Rating: 
Summary: Eminently missable
Review: "The House of Blue Mangoes" has been hyped as a sensational debut by David Davidar, the CEO of Penguin Publishing in India. The book traces the lives of three generations of Dorais as they try to find their place in the world. Solomon Dorai, the patriarch of the family, must strive hard to keep his town, Chevathar, from erupting into violence as a result of caste disputes. Ultimately, Solomon falls victim to this very evil. Of Solomon's two sons, Aaron is a hothead whose primary claim to fame is the successful clearing ( in high-jump) of a massive well in Chevathar. The other son, Daniel, is much more worldly-wise and takes care of his family after a successful stint as "vaidyan" (doctor). Daniel's son, Kannan, chooses to move away from Chevathar and seek his fortunes in the white man's (read occupiers, the British) tea estates. We see changes that afflict the Dorai clan -- assimilation into foreign cultures and even a "love" marriage in this generation. Finally we learn that even if your average Dorai strays far from Chevathar, he magically hears the call and always comes back "home". Yawn!The biggest problem with Blue Mangoes is that the story is so mediocre. In a recent interview, Mr. Davidar mentioned how he wanted to write about all his childhood memories played out in South India. I wish he had stuck to that agenda and written a wonderful memoir of sorts. Instead, what he has done is tried to create a filler story around all his memories. And that is always a dangerous game to play. What's worse, Davidar has tried to create a "saga" which means he throws everything but the kitchen sink in. You've got caste, caste, and more caste. You've got dowry, you've got oppressive husbands, subservient wives, man-eating tigers, the works. Davidar tries hard to create a panoramic effect but in the end, the book rambles too much. He needs a better editor. Another hindrance that many readers might find annoying is Davidar's generous use of Tamil words with no translation or lexicon included. The one saving grace of "House of Blue Mangoes" is that it is a masaledar, spicy read. It would make a good beach book. But I would borrow my copy from the library. Spend your money on better books.
Rating:
Summary: Shallow Characters, Vivid Detail
Review: "The House of Blue Mangoes" is a novel set in southern India and spanning three generations of the Dorai family during the years 1899-1947. Although I would call this a historical novel, Davidar really doesn't explain the historical background much and even his characters go about their daily lives without investing too much time in current events. For the people of Chevathar, the village of the Dorai family, history is symbolized by a road made famous for the incredible sweetness of the blue mangoes that are native to the region. This road turns out to be something of a mixed blessing. The people of Chevathar seemed to be dealing with their caste system in an orderly fashion until this road came alone and upset the proverbial applecart. Now, instead of the paths designated for each caste, everyone seems to take the road lined by the blue mangoes. This, of course, causes problems and even the Dorai family become victims. Their patriarch, Solomon, is beset with problems, while his elder son, Aaron wanders into a life of crime...with terrible consequences. Daniel, Aaron's younger brother, decides not to let politics and social problems ruin his life the way they had ruined his father's and brother's. He invents a skin-whitening cream called, "Dr. Dorai's Moonwhite Thylam." Rescuing the family home from destruction, Daniel renames it Neelan Illum, or "The House of Blue Mangoes." Daniel loses no time in letting his entire family know they are welcome at "The House of Blue Mangoes" but only if they agree to leave politics and its poisonous fruit behind. Of course, Daniel's plan does not work out, but his son, Kannan, does inherit Daniel's deep aversion to politics. Davidar, himself, seems to share his characters' aversion to involvement in political and social strife. In this novel, history serves only to ornament the background, not to shape the characters or drive the plot. Being very apolitical myself, I thought I would like this aspect of the book, and I do, to a certain extent. What I don't like is the fact that Davidar's characters, by their very refusal to even acknowledge the political turmoil around them, are rendered extraordinarily shallow. I might have been able to tolerate ignorant characters had they been fascinating in some other way, but the characters in this novel simply weren't. They are flat and one dimensional and their problems seem to revolve around the cliche. Davidar, himself, doesn't seem to care about his characters...or what happens to them. What does seem to interest Davidar, and the thrust of this book, are details. While Davidar doesn't bother to tell us a character's intimate thoughts, thus letting us get to know him and care about him, he does devote pages and pages to things like the sport of well-jumping, the traditional siddha medicinal practice, the social ins and outs of a proper afternoon tea, the best ways to hunt tiger, and the differences among the many varieties of mango. And, while much of this is very interesting, it certainly doesn't make for a compelling novel. Political and social problems aside, if Davidar had only lavished half as much care and development on his characters as he does on the details of the book, then "The House of Blue Mangoes" would have been an extremely interesting and involving book. As it is, it is not even a great reference guide.
Rating: 
Summary: Same old, same old
Review: ...It is very obvious that the author has talent, as the first 100 pages or so really grip you. I am not going into the plot because it has been covered many times already, but I just want to say that it is unbelievable all these Indian authors(of international repute at least) still can't get over the fact that in 1947, India got its independence from the British. Every single story is set during those times. Get over it, we are in the TWENTY-FIRST century now, try writing something about present day. But you see they can't write about present day because then you cannot paint the country as an exotic place full of backward,tribal customs which is the only way to get (THEY THINK) the attention of principally-white prize-givers and principally-white big publishers. And in doing so, they all do a major disservice to their country of origin on whom they draw so heavily to make their living. I just want to say that the man knows how to write (except towards the end where the story gets really boring - who cares about a tennis tournament among British leftovers on a tea plantation in South India in 1943?) and that the first part of this book is well written, and from then on it's downhill. This book is NOT an historical novel, it is just the story of 3 generations of a South Indian family, and only partly interesting at that. And the claim on the front cover of how it uses the backdrop of the "New, Modern-day India" is a blatant lie. This book ends at 1947. Newsflash: A LOT of water has flown under the bridge between 1947 and 2002.
Finally, this book makes it seem like the Caste System is widespread in India which just plain nonsense. It WAS prevalent in the South, and never a real issue in the North. All this book does is give you another nasty, distorted and stereotypical view of India.
Rating: 
Summary: The South Indian Macondo
Review: As an Indian from the south of my country currently living in the Bay Area I've often bemoaned the lack of good literature on my part of the world. David Davidar remedies that and how! For his novel does for India in general and South India in particular what few novels do -- create a rich, beautifully layered world that the reader can sink into for days on end and emerge as if from a dream. I won't bother to repeat the plot as other reviewers have done that. Suffice it for me to say that THE HOUSE OF BLUE MANGOES is a compelling blend of family drama and history which will reward anyone who chooses to pick it up. I'm sorry to sound like the author's blurb writer but when books move me, I tend to try and spread my enthusiasm for them as much as I can!
Rating:
Summary: Steve Abel
Review: As the other reviewers have described, this is a family saga like The Glass Palace or A Suitable Boy. It does an excellent job of setting the family story within the historical context of colonialism and nationalism. For me, however, the beauty of The House of Blue Mangoes is in capturing the texture of the deep South, an area that is much neglected in Indian literature. Mr. Davidar's evocation of the food, the vegetation and landscape, and the people of Thirunelveli and Kanya Kumari is a valuable addition to Indian literature. I must admit to a certain prejudice in that I served in the Peace Corps near Nagercoil many years ago.
Rating:
Summary: Steve Abel
Review: As the other reviewers have described, this is a family saga like The Glass Palace or A Suitable Boy. It does an excellent job of setting the family story within the historical context of colonialism and nationalism. For me, however, the beauty of The House of Blue Mangoes is in capturing the texture of the deep South, an area that is much neglected in Indian literature. Mr. Davidar's evocation of the food, the vegetation and landscape, and the people of Thirunelveli and Kanya Kumari is a valuable addition to Indian literature. I must admit to a certain prejudice in that I served in the Peace Corps near Nagercoil many years ago.
Rating:
Summary: Engrossing Saga
Review: Before I read The House of Blue Mangoes, I'd enjoyed Vikram Seth's A Suitable Boy and Rohinton Mistry's A Fine Balance so an excellent review of the book in the Post prompted me to pick it up. I must admit, however, that I was a bit wary when I began the book because the reviewer had described the novel as "Tolstoyan" which seemed a bit excessive. But when I had finished the book I could see why she had been so effusive with her praise. The House of Blue Mangoes is a vast, engrossing saga that is a powerful blend of family drama and historical events set in the south of India. Tracking events from 1899 to the year India gained independence (1947), the book tells its story through three generations of the Dorai family. The Dorais are Indian Christians who struggle to cope with internal family squabbles and the great events of the time that bear down on them. The narrative begins with Solomon Dorai, the patriarch of the clan, who is severely tested by caste conflict. The caste war that Solomon has desperately tried to avoid eventually consumes him and the story passes to his sons Daniel and Aaron. Aaron the younger son who is a hothead comes to a sticky end but Daniel holds firm and the family thrives and prospers. But this precis does not give an indication of the myriad adventures, tragedies and triumphs that befall the family. Not to put too fine a point on it, there is enough here to keep the most demanding or restless reader satisfied. Of particular interest to me were the minutiae of family life in southern India--marriages, courtship rituals,death, celebrations. I was drawn into a world that was completely foreign to me but at the end felt familiar. The House of Blue Mangoes is a book that both entertains and teaches. I recommend it wholeheartedly.
Rating:
Summary: A Fantastic Ride in the Country
Review: Can't get over the average customer reviews I find on Amazon, makes me think there are a lot of frustrated novelists or at the very least wannabe book reviewers out there. Take this book for example. I loved it. I've never been to India and after all that's happened in recent months I doubt I want to set foot on its shores. But I picked up this book after it got a great review in my local paper and I loved it. Maybe it's because I like big lush informative sagas like Barbara Kingsolver's THE POISONWOOD BIBLE but I thought this novel was fantastic. It gave me a brilliant sense of place, I laughed and wept with its characters and I now have a sense of why India is the way it is. And the author sure can write. Talk of lyrical beauty! Take a ride with Solomon on his bullock cart through rural India and you'll know what I'm talking about.
Rating: 
Summary: Cliche characters and the kitchen sink
Review: David Davidar has apparently never heard of the saying "less is more." His book has every cliche that you can connect with India -- the caste system, extended families, wretched poverty, etc, etc. Of course, all these exist, but they should be included in a book only if they further the story. Perhaps that is just the problem. Davidar has a hard time getting a believable story together. Stick to publishing, Davy baby! Leave writing to those who have the talent.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Done and Interesting
Review: David Davidar's The House of the Blue Mangoes is an interesting family saga--capturing the history of the Dorai family--beginning in 1899 and ending some fifty years later. The novel weaves the family's history with that of India seamlessly. Davidar's writing flows--it certainly demonstrates a strong talent. There is an underlying warmth and wit in the novel that makes it a pleasure to read. The characters all have wonderful depth and the story is often (although not all the time) very engrossing. I enjoyed this novel and would recommend it to anyone with an interest in Indian literature.
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