Tomb of Sand
By Geethanjali Shree
Translated by Daisy Rockwell
Winner of English Pen Award,
Winner of International Booker Prize 2022.
Published Year : 2021
Page Count: 735 pages
Medium Used: Paperback
Genre : Drama, Historical fiction, India-Pakistan Partition, Humor, 2024-read.
Rating : 5/5
Must read for all Indian bibliophiles. This book is a celebration to what means being an Indian and unapologetic about it. Its really a heavy weight book .. not just in the number of pages but also the topics touched .. but it is delivered with such light hearted humor that felt is very impactful. It also sings an ode to the way things have turned out and are turning about every single day. Divisions between people. Loss of touch with ancient roots and customs. Modern generation and technology. No more joint family systems and even if there, the constant competition they are put into.
Loved the book thoroughly. The main character in the book is Ma. This is the story with most of the main characters from her family. Mainly beti, her daughter. And bade, her elder son. Bahu, his wife. Sid and Overseas son - their children. Ma has got into depression with the death of her husband. She refuses to do anything but turn her back against the world. Her face turned to the wall, she spends many days thus. Brooding and slowly, eating away. Then one day, she gets up and disappears. Then she is found by her own volition and is moved to the house of her daughter for a while. She has a friend, a transgender woman, by the name Rosie who comes frequently to visit her. Upon the death of Rosie, Ma makes a decision to go to Pakistan and scatter her ashes there .. because unknown to many, Ma and Rosie have been connected since their escapade as children in Pakistan during the partition riots. What follows is a hilarious, demented and absolutely gripping story of how Ma even makes the hard hearted, deep boiled hearts to beat with compassion. And then what happens to her ? Does she return home to her ever worried family ? How would the story have turned out if she did ? Lackluster, right? Yes. I think so too. She gave a touch of immortality to this experience and her thoughts in the way she moved on!
Definitely read it. Even if it is lengthy. Really worth it. Sometimes I wasn't able to understand or grasp the drift of her thoughts and had to leave them at that. I am sure this book will be something that can't be fully understood. Yet. Its ok. It's the connection with the story and the characters that matter the most. Ma is truly a unique character. I felt envy at the way she was universally loved and regarded. Be it for her wealth or her experience. Whatever!
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