So being a new mom it goes without saying that books will inevitably keep piling up on my nappy pail and where I would usually take a few hours, a night tops to devour a book of this size and stature, this one was the first book postpartum that made me realise things have changed. The Ministry of Utmost Happiness was going around in our nappy bag, with the spit up muslin square, with the baby rocker from one room to the other, one house to another, literally even one city to another. Unread. Untouched beyond page 35 for the longest of times. Eventually I’m half way through. Hoping my child starts sleeping for longer stretches already.
Without a speck of doubt Arundhati Roy’s bookwas a sure shot masterpiece. It delves into the complexities of life as an outcast, that of a hermaphrodite/ eunuch/ transgender in India. Beautifully written it weaves intricate patterns of dialogue, scenarios and gorgeous underlying discourse of what life is like on the other side of the proverbial fence set up by the society to keep out all that does not in any given way conform to what is simply more prevalent and demonised.
What is even better is the fact (and I am no fan of audio books, mind you!) that Roy read and recorded her book in her own voice. I really can’t wait to get my hands on this audiobook.
