Death of Vishnu, The

Rating:
Summary: Simply Amazing! Mind Boggling
Review: On a breezy Sunday afternoon, I happened to read "The Death Of Vishnu" by Manil Suri. I picked up this book with great trepidation. Also, on the personal front, who would like to read about a man dying? That's what I thought until I read this one. As the title goes, the narrative also comes directly to the point - that of Vishnu, an odd job man, laying dead on an apartment landing of Mumbai. This is where the crux of the story lies.

Here we meet the Pathaks and the Asranis, two arch rival neighbours; what's worse is that they share the same kitchen and each claims to be taking care of Vishnu better.

Then on the other hand there are the Jalals - the husband who doesn't believe in any religion and just wants to gain spiritualism the easy way; the son Salim who is madly in love with the Asranis' daughter Kavita (here comes the Hindu-Muslim divide).

Not to forget the Tanejas - Vinod Taneja whose wife's death has left him with so much grief that he just doesn't get out of his apartment anymore...

And what's surprising is that all these characters are intertwined with one. And the connecting factor: Vishnu! The story binds itself based on what others perceive Vishnu to be - his mother, the Pathaks, the Jalals, the Asranis, Padmini, Kavita, and others like the scavenger and the sweeper working in the apartment. There is a holistic perspective to the point that it infringes on who Vishnu really is and what he embodies for all the bystanders.

There is a singular thread running through the book - that of isolation on various levels. The Pathaks and Asranis share a kitchen, almost to the point of invading each other's privacy and yet are so distant and cold. Vishnu is dead and yet no one wants to claim him and take him to the nearest morgue. Her husband and son, seeking refuge in intellectualism and staunch belief, leave Mrs Jalal alone.

Vishnu in another realm altogether believes that he is God (or rather is made to believe that by Mr Jalal) - Vishnu, who had ten reincarnations. His love for... Padmini, his longing for Kavita, and his thoughts on living make the book one delicious course.

This book is not an easy read. There are layers and sub-layers to this course though. On the surface, things are quite simple and easy to understand, but what Mr Suri has created is something else. He has created what one might call "a quilt of emotions" - right from love to the isolation one feels in the metropolis to the bare human nature. In short, Manil Suri has created a Universe in an apartment of Bombay - a city so huge and yet so cold and distant. So uninviting.

The spiritualism as one would expect from this book is on many levels rather ambiguous and unclear. In the sense that while the author tries to portray the elements of reincarnation and giving up on worldly pleasures - like Mr Jalal often tries doing - it all is actually a mockery of the same. One of the redeeming features of the book is that it is not written from an outsider's perspective. It is carved by an Indian living in India and breathing the air, which was what Vishnu did. An ordinary man elevated to something extraordinary to satisfy the superstitions and religious notions of the upper notches of society. This is where the element of comedy throws itself in your face.

The prose is certainly clever; however, the ending is left hanging. Possibly the author expects the reader to decide that for himself. In many ways, this resembles a grand chorus from a huge and wonderful comic opera, with all the inhabitants of the building singing at once. And underneath all the voices wailing about their personal concerns is the insistent bass of Vishnu as he prepares to die. Dealing with the most basic aspects of religion, love, and human kindness in a city setting which challenges its inhabitants to the limit, Suri creates a warm, funny, and very human drama of a every man's search for meaning in life.

Suri writes with obvious affection about a Bombay perhaps already lost, evoking easily its moods and attitudes, its light and smells. One can almost feel the heavy evening sea breeze, taste the roasted peanuts sold in paper cones along the sea wall, or see the Maharaja looking down from the Air India hoarding. A Bombay that rings true with its Irani Cafe, cigarettewalla, and radiowalla. Manil Suri's sharp eye for detail and natural ability to create a strong sense of place and time define his considerable talent, and one can look forward with a certain assuredness to its maturing in his promised books on the other two Gods of the Hindu trinity, Brahma and Shiva.

Rating:
Summary: Boring
Review: I'll be brief - started out fairly well. As I turned each page I cared less and less about any of it. Didn't tell me anything about indian culture - which I find very interesting. Give me Salman any day over this. Indian "very lite" - not worth the time nor $.

Rating:
Summary: Witty and Lyrical
Review: Manil Suri's first novel is a delight! "The Death of Vishnu" alternates between the ironic and witty storries of the inhabitants of a Bombay apartment building, and the poetic and sensual last memories of Vishnu who is dying on their doorsteps.

The interwoven stories are wonderfully vivid and fully realized, although not all characters are given neat endings...even poor Vishnu...but I won't spoil the delicious ending!

Rating:
Summary: Interesting but contrived
Review: The deliberateness of the plot makes the story contrived. I was also disappointment by the rather poor understanding of the mythological basis of Hindu beliefs that formed the underpinnings of the novel. I read somewhere that Mr Suri is learning Indian mythology thru Penguin translations. This is not the way to do it. These translations are literal, they don't capture the spirit behind the originals.

-Sam

Rating:
Summary: Amazing debut
Review: A man lies dying in a Bombay apartment building as his neighbors, the Hindu Asranis and Pathaks, bicker over anything from who's going to pay for the ambulance to who stole whose ghee and cooking water. Meanwhile, upstairs, the Muslim Jalals fight over Mr. Jalal's tumultuous search for religious truth and apparent abandonment of his god. Their son, Salim, a beautiful, mischevious young man, is in love with Kavita Asrani, who imagines herself as the heroine of a Hindi movie, and is always looking for her next big scene.

This book's title character, Vishnu, is a middle-aged drunk who has led a tough life. His father was abusive, so Vishnu turned to alcohol at a very young age. He was once in love with a beautiful prostitute, Padmini, but she won't allow herself to be owned. As he dies of an unknown illness on the landing on which he lives, he flies between memories of Padmini, Kavita, and his mother and father, and his fears of what is to come. He comes to wonder whether or not he might be the god Vishnu, for whom he was named.

The Asranis and Pathaks, who are endearingly petty, bring the comic levity to this book. The poor Sahibs Asrani and Pathak would like to be friends, if only they could shake the reins of their oppressive wives. Short Ganga and Shyamu Asrani, Kavita's 10-year-old brother, add to the comedy, which is necessary to break the pathos inspired by Vishnu's story.

This story is so moving! It tends to every emotion on the spectrum, moving the reader to tears and forcing him to laugh out loud. If you want a book that makes you feel, this one goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing writing but lacks depth
Review: As a huge fan of Indian writing, I admit disappointment in this novel. Suri writes beautifully, creates characters well and has a wicked sense of humor but compared to others in the field this feels like the Indian novel lite. As a first-time novelist, some of the seams are showing, particularly in the clumsy cross-cutting near the end. I loved the end (which is why I gave four stars) but the book seems thin compared to the works of Salman Rushdie and Rohinton Mistry. (If you liked this book, try Such a Long Journey or A Fine Balance on for size.)

Rating:
Summary: A Clean Look at Life in Bombay's Suburbs
Review: Manil Suri has many commendable ideas in this book. Shuffling back and forth between a hard reality and an illusory dream of Vishnu on deathbed, Suri captures the tumults of Indian life in a city like Bombay. At the same time, he manages to make a profound commentary on Indian customs and taboos that divide the country. His repeated praise for Akbar's Din Ilahi clearly shows the reform aspect of this book. His use of a Muslim character, Mr. Jalal, who can so tolerably deal with Hindu theology, definitely says something about what Suri wants modern India to be.

As some of the reviewers have said, enjoyment of this book is prerequisited by an understanding of Indian culture. But that is, of course, expected.

Four out of five because of some extra intimate scenes that did add dimension, but seemed to be superfluous at times.

Rating:
Summary: One of the best India books that I have read in recent times
Review: Nnd finally.. .after a while, a good Indian book. Lately, a number of Indian writers had fallen into the habit of letting their books become more of a tourist book than a honest book which tries to breathe life into its characters.

Not only did Mani Suri stay away from that trap, but crafted a very well written story, which does justice to the most basic foundation of a story - its actors ! One could argue that reading this book would need some understanding of Hindu and Islamic religions, but that is true of all books; reading a book based in America would need some basic understanding of customs here. The fact that Suri did not delve into giving an explanation every time he mentioned something that was typically Indian, instead made his characters say it for him.

Alternating between reality, and thoughts of the characters, can be quite daunting task, and Suri's done justive to it - be it Vishnu's slipping into his past as a kid with his mom, or with Padmini; or Mr. Jalal's attempts at unraveling the mysteries of the world !

I would recommend this book, not only to those wanting to read one with an Indian background, but just about anyone wanting to read a good book.

Rating:
Summary: Engrossing story
Review: I was amazed at the style of Manil Suri's writing. The writing was so fluid. Every action and reaction was described in a lush amount of detail and the imagery comes to you directly. There were times when I worried that all this detail would be for naught - meaning the payoff at the end of the story would not be enough thus I would feel cheated. But this story did not disappoint.

I loved reading about the characters and then reading their minds so lucidly. Mr. Taneja and Mr. Jalil were two characters that got my attention by trying to hard to strive to their goals. Every main character had something going on - something they must do, but they had to fight all the questions and obstacles in their way.

This is one of the few novels that will have a timeless quality. The reason is that it explores issues such as religion, social work, marriage, and family and the questions Suri raised here will be the same questions asked over and over again in the future.

For anyone who is willing to read about another person dealing with questions such as this, read "Death Of Vishnu".

Rating:
Summary: A Complex Religious and Social Novel
Review: Only a mathematician can write a book this complex and still keep the story straight and unconvoluted. (Interestingly there are no references to any mathematical subjects). I thought only Indians, imbued with centuries of religious and philosophical beliefs and subjected to Islamic rule, can appreciate this book but I was obviously wrong by looking at the reviews (maybe it is like an American appreciating the Indian curry ?). My only complaint about this book is that the language gets x-rated in certain places and parents should at least be aware of this before they recommend this book to their children (under 18). I don't know whether the future of India lies with people like Ahmed or flakes like Kavitha. Other reviews point out that women are not treated well in the novel. Only thing I can say is that his portrayal, though misognistic, is realistic and kind of compensates Divakaruni's extreme hatred of men.