THE DEATH OF VISHNU

This bestselling debut novel is an allegory set in an apartment building in modern Bombay. Named after the Hindu "Preserver," Vishnu is a dying vagrant whose only home is the stairwell of the building. His waning health presents numerous problems for the other residents, giving the author the chance to juxtapose the petty, the sensual, and the eternal in imaginative, perceptive, and distinctively Indian ways. In the mouth of John Lee, the tale has wonderful charm and character. His gentle, musical cadences enhance the beauty, pathos, and humor of the writing. He deftly contributes a mythic proportion that complements the Verismo atmosphere, reminiscent of such Kurasawa films as Do Des Kaden and Ran. He seems always in the moment, yet every incident, every conversation, presages something momentous, so that the suspense never flags. The production concludes with an enlightening interview with the author. Y.R. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine [Published: JUN/JUL 01]