The Situation: Shiv Advani is a young man with an incredibly promising future, which is evidenced by the fact that he has been chosen by Mahatma Ghandi himself to help lead India in its fight to win independence from the British. To achieve this, the plan is to have Shiv leave his home of Sind, India and travel to live and study in London. He is to learn the British laws, become a lawyer, and then help in the fight to have the British leave India. Naturally, being away from home will be hard, especially since shortly before his departure, Shiv's parents insist he get married and leave behind a pregnant wife, therefore ensuring he will return as soon as he can. But there is also the uphill battle he is supposed to be helping with, as well as the difficulty of being a dark-skinned man in 1930s London.
The Problem: The seemingly straightforward directive that Shiv has been given of entering English society, learning its laws, and then returning home turns out to be not so simple. And the longer that Shiv is away from India, the easier he finds it to stay away, even with a wife and son waiting for him. On the surface, he is doing exactly what has been expected of him, becoming a brilliant lawyer and making many important connections. But every step towards progress is not without its dangers, and every suspicious glance and tense confrontation adds a touch of anger and resentment. With his parents, his superiors, even Ghandi making it clear what they want him to do, Shiv struggles to find his own path that will hopefully be in service to his home country, and also make him happy.
Genre, Themes, History: This is a historical fiction novel that is mostly set between the years of 1931 and 1941 in London, England, but also aboard a ship bound for India in the latter part of 1941. Shiv has been selected by Ghandi to help India win its independence from Britain, and the story details his initial arrival in the new country, his education, his expanding social circle, and the conflict he feels regarding his duty to the cause, his duty to his parents and wife back home, and his duty to himself. There is much discussion of the pull Shiv feels to be the perfect Indian son and fulfill his parent's wishes, while also wanting to find his own path, and knowing he is disappointing his father and mother by doing so. And while India fights for independence, World Ward II is also on the horizon.
My Verdict: This novel is complicated and has several layers, as does the different conflicts and issues that are discussed within it. Shiv is a young man who has been put in a near impossible position, and is asked to make the most difficult of decisions, while also carrying the burden of being a key piece in his country's search for independence. Unfortunately, the complexity of the narrative does not quite make up for the slow pace, especially in the beginning and end, and while sympathizing with Shiv is easy, liking him and cheering him on is not. The book is certainly informative, but not exactly interesting, and the ending feels incomplete, as well as a copout.
Favorite Moment: Although they made up for a small percentage of the book, I most enjoyed the moments on the ship in 1941 as Shiv is making his way back to India.
Favorite Character: Mairi is Shiv's nurse onboard The Empress of Scotland and has her own story that may merit a novel of its own.
Recommended Reading: I recommend Babel by R.F. Kuang.
