The Hungry Tide

Just finished off with The Hungry Tide, written in true Amitav Ghosh style (for the uninitiated, Amitav Ghosh lays lots of stress on characterisation and in depth research of the subject he writes on).

The story starts with Piyali Roy, a marine biologist and Kanai Dutta, a successful entrepreneur crossing each other paths at the head of the tide country (Sunderbans), both there for their own specific purposes, for fighting their own ghosts and dragons.

The story takes many breathtaking twists and turns in the meandering Ganges Delta with the interweaving of characters like Fokir, Nilima etc.

The beauty in Ghosh's writing is that you can actually find yourself in character when reading the book. The aims and aspirations of Moyna is something that all of us can relate to... the love of the life that Fokir leads and the adamance he shows for letting things be, the way they are is also another beautiful insight in the human character.

Nirmal Bose's thwarted attempts at revolution at the fag end of his life is also characteristic of the one last ditch effort that humans make to uphold their morals and values at the ebb of life.

A must read who is into Good Contemporary Indian Fiction.