Answers to almost everything

Vikas Svarup's first novel ‘Q to A’ was success. And not completely without reason.

   Ram Mohammad Thomas is an 18-year-old waiter from Bombay’s slum. He take part in quiz and for everybody's suprise win a billion rupee. But when waiter, without any kind of proper education, can answer correctly for 12 difficult question, it awakes some doubts. An young beautiful lawyer saves him from violent interrogation, but like everyone, she want to know how he did it. And so Ram ends to tell her his lifestory.

   Ram's whole life is like a cross-section from Indian culture. Even his name shows its diversity (Ram is one of the most important characters in hindu mythology, Mohammad is a creator of Islam and Thomas is one of the

apostles). He has faced politicians and filmstars as well as prostitutes, perverts and all shorts of criminals.

   And still, some times, it feels like the whole novel would be a tribute for a western society; Ram's all acts are acceptable by western standards. He dream about travelling to Australia and survive partly because he speak english. Svarup is clearly avoiding all that can be strange for western readers: all the places are familiar (Bombay, Delhi, Taj Mahal), Ram is little like Oliver Twist and some of the chapter’s names are took from the western light reading (like ‘Licence to kill’). The novel is like a turisttrip: it shows some of places, but don’t go any deeper. Luckily Svarup do that in his second book ‘Six suspects’ (review coming), where he approach for example caste system, political corruption and Kashmir's problem.

   And still the novel is, somehow, quit sympathetic story. I think most of charm come from the way Svarup tells the story. It’s open like Rubik’s Cube: every move displays bricks untill there's a perfect picture in front of us. Anyhow, Svarup has deliciously woven Ram's life to this moment.

Mark: 8

Dorian Gray - defaced by his beauty

Oscar Wilde's only novel Picture of Dorian Gray is a classic. In Victorian England it aroused sensation with its 'immoral story'. It was even used as an evidence in Wilde's trial.

   Picture of Dorian Gray is a little confusing book. Tale Dorian's

depravity and his changing picture can be read as thriller as well as study about art and beauty. In every page I found a new viewpoint to see the novel. So I was bit in a whirl.

   And still Wilde is being able to greate small but accurate pictures about people and their motives. If you have some spare time in your holiday, here is a book, which is worth of reading.

Mark: 9 1/2

Macbeth

I know - Macbeth isn't the easiest text, but it's a good one. It's easy to read it when you think it on play or movie in your head. Then you can in peace consentrate on the story.
   And story is good thought quit traditional. Bad guys lose and good ones live happily ever after. Still Shakespeare is embroider the story so that there are lots of interesting characters. When you cleanse patiently their speeches, you get to know a lot of their personality.
   There is few scenes that don't seem to carry the story to anywhere. Like the witches scene where Hekate appears. Maybe their are for filling, so that actors have time to change their costumes.
   I'm not going to tell more about play, if you're interested, read it. It's worth it.

Mark: 10