Monsieur fascinates, is full of many interesting possibilities, yet does not quite succeed. Durrell, sadly, does not develop more fully the many curious, inter-linked themes that he interjects along the tortuous way of this novel within a novel. In fact, one often gets the feeling that Durrell himself—-like most of his characters—was never quite sure what shape this novel would take and literally improvised as he went along.
It is not a ‘scholarly’ book. It is not a ‘profound’ book. But it is a book which makes you want to meet the writer and talk to him. It has a pleasant, straight-from-the-shoulder manner, and the rat-tat-tat of the sentences, without nagging you, holds your interest. What is more, the down-to-earth locales which are the several contexts to the problems discussed, along with the accompanying individual names (fanciful coinages, I am sure), invests every little essay with pragmatic value.
It is the usual impression that oriental knowledge essentially consists of speculation concerning the ultimate nature of things beyond what is available by pure observation. The elucidations of these problems are entirely philosophical in nature and concern the Supreme Brahman as the ultimate goal for the purpose of knowing what we are. At least, this is what an ordinary student, whether he be trained in Indian philosophy or not, is led to believe.
Jella, a Jellopus, is the rightful ruler of Zypher but the evil Chiro has taken over Zypher. Jella goes on an interesting journey to win her kingdom back. Jella and a scientist called Marina somehow join bodies to become Merjella. Jella with her friends Qwerty and Bingo go to the surface and interact with humans. They meet a person called Ryan Catchmore who catches fish and finds other ways of catching fish.
It takes just spilt second for things to go from good to awful or from awful to good’ The line captures it all. The book by Rupa Gulab is about deeper realities, fraught with memories and emotions. But a beautiful lesson it tries to give ‘amidst all the chaos lay a placid calm’. Anu’s life is all chaotic, as the book says her life sucks! A teenager’s mid life crisis when one is worried about body image, boyfriend issues and yes, academics! Anu’s story starts from the school where she is in detention (as always!) and ends with a sweet note where she finally embraces reality. Anu is a cry baby. She wants attention! The story revolves around her frustrations towards her teachers, crushes and most importantly her sister: Diya. Diya is better, smarter and attractive. She is always the one to get appreciated and loved.
Just as earthly time stops when the characters unfurl their journey across the magical land of Catriona, so does the reader’s sense of time as one rapidly navigates one’s way through the silvery forest of ivory trees, mysterious caves with mythical gods, through lakes containing lotus embedded with emeralds and through a landscape lighting up with a multitude of characters. It’s a place ‘where one grows faster and lives longer’. It’s a place where earthy metaphors are conjured but the limits of their earthy meanings are challenges. The story centers around two young women Sara and Cristina, two young women.