The Blue Bedspread

I read this book soon after it came out and the story still haunts me. Jha's writing is lyrical and beautiful, in sharp contrast to the harsh circumstances and aura of dread that some of the scenes contain. The story starts with an odd occurrence: a man is sitting at a desk in a bedroom with a small baby wrapped up and laying on the bed behind him. He's writing a letter, a tale actually, to give to this baby girl when she grows up. We discover early on that this is his newly-born niece, whom the hospital turned over to him after his sister died in childbirth, and he's relating to her the joyful and painful story of how he and her mother grew up together. The novel is intense, powerful, and hard to put down. I'm really at a loss to explain some of the bad reviews here. It's surprising to hear the lack of ampathy that some readers experienced when reading the book. Maybe Jha's style turns some people off and they then can't connect to the story. More worrisome would be if after reading other stories about childhood incest and abuse that some people deal with that amount of pain by numbing themselves to it. Whatever the case, this is an extraordinary novel that is highly recommended.

I was so moved by this novel that I decided to meet Raj Kamal Jha in Delhi, India myself. The novel is beautifully but intentionally crafted and is challenging not through the overuse of fancy language or complex themes, but through its use of deep symbolism and emotional intensity. You can see this story occurring in any country and at any period of time. Mr. Jha was a very generous and kind person when I met him: quiet in manner but passionate and full of loving kindness. I was truly lucky to have had the opportunity to discuss his work. [...]. I highly recommend this book!

The Blue Bedspread signals the rebirth of the written word. Achingly touching, cosmicly mystifying, yet at its heart, an utterly true, genuine moment. This book is more than just words, paper, and glue...it is about the countries of the soul, the cadence of breath and life, the jogging of the heart, which all combine to create a placental sac from which Raj gives birth to a new form of literature. The complexity and ultimate triumph of Raj's sublime thoughts and ideas have truly moved me to another plane of existence. Not only does Raj not need to "read" any other authors, would that all authors--past, present and future--were alive to read his work today.

I know that this is Raj Kamal Jha's first book, and after reading it, I know I'll be a fan of his beautiful prose for many years to come. Jha tells the story of a brother and sister with tenderness and compassion and, above all, urgency. Once I started this book, I only put it down once--briefly--because I couldn't imagine what the final moment of truth would reveal. I admit, I was somewhat disturbed, but I think that's a natural reaction to this subject matter. After a few minutes, though, I realized that Jha's startling conclusion makes this a story that will stay with me for quite some time--I would recommend it to anyone who loves a carefully crafted story and who can appreciate a new talent when they read one.

This is the first book by an Indian author I have read that is fresh, completely original in its voice and style. At times it gets confusing but within a few pages it hits you that this is deliberate, that this book is about confession, about someone offloading a secret. I have read the reviews in the Indian press and the foreign newspapers and this is one book which you will either fall in love with or just don't understand. Critics have been sharply divided and I think this is the strength of the book: that it evokes such strong emotions. The other unique thing is that for the first time someone is writing about modern day realities, without any frills and adjectives, and this may be one reason why many people in India are uncomfortable with the book since it doesn't portray India as they have come to read. This book is lyrical and cinematic and there are some images that I shall never forget: especially the one about the lonely man who has nothing for comfort except the news on CNN and an attractive unknown woman in Bosnia. Or the radio commentary on the India-England match and how this is the only time that the father is happy so the children are safe.Jha is a writer of great promise and natural talent and The Blue Bedspread is a true original.