The Death of Vishnu

Manil Suri's "The Death of Vishnu" is an amazing achievement, effectively explaining and dramatizing Indian society, culture and mythology in less than 300 pages. All the more impressive in that the author left India as a child and has lived in the U.S. since 1979. The book chronicles the last days of a lower caste odd-job man who lives on one of the landings of a Bombay apartment building. As he is dying, ordinary life continues around him as the middle class residents of the building try to function in their marriages, search for romance, best their neighbors or survive tragic personal losses. There are some beautiful stories told here by author Suri. And then there are the frequent plunges, through the story of Vishnu, the dying odd-jobber, into the richness of Indian mythology. These are literally flights of fantasy that bring dignity to the death and life of Vishnu which has otherwise not been extraordinary. "The Death of Vishnu" is a wonderful introduction to modern India in the same way that "A Suitable Boy" by Vikram Seth brilliantly explained an earlier period of the Indian state.

Manil Suri crafts compelling tableaux of the mundane and extraordinary lives of the residents in a Mumbai apartmenthouse in vignettes that ascend the floors along an intricate staircase of Hindu myth. His characters read as authentic human beings with lofty ideals, sympathetic insecurities, petty conflicts, and instinctive passions, and many of the interactions among characters are downright funny. Basic introductory level knowledge of the Hindu creation cycle prior to reading will enhance the reader's experience of Suri's balance of the temporal and metaphysical worlds of the novel. I recommend Donna Rosenberg's World Mythology for brief, yet thorough treatment. (Last time I checked, the excerpt/chapter was available online.)

This was an interesting read. I have taken an interest in India for many years, and this book, I think, brought to life things which wouldn't have worked for me in another story. I like the way the author weaves the tale around Vishnu, the poor porter lying dying on the staircase of a small apartment building. Although you get to see glimpses of his past life that is now coming to a close, you also get to see what is going on around him. The quarrels between the Hindu and Muslim/Sikh neighbors, the inner quarrels of marriages arranged long ago, the modern, Western ways creeping upon the youth who live there. I enjoyed this story, albeit rather sadly (it is essentially a drama), it transported me, and I think that is a mark of what all good reads should do.

The Death of Vishnu has become one of my absolute favorite novels. Although some reviews have called its characters a representative microcosm of India, I believe the message is much simpler and much broader than that. This is a book about human nature, in all its ugliness and glory. The characters are superbly well drawn--sometimes they come across as despicable, other times sympathetic, but they are always heartbreakingly real. Watch how all thier seemingly altruistic acts have selfish human motives behind them and you will recognize yourself. One of the nicest things about this book is the odd little quirks that Manil Suri gives his characters. Mr. Jalal (my favorite) trying to burn himself with pink candles in order to achieve spiritual enlightment, Mrs. Pathak serving kraft cheese as a foreign delicacy, Kavita's obsession with Hindi films, Sheetal's dying wish to make it into the Guiness Book of World Records...and of course Vishnu, who starts to wonder if he might be god. It's a rich tapestry, and so very different from anything I've ever read before...Despite the aimless nature of the plot, the novel still built up a great deal of suspense at the end, and unlike most supposedly "suspenseful" stories I honestly had no idea how everything was going to turn out. And when I finally finished it I was left with a greater understanding of how human beings can be so horrible in so many little ways. I believe this is a book everyone would benefit from reading, not just people specifically interested in India or Indian fiction. However, it should be noted that there is a great deal of Hindu mythology in this book. Being Indian myself I was familiar with most of it, but other readers might want to get a little background information beforehand.

Difficult to believe - that this is a first novel! Manil Suri has chosen a theme both timeless and extraordinarily unique as he sculpts the life of a dying man (the proces is not morbid, just a fine substrate for weaving a tale) through the overheard conversations of the folk living in the boarding house on whose steps he lies. In many ways this short novel is like extending that flash of light when all of our life appears before us just at the moment of death - extending it long enough to relish the myriad aspects of living. This is a last gasp...but filled with so much treasure that you'll find yourself hoping it never ends. Suri's writing style is unfettered, concise, colorful, and always maintains a simplicity of style that begs for revisiting. An auspicious debut. Highly recommended.