and the deprivation of basic human liberties. The group is considered superior to the individual and any notion of normal relationships, love, entertainment is akin to treachery. These elements which we all take for granted undermine and threaten the status quo. The identical masks make everyone look the same, thereby removing individuality and focussing on the ‘herd’.

It is a sinister and compelling book, and raises questions of what happens in the real world under dictatorships where freedom of thought and expression are severely curtailed (and worse).

One question that plagued me was: As the inhabitants of this ‘country’ are not allowed to remove their masks which fit very closely to the face/head, how do the men deal with their facial hair?

Unfortunately (for me) I was unable to obtain an English-language version and had to plough through the 440 pages in French – not an issue as I speak it fluently – but the translation often resulted in stilted prose and the narrative seemed unduly long. The other problem was not being able to evaluate the writing, so I can only assume that it was up to Tejpal’s usual high standard, but without examples I can’t comment. With luck in the future I shall find an original and review it properly.

A powerful book which I would recommend – but can’t give more than three stars until I read it in English. Apologies for this.

[Uva · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can fix him.

[Cmorice · Rating 3 out of 5]

« Un roman brillant qui transcende les frontières, les langues et le courants littéraire… Il n’y a aucun équivalent dans notre littérature. » Ashis Nandy Au cours d’une longue nuit où il attend ses assassins, d’anciens frères d’armes, un homme raconte son histoire et celle de son peuple, une communauté qui vit recluse dans une vallée inaccessible, selon les préceptes d’un gourou légendaire : Aum, le pur des purs, le porteur de vérité… Là, dans un souci d’égalité absolue, les hommes n’ont pas de nom mais un matricule, pas de visage mais un masque identique pour tous. Et pourtant, dans cette société qui se veut égalitaire, certains sont plus égaux que d’autres. Au fur et à mesure qu’il s’élève dans la hiérarchie, jusqu’à en devenir un des chefs, le héros découvre les écueils de cette utopie, ses perversions, sa cruauté envers ceux qui dévient du droit chemin et les compromissions de ceux qui, au nom de la pureté, n’hésitent pas à éliminer chaque grain de sable. Un de ces grains de sable finira par ouvrir les yeux du héros qui fuira vers le monde extérieur où il découvrira la musique, la lecture, le rire, l’amour… et la beauté salutaire du doute. Une réflexion profonde et sans aucune complaisance sur les questions fondamentales qui agitent les sociétés humaines : l’individu face au groupe, les maladies du pouvoir, les perversions du dogme, la dictature de la pureté, les dangers de la rhétorique, et l’inhumanité de toute quête de la perfection absolue. Fondateur et rédacteur en chef du magazine d’investigation Tehelka, qui a bâti sa réputation sur ses enquêtes contre la corruption, éditeur et romancier, Tarun Tejpal est l’une des grandes figures de la littérature indienne contemporaine. Traduit dans une quinzaine de langues, Loin de Chandigarh (Buchet Chastel, 2005), son premier roman, a été un immense succès en France, finaliste du prix Femina et Prix des Libraires en 2007. Histoire de mes assassins, son deuxième roman, est paru également chez Buchet Chastel (2009). Tarun Tejpal vit à New Delhi.

[Mais où va le Web · Rating 5 out of 5]

Orwell, Koestler, Huxley, Platon... se retrouvent dans ce roman, à la frontière entre dystopie et philosophie politique, dans une ambiance à la Indiana Jones... Rien des manigances du totalitarisme religieux, n'échappe à l'auteur qui nous plonge dans une description vertigineuse des perversions d'un esprit vérolé par sa foi absolue en un être unique. L'histoire d'une vie, celle d'un prêtre assassin qui, de meurtres en abominations nous raconte son ascension dans une confrérie déshumanisée. Il poussera jusqu'aux extrêmes limites de son propre système pour s'extirper de son autarcie intellectuelle.

A lire absolument

[Ashok]

Hard as I tried, I could not make much headway in understanding the underlying theme that the author has laboured to paint. If anything, the experience is a pointer to my limited comprehension abilities than author's widely acclaimed literary and intellectual intellectual prowess. I Would surely give it another try, but only after I have retrieved my long lost thinking cap.