The Pleasure Seekers
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Review
'This is a captivating, delightful novel. I was totally engaged by Tishani Doshi's people and by their world, and the language often rises - when speaking of the great matters, life, death, and above all love - to powerful metaphorical heights' Salman Rushdie 'Brimming with tender humour ... the novel dances its people across barriers of race and nation' Independent 'Intensely charming ... a seductive and lovable novel: it is about pleasure sought and, more importantly, pleasure found' Guardian 'Cross-cultural love story that spans three decades ... Laced with charm, and instantly familiar, this is top drawer comfort reading' Financial Times
Product Description
August, 1968: Babo Patel arrives in London from Madras, with curly hair, jhill mill teeth and dreams of becoming a success. When he meets the beautiful, auburn-haired Sian Jones, he falls in love instantly. She, like him, is in search of something bigger than what the home she left behind can offer. But when Babo's parents learn of his intention to marry 'some girl from God knows where' he is given an ultimatum: he can only marry Sian if they agree to live in Madras for two years before returning to London. As the years pass by, the calamities, quirks and heartaches of first love, lost innocence, and old age unfold across cultures and generations of this mixed-up family in a topsy-turvy world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is a book to be savoured unhurriedly. It has, in my opinion, an inner quality that comes to light from the beginning, with some graceful poetic "whisper" seeping through the pages, sprinkled here and there (the author's background is poetry). The richness of language is a balm to the eyes and the deriving overall prose is stylish and intense. Never pretentious nor ostentatious though. The narrative flows beautifully, lyrically. The use of certain expressions -i.e. sha-bing, sha-bang, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom, ba-ba-boom-boom-boom- renders some descriptions more vivid, providing even more texture to some circumstances and feelings.
We meet the Patel family, based in Madras, India, in 1968. Babo, the first member of the Patel family to fly out to London for education/business purposes, falls head over heels in love with Sian, a Welsh girl (this is an association/reference to the author's own parents). The love is mutual, but as soon as Babo's parents hear of it, they are distressed and dismayed; with a tricky excuse, Babo is asked to return to India. It is soon clear to all that Babo and Sian cannot bear to be apart and, as soon as this fact is "digested" by both the Indian & Welsh families, love prevails and the two can get married. The story unfolds covering roughly three generations, through different continents, cultures and historical events.
The love uniting Babo and Sian is the narrative path upon which the books is based, placing them as main characters, along with Babo's parents, his brother Chotu and his sweet grandmother Ba and later, their daughters join the picture: Mayuri and Bean. Other characters are more marginal (such as Babo's sisters or Sian's family) but they still find their niche complementing the background as seen fit for a family saga. Ba especially, is a remarkable character, a favourite of mine: a widow living in Anjar, she has an eternal wisdom aura, lives surrounded by the village women and an eunuch whom she is very fond of. She also has the power of "smelling" the future and is the central figure for the entire Patel family: everybody turns to her for any kind of problem. Ba's powers provide the book with what I would define as a touch of magic realism, which blends suitably as events unfold throughout the years.
Many themes are explored through the lives of the Patels: love, above all. And racial issues, social acceptance, lost innocence, death. The adjustments we have to face when a loved one takes another direction, unexpectedly, leaving an unbearable emptiness. And patience. This book makes you think at how difficult it is sometimes to master this art without getting overwhelmed, or crushed, by intricate circumstances. However this is not a depressing read; it is a book about life and it has several amusing touches throughout. As it progresses and we get acquainted with all the characters and what shapes their life, the elegance and power of the language levitate through the love, joy, pain, tears, and love again. Life, as it is.
Seeking pleasure? Ba-ba-boom-boom-boom. You shall find it by reading this book. Very well done to Tishani Doshi, 10 Amazon stars! I am looking forward to read more of her work.
We meet the Patel family, based in Madras, India, in 1968. Babo, the first member of the Patel family to fly out to London for education/business purposes, falls head over heels in love with Sian, a Welsh girl (this is an association/reference to the author's own parents). The love is mutual, but as soon as Babo's parents hear of it, they are distressed and dismayed; with a tricky excuse, Babo is asked to return to India. It is soon clear to all that Babo and Sian cannot bear to be apart and, as soon as this fact is "digested" by both the Indian & Welsh families, love prevails and the two can get married. The story unfolds covering roughly three generations, through different continents, cultures and historical events.
The love uniting Babo and Sian is the narrative path upon which the books is based, placing them as main characters, along with Babo's parents, his brother Chotu and his sweet grandmother Ba and later, their daughters join the picture: Mayuri and Bean. Other characters are more marginal (such as Babo's sisters or Sian's family) but they still find their niche complementing the background as seen fit for a family saga. Ba especially, is a remarkable character, a favourite of mine: a widow living in Anjar, she has an eternal wisdom aura, lives surrounded by the village women and an eunuch whom she is very fond of. She also has the power of "smelling" the future and is the central figure for the entire Patel family: everybody turns to her for any kind of problem. Ba's powers provide the book with what I would define as a touch of magic realism, which blends suitably as events unfold throughout the years.
Many themes are explored through the lives of the Patels: love, above all. And racial issues, social acceptance, lost innocence, death. The adjustments we have to face when a loved one takes another direction, unexpectedly, leaving an unbearable emptiness. And patience. This book makes you think at how difficult it is sometimes to master this art without getting overwhelmed, or crushed, by intricate circumstances. However this is not a depressing read; it is a book about life and it has several amusing touches throughout. As it progresses and we get acquainted with all the characters and what shapes their life, the elegance and power of the language levitate through the love, joy, pain, tears, and love again. Life, as it is.
Seeking pleasure? Ba-ba-boom-boom-boom. You shall find it by reading this book. Very well done to Tishani Doshi, 10 Amazon stars! I am looking forward to read more of her work.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a fantastic book. Tashani Doshi uses language incredibly skilfully to conjur up the essence of her characters so that, like them or not, you can understand their motivations and get into the guts of this cross-cultural tale. There is such a delicate and clever use of language which instantly conjured up a world of texture, depth and nuance of feeling that I found intriguing. I felt I was in the heart of all the characters.I found it compelling and unpredictable. I did not want to leave this family behind when I finished the book!
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I borrowed this book from the library on a whim - having never heard of Tishani Doshi before and I was captivated it. I felt involved in the lives of all the characters - sometimes moved to to tears - although this is by no means a sad book so don't let that put you off. Its an uplifting book and it spoke to me about the tides and times in all our lives, I can certainly relate to it. I was moved by the poetic language used throughout the book- Tishani is an award winning poet in India- and that added to the richness of the text. It beautifully portrayed two different cultures and how magical life affirming green shoots can develop from the blending of them both. I cannot believe Tishani is so young an author- she speaks with the wisdom of an old soul.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Beautiful story
This is a lovely story of a family over several decades. It isn't just a love story- it covers all sorts of family relationships, ups and downs and events. Read more
Published 9 months ago by Fiona P
Not Much Pleasure Here.
At first I thought I was in for a treat. Tishani Doshi uses language very playfully and the book promised authenticity. Read more
Published 12 months ago by Tamara L
Very enjoyable
I must admit I enjoyed this debut novel a great deal. It reminds me of the novel "White Teeth" by Zadie Smith, except much of this one is set in India. Read more
Published 22 months ago by Papaya
beautifully written
a really beautifully poetic book that deals with a lot of complex characters very well.
Published 23 months ago by Ms. Damodaram
Excellent read
An excellent read. I was worried that it would be too 'fluffy' but was pleasantly surprised at the depth of writing regarding several important issues.
Published 23 months ago by Gossy
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