The Cripple and His Talismans
May 28th, 2006by Anosh Irani
ISBN: 1551928035
Irani knows how to set up a story:
There will be magic, poverty, thievery, music, pollution, dancing, murder, and lust and very little prayer.
His novel, set in a bizarre and fantastic Bombay, does have all of these things. It also has lepers, a limb market, beauty, and acts of horrific cruelty. The main character — a “cripple” missing his arm — manages to be both charming and offensive.
If you enjoy magic realism, I recommend tracking down this book. (I picked it up in Vancouver, not sure if it is readily available in the US.)
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