Grimus
by Salman Rushdie
Reviewed By Ibrahim
Controversy follows Salman Rushdie like a leprechaun follows a pot of gold, at least in our sub-continent. Sometimes the controversies take a lot away from the literary genius that has constantly produced material worth its weight in gold. But this review deals with Grimus, Rushdie's literary debut, published in 1975. It's an interesting insight into the formative years of this literary mogul and whether he was a success right from the word go.
Grimus can be loosely defined as somewhere between fantasy and science-fiction, yet it fulfills neither criteria all that well. It follows the life of an Indian boy called Flapping Eagle. Yes, that's his name. At least the one he chose. He was called Born From Dead before that so it was a relative upgrade, I'd say. So, Flapping Eagle lived in the mythical town of Axonia with his sister Bird-Dog. After living in frustrated anonymity for the most part of their lives, we encounter a turn of events that leads to both Flapping Eagle and Bird-Dog drinking an elixir that makes them immortal. The book chronicles the (mis)adventures of Flapping Eagle as he gets to grips with immortality. After wandering the Earth for 777 years, 7 months and 7 days, immortality was more of a burden than anything else. Going with the unnatural setting, Flapping Eagle proceeds to fall through a rip in the Mediterranean which brings him to Calf Mountain, a place in a parallel dimension where all immortals eventually take refuge.
The story gives us a nice blend of theoretical physics and philosophy and sci-fi. It's where Rushdie asks fundamental questions about human existence. What's left in life if the specter of death is removed from overhead? As we delve deeper into the human psyche we are left to contemplate boredom and the obsession people of K employ to stop thinking about the nothingness. And in the backdrop, the whispers of a sentient being called Grimus fills Flapping Eagle's mind as he searches for his estranged sister.
Even with the fascinating storyline, the book leaves quite a bit to the imagination. Is it Rushdie's at his best? No, but it's still a worthwhile read. It's a rare glimpse into how Salman Rushdie started out on his literary journey. The narrative and the prose is quite different from the refined palate offered by Midnight's Children. Sometimes, his affinity to exaggerate gets the better of him in Grimus and the result can be a jumble of incoherent thoughts. But if you're a fan of Rushdie's work, the book will definitely be a treat because there is that inexplicably magical storytelling style of his evident throughout the book. Rushdie borrows generously from Sufi and Nordic Mythology and the mash-up isn't half-bad, either.
Critics have, more often than not, slammed this book for being all over the place with its message and passed it off as Rushdie trying too hard in his first attempt. But I would still recommend this book to anyone. There are worse ways to spend your time than reading Grimus.
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