The story revolves around the death of social activist Damini, whose cousin Ela the narrator, Max Gate, loves years after the end of their affair. Like Ela, Max is caught in a web of conflicting loyalties, especially to the erudite and wealthy Byron, who is Max’s friend, Ela’s patron, and possibly Damini’s murderer. Everyone’s loyalties are tested when Byron is confronted with the murder charge.
Gupta is marvellously skilled at rendering flawed, complex characters. Byron—Bankim Chandra Mallick—is the enigma at the heart of the novel, a man who embodies old-world Calcutta with his worldliness and sophistication, and who also evokes a sordid contemporary feel of moral decay.
The author deliberately chooses a non-linear structure, allowing the story to unfold leisurely and to return to key events in the characters’ shared histories. Memory plays a large role, and indeed the back-stories are far more vital and urgent than the drama that plays out after Damini’s death. Gupta showcases an urbane literary vision that asks readers to suspend usual expectations and venture beyond narrative convention.
Yet the novel does not quite succeed. The language is ultimately too opaque; it traps the characters in a haze. When, now and again, we get a clear glimpse into their tormented souls, we are thoroughly captivated, but only to be left hungering for more.
