The House of Blue Mangoes

by David Davidar

Book Overview

In 1899, in the south Indian village of Chevathar, Solomon Dorai is contemplating the imminent destruction of his world and everything he holds dear. As the thalaivar, or headman, of Chevathar, he... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0066212545
• ISBN13: 9780066212548
• Release Date: March 2002
• Publisher: Harper
• Length: 432 Pages
• Weight: 1.70 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.3" x 6.1" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Sweet Sensation

Family sagas are the form of fiction I like the most so I was expecting a lot from this novel and I'm glad it didn't let me down. I was happily engrossed in the travails (and occasional joys) of the Dorai family for several days. This is not to say this is a depressing book, on the contrary you come away from it feeling pretty good, not least because the author writes wonderfully well.

Steve Abel

As the other reviewers have described, this is a family saga like The Glass Palace or A Suitable Boy. It does an excellent job of setting the family story within the historical context of colonialism and nationalism.For me, however, the beauty of The House of Blue Mangoes is in capturing the texture of the deep South, an area that is much neglected in Indian literature. Mr. Davidar's evocation of the food, the vegetation and landscape, and the people of Thirunelveli and Kanya Kumari is a valuable addition to Indian literature. I must admit to a certain prejudice in that I served in the Peace Corps near Nagercoil many years ago.

At Home In India

The House of Blue Mangoes is a rarity as rare as the blue mangoes in the book. Let me explain. In the last many years most of the Indian novels I've read have been written by Indians living abroad which robs them of a certain authentic feel. This novel felt authentic alright. I could smell, taste, experience the colours, food and vibrancy of India. In brief it tells the story of a South Indian family, the Dorais who are mired in a period of immense change and turbulance. What I found especially admirable about the book was the way in which the author seamlessly (by and large, there were a couple of sections where it could've been done better) melds the family story with the great historical events of the early twentieth century in India; the struggle for independence, caste wars, world wars etc. The characters are well developed...my favourites were Solomon and Aaron Dorai, although I did like Charity and Father Ashworth as well. The book taught me a lot about India while simultaneously keeping me absolutely hooked through a gripping story.

The South Indian Macondo

As an Indian from the south of my country currently living in the Bay Area I've often bemoaned the lack of good literature on my part of the world. David Davidar remedies that and how! For his novel does for India in general and South India in particular what few novels do -- create a rich, beautifully layered world that the reader can sink into for days on end and emerge as if from a dream. I won't bother to repeat the plot as other reviewers have done that. Suffice it for me to say that THE HOUSE OF BLUE MANGOES is a compelling blend of family drama and history which will reward anyone who chooses to pick it up. I'm sorry to sound like the author's blurb writer but when books move me, I tend to try and spread my enthusiasm for them as much as I can!