Narrated by an unnamed young man in Bangalore, this short novel follows a family that moves from cramped poverty to wealth when his uncle's spice business grows. The household, including his parents, sister, and uncle, starts to change as money arrives, and small acts of selfishness harden into habit. The title is a made-up expression for something tangled and stuck, and it fits the family's situation. Vivek Shanbhag, writing in Kannada, builds toward a violent event whose handling by the family shows how far their values have shifted.
Readers who like compact literary fiction about class mobility in India will find a taut, unsettling story. It is also a good choice for book clubs, as its short length leaves much open to discussion.
Deep, inward-looking and thought-provoking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Wisdom Collector. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 2013
- Language
- EN
