Have you read... A Village by the Sea?

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A Village by the Sea by Anita Desai was given to me as one of those gifts designed to stoke the potential; something to make you think. In this respect, it is certainly a high achiever.

Rarely have I found any novel which is as beautiful, lyrical or thought provoking since. It is a simple piece, neither epic in subject nor in scope, acquitting itself with language that is uncomplicated and yet perfectly expressive. Although I have read many books about India since, and will continue to explore this country’s rich verbal culture, the sense of India’s spirit which Desai gave me will stay with me as long as I live.

Set in the small village of Thul near Bombay, the story revolves around 12-year- old Hari and 13-year-old Lila, two siblings desperately trying to keep their family from falling apart. Their mother is stricken with an unnamed chronic illness, their father is a drunkard and they have two younger sisters, Bela and Kamal, to look after on very little money. And things are about to get worse, with the small sea-side community threatened by the looming threat of industrialisation. In desperation, Hari decides to set out for the city of Bombay, leaving his elder sister alone to care for the family. This seems like the perfect set-up for a gritty Indian realist drama with tragedy lying in wait right around every corner.

Unlike others of its kind, however, A Village by the Sea has a distinctly fairy-tale quality to it. Although the children face very real, very serious threats and look these hardships straight in the face not flinching, the menagerie of eccentric characters who surround them are sources of help rather than danger, however mysterious and threatening they may seem. Desai writes with a clear passion to draw out the vibrancy of this world, which is alive with colour and spice as much as with shadows. My favourite part is when we follow Hari to Bombay where he meets a watch-maker, whose workshop at once reminds us of a magician’s study with its mystery and wonder. In addition, the main characters remind me distinctly of the heroes from children’s adventure stories; afraid, but always determined and ordered in their approach. Essentially, this is a very personal story about family and love, with the larger concerns of the adult world looming ominously just outside the scope of its chief characters. This is certainly no masterpiece of modern literature, but it will warm the cockles of your heart with simple assurance. But don’t just take my word for it – go on and try it for yourself.

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