The Age of Shiva: A Novel - Softcover

Suri, Manil

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0393333639 ISBN 13: 9780393333633

Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company, 2009

Synopsis

"A stunning novel, proof that Manil Suri is a major storyteller of heart and intelligence." ―Amy Tan

The Age of Shiva is at once a powerful story of a country in turmoil and an "unflinchingly honest" portrait of maternal love―"intricately interwoven with the ancient rites and myths" (Booklist) crucial to India's history. Meera, the narrator, is seventeen years old when she catches her first glimpse of Dev, performing a song so infused with passion that it arouses in her the first flush of erotic longing. She wonders if she can steal him away from Roopa, her older, more beautiful sister, who has brought her along to see him. It is only when her son is born that Meera begins to imagine a life of fulfillment. She engulfs him with a love so deep, so overpowering, that she must fear its consequences. Meera's unforgettable story, embodying Shiva as a symbol of religious upheaval, places The Age of Shiva among the most compelling novels to emerge from contemporary India. Reading group guide included.

About this title

About the Author:

Manil Suri is the best-selling author of The Death of Vishnu, a finalist for the PEN/Faulkner Award, The Age of Shiva, and The City of Devi. A native of Mumbai, he is a professor of mathematics at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

From AudioFile:

In the 1950s, Meera is pushed into a marriage that takes her from the wealthy upper-class household she grew up in. She finds herself part of an orthodox lower-class family living a hand-to-mouth existence in the provinces. Her husband is a self-pitying alcoholic, so she focuses on motherhood, becoming immersed in the life of her young son, upon whom she dotes. Josephine Bailey's narration is tight and restrained, a style that is consistent with the constraints of Meera's life. Similarly, Bailey's pace is deliberate and steady, except during the story's few momentous events. In those moments, Bailey is true to Meera's character, giving depth to her passion but holding it in check. J.E.M. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

About this edition

• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0393333639
• ISBN 13: 9780393333633
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 464