A novel of George Orwell in 1920s BURMA
A novel of family dynamics set in BOMBAY (Mumbai)
27th March 2024
The Museum of Failures by Thrity Umrigar, a novel of family dynamics set in BOMBAY.
I love it when a novel drops through the proverbial letterbox, you know nothing about it but it proves to be a gem.
Remy Wadia has arrived back in Bombay, his home city, from Columbus, Ohio, where he has made a life for himself with his wife Kathy. He is there on a very unusual mission. To wit, he is going to meet a young woman who finds herself pregnant out of wedlock and is resigned to Remy and Kathy being the baby’s adoptive parents. Given society in the city, and especially within the Parsi community, she has no real choice. The father has done lip service to committing to her but when push comes to shove, he is more than likely to abscond. She does however have a momentary dither but eventually decides to embark on the pre-ordained course, and goes on to persuade Remy that she would like to spend the rest of her pregnancy in the States and give birth there. She is loathe to inform her parents of this plan because of the upset this would cause.
When Remy originally left Bombay for the States, he entrusted the welfare of his mother, Shirin, to relatives who were given their own apartment in exchange for their services. He never experienced a good enough relationship with his mother, he remembers her pinching him and undermining him at every turn. Upon arrival, he discovers that in fact she is very poorly in hospital and becomes very dependent on his ministrations: the roles have reversed.
There are further storylines woven into this story of family, including Parsi traditions, class and caste issues, belief systems and family secrets. The backdrop of Bombay is beautifully portrayed, a city in harmony with the sea, and mention of eateries and parks that will transport anyone who knows the city.
“Here, people lived cheek by jowl, alongside one another, slums and makeshift hutments springing up under the shadows of glittering skyscrapers..”
This is a tightly packed novel that proves propulsive, as the layers of Remy’s family are unfurled, causing ructions as new discoveries are made. Secrets abound, and as greater emotional understanding evolves about the legacy of actions carried out in the past, understanding of the fractured family bonds might just enable some change going forward.
A powerfully told story which kept me reading, penned in a wonderful writing style. The end is perhaps a little neat given the emotional upheaval described so competently throughout.
Tina for the TripFiction Team
Catch the author on TwitterX @ThrityUmrigar
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