The City of Devi

November 12, 2012
This novel from Suri (The Death of Vishnu) shows India and, peripherally, the rest of the world, teetering on the edge of disaster. His plot draws out, through slight exaggerations and extrapolations, dangerous trends overtaking modern society: the world going down in a mess of disruptive hackings, nuclear threats, and religious strife. But the novel is driven by love and hope; Sarita, recently married, is desperate to find her husband, Karun, before the promised nuclear holocaust some days hence. She sets out from Mumbai toward the suburb where he went before the worst of the violence began. On her way she encounters militant Hindu and Muslim groups, a fantastical cult that worships a would-be deity name Devi, and a Muslim man named Jaz whose attentions she can’t seem to shake. He joins her quest for reasons of his own, and each recalls along the way the intertwined pasts that have brought them together and set them on this journey. Suri’s dynamic, unabashed voice leaves one for the most part happily, perpetually off-balance and, though the tone is too unbound at times—especially toward the rather crazed ending—the vibrancy and compelling plot carry through the occasional sag or inconsistency. Agent: Nicole Aragi, the Nicole Aragi Agency.

February 1, 2013

Suri's final work in a trilogy begun with The Age of Shiva and The Death of Vishnu opens in a futuristic India, where Hindu and Muslim factions are deeply at odds and bombing raids have been ongoing. Amid the chaos, 33-year-old Sarita searches for her missing husband, Karun, while recalling joyous memories of their first meeting. The novel is narrated in turn by Jaz, a Muslim man also looking for Karun, his lover long before Karun ever met Sarita. Throughout most of the novel, Sarita is wholly unaware of her husband's underground past, and readers follow the unraveling stories as Sarita and Jaz slowly discover how he disappeared. VERDICT While the explicit sexuality and violence may make some readers uncomfortable, Suri's work is nevertheless smartly and fluidly written. The strong plot and character development make the novel a page-turner, while insight into the taboos of interfaith and same-gender relationships in India and commentary on what true love really is add substance. [See Prepub Alert, 8/27/12.]--Shirley N. Quan, Orange Cty. P.L., Santa Ana, CA

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