Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree - book review by Ajay Singha, Raconteur Indica

The story line of this book is easy to sketch out but the story itself defies simplistic description. Tomb of Sand was awarded the international Booker, in addition to the many other accolades it received along with excellent reviews worldwide. As the story is based out of north India, perhaps the India-Pak setting provides all the situational props, possibly required by the author in order to 'show and not just tell' her story. What makes the Hindi to English translation by Daisy Rockwell of ‘Ret Samadhi’ to ‘Tomb of Sand’ truly enjoyable is the ease with which the author moves from the routine to the unexpected and on to the indefinable.

As the story commences, a staid family drama unfolds but soon the characters with some potential deflate while those with our least expectations bloom. The worldly confidence of the practical and influential ‘Bade’ and his wife start appearing commonplace after some time, especially as they prepare for retirement along with their aged and immobile ‘Ma’. Then the unexpected happens and ‘Ma’ like Rip van Winkle wakes up, moves in with her bohemian daughter ‘Beti’ and starts savoring every bit of her newfound life. As the tale unfolds, the life of the bohemian now starts appearing conventional in comparison to Ma’s antics. Ma intensifies her old friendship with Rosie, a transgender whose character escapes easy definition. As Ma’s life takes center stage, the action borders on the surreal and the story shifts into high octane overdrive. Locations and situations whirl around us, as do the observations around love, longing, relationships, nostalgia and other human emotions. The reader continues to dive deeper into the labyrinths of the author’s narrative as complex human sentiments are portrayed through the principal protagonist and other characters.

Summarizing the book or quoting some excerpts may not do justice to an outstanding effort by the author and the translator. In the last quarter of the book one does develop a feeling that the story should finally end and the whirlwind making us giddy must cease. As the story concludes one gets to appreciate the simple joys surrounding our lives and the complexities needlessly smothering individual existence. The author’s ability to wrap the mundane around the sublime, intertwining the experiential with the unreal may well lead some to identify this book with the genre of magical realism. Like a fine drink this one must be savored, sipped leisurely and not gulped down in a hurry.