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December 13, 2015

December Book In Spot-light: Seahorse By Janice Pariat Book Review

The "Book in Spotlight" for December is the retelling of the Greek myth of the seagod Poseidon and his male devotee Pelops - "Seahorse" by Janice Pariat. A beautiful and under-rated gem, I hope you pick this up and love it as much as I did. This book has been shortlisted for The Hindu Prize For Literature 2015.
And here's how I met this beauty and what I think aboot it,

Title: Seahorse
Author: Janice Pariat
Publisher: Vintage, Random House.
Published On:November 21st, 2014
Page count: 294
Review By: Shonazee
Blurb (via Goodreads):
Nem was not like his college classmates. Instead of crowding around a TV set, Nem opted for lonely walks where he could indulge his passion for photography, until the night he saw Nicholas, a young professor from London, with another male student. The affair is passionate and brief. When Nicholas returns to London, Nem must move on. He graduates and soon finds success as a critic in New Delhi’s burgeoning art world. Then comes an invitation to speak to artists in London, and the past is suddenly resurrected. As London's cosmopolitan art scene envelops Nem, he is haunted by the possibilities of a life with Nicholas. But Nicholas eludes Nem, avoiding a reunion with his old student, but leaving clues that lead to someone else: Myra, a woman Nem thought was Nicholas's sister. Brought together by their love for Nicholas, Nem and Myra embark on a surprising friendship.

Janice Pariat explores the concept of emotional memory with the inquisitive mind of a scientist and the prowess of a poet. Rich, immersive prose drives a story with international scope, one that seeks answers to the age-old mystery of what binds us to others, and how we can ever let them go.





"What if that was all we ever wanted? The things that didn't happen."


The Setting & My Introduction To Seahorse:

This November I met one of my virtual book friends for the very FIRST time. Saying I was nervous about the meet-up would be an understatement cause I'm literally Cath from Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell when it comes to meeting new people buuuut this girl, we hit it off instantly. No awk- hi's or hugs. We bought books to swap, duh, of course, we did.
I gave her three of my precious, Twenty love poems by Pablo Neruda, The Shadow Of The Wind and our prev club pick, The Illicit Happiness Of Other People.
She gave me Water For Elephants, The Year Of Runaways and Seahorse.
Being the kind of confused soul that I am, I spent an entire week, yes, an entire week and I'm not even exaggerating or kidding - to decide which book I should start with.
I was just going through Seahorse, glancing at the first lines and before I know it, I'm on page 10. Like whaaaat even!

"We are shaped by absence. The places that escape our travels, the things we choose not to do, the people we've lost. They are spaces in trellis on which we trail from season to season."

Review:

This book ranks second on my Fav book beginnings (First being, Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts)
And so it began, my love affair with this beautiful book.
This book is the definition of beautiful writing. It's glorious. Yes, glorious.
I literally marked every alternate page for the quotes that I liked. loved.
The author seamlessly shifts between the past and present. New Delhi and UK, leaving us in wonder and awe.
You'll fall in love with Delhi's summers and London's bleak days. That is how good it is.
It is a story about incomplete, open gaping wounds. About the love of your life leaving without a goodbye or explanation. Just vanishes. Leaving you wounded. And forever trapped in past.
All those feels wrapped up in this book.
I did enjoy the story but was too busy admiring the writing to actually connect/relate to the story or characters. Having said that, you should definitely pick this book up. I'm not kidding when I say it has gems embedded in it. So go get your treasure chest in the form of this book.


Bite-sized Review: Beautiful, mesmerizing prose.

Also, click here to check the book trailer out.


"We treasure the incomplete, for it lends us many lives - the one we lead and the million others we could have led. We are creatures of inconsistency. Passionately partial. Unexecuted. Unperformed. Undone. Unaccomplished. And un-concluded."

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