Review of Talashnama: The Quest, a JCB Prize for Literature Longlisted Book

It’s been a hot minute since I posted an individual book review on my blog! I’m breaking this long streak with a JCB Prize for Literature longlisted book. For the uninitiated, this prestigious literature prize is somewhat like the Booker for Indian authors. It awards a distinguished work of fiction by an Indian author every year, in an attempt to celebrate Indian writing and allow readers across the world to discover the best of contemporary Indian literature. Translators are also rewarded and acknowledged for their important work in making literature written in over 20 languages accessible to the masses.

Amongst the 10 books longlisted for this year’s prize is ‘Talashnama: The Quest’, which was originally published in Bengali and has been translated from that language by V. Ramaswamy. I have always enjoyed reading Indian literature for its ability to shine a light on varied issues. After all, India is a diverse country with unique practices and problems presenting themselves in every neighbourhood of every village, town or city – and the only way to learn about it all is through storytellers. So, when Blogchatter decided to offer the JCB longlisted books for review, I jumped at the chance.

My choice was Talashnama: The Quest because I had read a blurb on its release in the Caravan magazine – a source that I believe is an authority on recognising true talent. Now, after that rather lengthy introduction, let’s get in to the book review of Talashnama: The Quest.

About the Author and Translator:

Ismail Darbesh was born in a traditional garment maker’s family in Bengal. He began writing for magazines in college, but it was only in 2016, after he bought a smartphone, that he truly explored his craft by writing on his Facebook profile. Talashnama: The Quest is his first novel, which also began as a series of posts on Facebook. His second novel is due to be published soon.

V. Ramaswamy is a non-fiction writer and translator based in Kolkata, India. As an activist working for the rights of the labouring poor, Ramaswamy has written about various worker’s issues, while seeking solutions to rebuild his city from the grassroots. Since 2005, he has been translating short fiction written by Bengali writers starting with Subimal Misra, whose work profiles society, politics, and the culture of his time.

The Plot (Taken from the Blurb of the Book):

Set in Sadnahati, a Muslim-majority village in West Bengal, Talashnama: The Quest is the story of Riziya, an educated and headstrong woman with an anguished past. Hounded by a devastating secret, Riziya elopes with her tutor, Suman Nath, a Hindu, although it is Tahirul – the local Imam torn between duty and desire – who is her true love. On the day she leaves, she allegedly writes anti-Islamic graffiti on the wall of the village mosque – an incident that both baffles and enrages the villagers. Ten years later, Suman Nath takes his own life, and Riziya must return to a Sadnahati fraught with disapproval and condemnation. The book is also an evocative inquiry into the uncertainties and challenges of being Muslim in today’s India.

The Commentary:

Based on a reading of the blurb, I expected a very interesting story – an unrequited love triangle with a religious harmony spin, as well as intrigue about why the protagonist seemed to have turned against her own faith. However, all of this, though included in the story, is a very tiny portion of the 562 page book. Instead the book largely focuses on being “an evocative inquiry into the uncertainties and challenges of being Muslim in today’s India”, as is mentioned in the last line of the blurb.

Entire sections of the book are rambling soliloquys on the many complexities of the Islamic religion, especially its rigidity with respect to most things and the tendency for its followers to disagree amongst themselves on a variety of subjects. From the mosque one should pray at to the medium of prayer, there are many issues of contention. The book also highlights how political parties play on these differences to divide the Muslim population and gain their votes.

Further, the author uses his characters – especially the Imam of the mosque, a few educated youth living in the village, the representatives of the Trinamool Congress and the Communist Parties in the village, as well as Riziya, who is the village’s only educated female that has studied till university level – to make a statement about Islamic principles becoming a deterrent to the progress of the Muslim community in comparison to the rest of the country’s citizens. Archaic marriage laws, a reluctance to pursue modern education or business, along with a mindset that favours superstition, are all a major hindrance to allowing Muslims to achieve positions of eminence and power in various fields.

It’s nice to see the author tackling a subject which hasn’t received much attention in Indian literature before now. However, it becomes boring to read sermon after sermon in a work of fiction. I don’t want to dismiss the importance of the author’s astute social commentary but I feel that he lacks the ability to make the commentary interesting within the context of the larger story. It’s also a possibility that the book reads better in its original Bengali. Often, subtle nuances can be lost in translation.

The backdrop of Riziya’s love story and her scandalous behaviour is far more interesting, and could have been played up to include the commentary on religion in a more subtle manner. Her character is the most interesting one in the story because she is modern, confident and forward-thinking, yet she succumbs to societal expectations and follows a predictable and traditional path that eventually leads to unhappiness. The other characters are well-defined but don’t stand out as strongly, as they seem to be placed there merely as mouthpieces for the author’s thoughts on Islam in India.

The flow of the narrative isn’t balanced either. It tends to move too slowly for the first 450 pages and then picks up pace rapidly in the last 100-odd pages, which is quite jarring for the reader. Sadly, it’s these last 100 pages that have the most interesting storyline with the potential to become a full-fledged novel with deeper exploration.

The Verdict:

The biggest problem with this book is the false expectations it raises through its blurb. If you can look past the fact that it isn’t a gripping romantic thriller, as it seems to be presented, you may be able to appreciate its merits. I can certainly see why the book appealed to the judges of the JCB Prize for Literature.

Talashnama: The Quest is a very deep and thought-provoking exploration of the Islamic faith in an Indian context, as well as its place in today’s society. A number of valid questions are raised which perhaps the elders of the Islamic community should address in order to correctly guide the younger lot.

There is also a small section of the book that talks about political opportunists attempting to drive a rift between Hindus and Muslims yet failing in the face of strong feelings of brotherhood. The focus on the plight of women in Islam is also interesting, though this subject isn’t given as much importance as the other themes in the book.

The writing is simple and straightforward, but the narrative tends to ramble and veer off course. I feel the book would have benefited from being edited down to half its current size.

What struck me most was the fact that writing this book within the present political landscape required tremendous courage. The author must be lauded for that. To summarise, I feel Talashnama: The Quest is worth a read if you are into philosophical tomes set within a contemporary rural Indian landscape. But do not pick it up if you’re looking for a riveting, fast-paced read!

My Rating: 3/5

LINK TO BUY THE BOOK: https://amzn.to/4dMJ6xP

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This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program.

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This post is part of the Bookish League Blog Hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile.

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This blog post is part of the blog challenge ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’  hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla in collaboration with Dr. Preeti Chauhan.

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