K. Kumar's "Love and Tumult"

Title: A Novel of the World

“Love and Tumult” by K. Kumar

Reviewed by A. Anthony

10/29/2015

10:05 p.m.

Traveling from such African countries as Namibia and Rwanda, to various locales in Colombia and Brazil, K. Kumar’s Love and Tumult is truly a novel of the world.

Kumar establishes this sense of worldliness through intimate portraits—of rural South American villages, of bustling African metropolises—painted with beautifully descriptive language. Our imaginations are so enlivened that we feel we are traversing the streets alongside the novel’s protagonist, Vik Murthy.

Vik undergoes a sensation that afflicts many: when one looks at one’s life and realizes one’s dissatisfaction, followed by a compulsion to seek out an electrifying change. Vik decides to transition from working as a civil servant in Washington, D.C. to working as an auditor for the American Development Agency, a position for which he must travel the globe in order to assess the organization’s many humanitarian programs.

Now, it is true that no matter where we are in the world, Cupid’s arrow may strike; so it is with Vik, who endures love and its tumultuous consequences, as the title denotes he must. But love does not define the novel, nor does it become Vik’s primary narrative; the passion present in his life is for his work, and for the novel experiences it brings about.

Concerning that work, the reader may find the meticulous details of the many audits Vik performs to be slightly dull, though Vik’s work is admirable. Furthermore, there is a flatness in the dialogue which is sometimes indistinguishable between different characters. Though the author’s well-traveled intellect reconstructs places that may be appreciated for their splendor, this extraordinary development of scene tends to dwarf not only Vik’s development (it seems that his characterization ceases halfway through), but also eliminates the uniqueness of the very people that make those places splendid, as they are primarily defined by their place of birth.      

I give “Love and Tumult” 3 out of 5 stars.     

Until Next Time,

A. Anthony 

Fia Essen's "Ariel"

Title: Tempestuous Ruin, Prosperous Renewal

“Ariel” by Fia Essen

Reviewed by A. Anthony

07/28/2015

7:47 p.m.

The right to a happy life—one with a dream job and house, loyal friends, and a significant other with which to share it all—is one to which everyone has a claim. Most, however, aren’t able to gain all of these things, though often they are able to gain some. It is the wish fulfillment that the romantic comedy provides which gives hope that it is all possible.

Ariel by Fia Essen doesn’t escape the common formula of the romantic comedy, which is probably inescapable. All the writer can do is to add unique variations, and this Essen accomplishes through the exotic setting of her novel.

Ariel Morton is an expatriate whose family traveled extensively before finally settling in Singapore. Readers are taken out of their comfort zone by the atypical setting, and this challenge makes Ariel stand out. The narrative is enriched by details of the country’s customs, landscape, and diverse populace as we come to know Ariel.

Ariel was dumped three years ago, and was fired from her job; she doesn’t want anyone to know it, so she lies about how she was the dumper, and she quit her job, etc. She is oppressed by her lie of a life, so it is fortunate that she is contacted by the mysterious Muse Agency, which has counseled countless people towards success. Agency head Celine Valois works her magic, becoming like a Prospero to the suffering life of Ariel, who knows she must reform or fall completely.

Essen develops a likeable, humorous cast of characters as the inspiring, enjoyable narrative progresses incident by incident into a better future for Ariel. The only major flaw is that Ariel’s love-interest, Colin, remains inhumanly perfect. Colin betrays his humanity slightly at one point, but we are left with the impression that he is some flawless being, as we never really come to know him.

I give “Ariel” 4 out of 5 stars     

  

Until Next Time,

A. Anthony    

Heather Burnside's "Slur"

Title: Murder in Manchester

“Slur” by Heather Burnside

Reviewed by A. Anthony

06/20/2015

7:47 p.m.

There are events faced by everyone eventually that are traumatic enough to brand themselves on the mind indelibly. For Julie Quinley, this event is the death of Amanda Morris; because a deadly mix of drugs and alcohol were found in Amanda’s system, and Julie was with her shortly before it happened, Julie is arrested as suspect for her murder. Entirely innocent, Julie is ultimately released due to a lack of evidence, but is punished mentally and socially through intense chastisement by her peers (though she tells them of her innocence), who do their best to make Julie feel alienated.

Luckily, Julie is not alone in Heather Burnside’s Slur, for she has Rita, who also is under suspicion for being there with Amanda that fateful night, and was thankfully released from arrest like Julie. In time, they concern themselves not only with proving their own innocence, but with finding out who the real murderer is—enlisting the help of Julie’s boyfriend Vinny—to finally gain some peace. Burnside takes us on this travailed quest for justice while demonstrating her ability to expertly depict psychological turmoil along the way.

Throughout, the reader is provided with a thrilling and well-written contribution to the popular murder mystery genre; the characters are also of depth, and interact with each other so finely. The multiple perspectives that are presented tell us of the flaws and interiors of the characters, helping to push the narrative into the third dimension.

There was only one thing that was lacking slightly—descriptions of the novel’s setting, Manchester, England. The use of local dialect helped to establish it somewhat, but the novel would have felt more complete if greater detail about the city itself was provided, so that the reader could get to know it.

I give “Slur” 4 out of 5 stars.

Until Next Time,

A. Anthony