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The Age of Shivaby Manil Suri |
Arlene Almas: Manil Suri's book begins in
India in 1955 when we first meet Meera as a teenager, and goes on to give
us the real-life day-to-day details of her life. She develops an obsession
with her older sister's boyfriend, Dev, and does, in fact, marry him;
the narrative takes off from there and becomes primarily the story of
Meera and their son, Ashvin. The author shows us every aspect of Meera's
life in two cities, Delhi and Bombay, and the small community where she
first lives with Dev and his family. We get to know all the members of
Meera's and Dev's families, and the neighbors Meera befriends in Bombay -
all these characters are fully realized and vital to the progress of Meera's
life. We also become familiar with the politics of India in its post-Partition
(separation from Pakistan) years. Meera's path is not an easy one, but the
overpowering love she feels for her son Ashvin sustains her through all her
life's vicissitudes. I enjoyed getting to know Meera very intimately
and following her captivating story.
Rating: ****
