An Atlas of Impossible Longing

January 17, 2011
Roy's impressive American debut covers multiple generations of an Indian family from the turn of the 20th century to India's partition. Three distinct sections revolve around Amulya, who runs an herbal medicine and fragrance business; his mentally ill wife, Kananbala, who spies on the goings-on of her English neighbors from the room Amulya keeps her locked in; their sons, Kamal and Nirmal; their wives; Nirmal's daughter Bakul, whose mother died in childbirth; and finally Mukunda, an orphan that Amulya helps support, at which point Nirmal brings Mukunda home as a companion for Bakul. Tales weave backward and forward, and characters wallow in their longings, occasionally taking action; Mukunda and Bakul form a lasting bond that doesn't change with their circumstances. The book unfolds in third person until the final section, when Mukunda steps in as narrator to provide a welcome personal perspective on years of events. Roy is especially good at sensory description, making the sounds, smells, and feel of Bengal come vividly to life. Cultures may differ, but longing and love are universal.

Starred review from February 15, 2011

Together since the ages of six and four, Mukunda and Bakul are best friends living under the roof of Amulya and his wife, Kananbala, in Songarh, a small town in India. Bakul is the daughter of Nirmal, Amulya's son, who works as an archaeologist; her mother died tragically after childbirth. Mukunda is an orphan without caste or religion whom Amulya sponsored until he brought him to live with his family. As they reach their teen years, it is decided that Mukunda and Bakul should be separated, even though it's evident to the reader that they are destined to be together. At one point, a depressed, frustrated Mukunda consults an astrologist, who looks at his palm and sees "a veritable atlas...rivers of desire.... Your palm is nothing but an atlas of impossible longings." VERDICT Roy, who works at an independent publishing house in Delhi, is a fabulous storyteller with a true gift for transporting the reader right into the heat, smells, and sights of India. Humorous passages, colorful descriptions, and a sprinkling of native words blend to concoct a poetic novel easily read again and again. A complete success and an excellent choice for a discussion group.--Lisa Rohrbaugh, National Coll., Chicago

Copyright 2011 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

March 1, 2011
Born out of wedlock to a tribal girl and housed at an orphanage under the uncharacteristically compassionate aegis of a local businessman, Mukunda is eventually adopted by Amulyas family upon his death. Of no discernible caste, Mukunda makes his way as a shadowy adjunct in a household that includes a senile grandmother, suspicious aunt, widowed cousin, and, most importantly, Bakul, a girl near his age. Her mother died in childbirth, and as the bond between the two motherless children blossoms, Bakuls father, Nirmal, Amulyas youngest son, becomes increasingly concerned that their innocent play may lead to inappropriate passion. Nirmal sends Mukunda away to boarding school, ostensibly for his own good, thus instilling a sense of rejection and abandonment that Mukunda will fight the rest of his life to overcome. An incandescently evocative debut novel filled with wrenching tragedy as well as abiding passion, Roys panoramic, multigenerational tale of desire, revenge, and loss is filled with the rhythms and values of Indias rich and varied subcultures.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2011, American Library Association.)