Saturday, January 27, 2007

Shalimar the Clown, by Salman Rushdie


This is the first book by Salman Rushdie that I ever read. Initially, I wanted to start with his other book which landed him a fatwa - The Satanic Verses - since it was out of stock I read Shalimar instead.

A very well written book about a young indian village girl-a dancer, who marries his childhood sweetheart-an entertainer a.k.a clown, later turned killer, and leaves him later on for an american ambassador, a married guy with a frigid wife hence the roving eye. In the end, things don't go as she thought they would and she goes back to the village, where she lives as an outcast, until her husband comes to kill her. Let me not spill more beans now.
I really liked the way the story flows though Salman tends to take meandering paths to get to the point, so if you are impatient, it might not really tickle you. There was one section where he went on about some parties (political) and they were all abbreviated (HDG, KIR, MJU, ALZ, BPT etc) It looked crazy but since i skipped that page, i was alright with it:-)

The last part of the book was wonderful, did not want to put it down. A really nice book, not fast paced but has parts that grip. Definately 8 out of 10.

Review by Chatterly

4 comments:

bantutu said...

Sounds lovely...Although I have to admit the first part sounds an offal lot like a bollywood flick I watch'd...
I'll check the Rushdie guy out...

Half 'n' half said...

Haven't read this one but I swore off Salman Rushdie after the Moors last sigh. I hate that book even more than the english patient.
Good to see that you managed to post

Chatterly said...

bantutu you are right...the only thing that was missing in that *bollywood flick* is the high pitched singing in the background :-)
halfnhalf-i havent read the moors last sigh but i would still love to read something else by salman. his Satanic Verses or midnights children :-)

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