Starred review from February 18, 2013
Potluri's stunning debut novel, set in India as the 20th century dawns, follows the journey of French linguist, Alexandre Lautens, as he travels to the English dominated south to complete a first-of-its-kind grammar of Telugu, a language less well-known to the West than Hindi, and which because of its musical qualities is known as the "Italian of the East." Lautens gets a unique glimpse into upper class Indian life when he's invited to stay with the anglophilic Adivi family at their palatial home, complete with lower caste servants who attend to Lauten's every want. Lautens befriends Adivi's mother, the frank and wise Kanakadurga, who lives with the family, as well as Adivi's intelligent and less beautiful older daughter, Anjali, whose leg has been withered by polio, but who takes an interest in helping Lautens with his work. A lopsided romance blooms, leaving both Lautens and Anjali in a precarious position, augmented by Anjali's interest in nationalist activism. Potluri's description of the sounds and grammar of Telugu, as well as her sensual description of domestic elements, suffuse the text with richness, while her gorgeous portrayal of south Indian culture remains firmly grounded: the ideal and beautiful sharing close quarters with the grotesque and problematic.
October 15, 2012
In 1911 Alexandre Lautens, a French scholar of linguistics, voyages to the eastern Indian coastline to study the Telugu language in hopes of publishing a textbook. He boards with the wealthy Adivi family and develops a bond with the older daughter Anjali, a polio survivor. When Alexandre helps Anjali fulfill a childhood wish, this brief moment of heroism collides with cultural differences that put the family's reputation at stake. Alexandre is forced to leave Anjali and the Adivi home behind. The two protagonists go on to lead extraordinary lives, but their thwarted relationship remains a source of both sorrow and joy. VERDICT Although the occasional jumps forward and back in time make the historical elements somewhat difficult to follow, the characters are fully developed and their emotions heartfelt. Debut author Potluri's love of language is evident as rich descriptions overflow onto well-written pages. Literary fiction lovers will revel in the descriptive scenes that contain underlying messages of love and loyalty.--Andrea Brooks, Northern Kentucky Univ. Lib., Highland Heights
Copyright 2012 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
December 15, 2012
Alexandre Lautens, a French philologist, arrives in India at the beginning of the twentieth century, intending to produce a grammar of the Telugu language. While writing, he stays in the house of Shiva Adivis, a wealthy landowner friendly to Europeans. Lautens befriends Anjali, Shiva's eldest daughter, who is crippled from childhood polio. The friendship between the two is uneven. Lautens' feelings are platonic, while Anjali falls in love with him. After learning that Anjali has not been in water since she contracted polio, Lautens takes her swimming. The repercussions from this one small act of kindness are immediate and severe. Both are banished from the house and must find their ways in life separately. The novel explores numerous social and personal issues, including class, caste, race, the position of women in society, fidelity, and physical beauty. Unfortunately, the story becomes slightly disjointed after Lautens and Anjali are forced from the house and loses the strong narrative arc that gracefully and compellingly moved the first half of the book. Still, historical fiction readers will find much to enjoy.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)