FICTION

The City of Devi

by Manil Suri
Norton. Feb. 2013. 352p. ISBN 9780393088755. $26.95; ebk. ISBN 9780393089660. F
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Suri's final work in a trilogy begun with The Age of Shiva and The Death of Vishnu opens in a futuristic India, where Hindu and Muslim factions are deeply at odds and bombing raids have been ongoing. Amid the chaos, 33-year-old Sarita searches for her missing husband, Karun, while recalling joyous memories of their first meeting. The novel is narrated in turn by Jaz, a Muslim man also looking for Karun, his lover long before Karun ever met Sarita. Throughout most of the novel, Sarita is wholly unaware of her husband's underground past, and readers follow the unraveling stories as Sarita and Jaz slowly discover how he disappeared.
VERDICT While the explicit sexuality and violence may make some readers uncomfortable, Suri's work is nevertheless smartly and fluidly written. The strong plot and character development make the novel a page-turner, while insight into the taboos of interfaith and same-gender relationships in India and commentary on what true love really is add substance. [See Prepub Alert, 8/27/12.]
Reviewed by Shirley N. Quan, Orange Cty. P.L., Santa Ana, CA , Feb 01, 2013
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