Title: The Sting of Peppercorns
Author: Antonio Gomes
Genre: Historical Fiction
Publisher: Manjul Publishing
Ratings: 3.5/5
Blurb:
‘A splendid read by a natural writer whose pen churns emotions: high, low, stormy and calm… like the tides of the Arabian Sea lapping on Goa’s shores.’ – Wendell Rodricks, fashion designer, writer, Goan environmental activist The unexpected revelations in his mother’s diary, prompts Roberto to return from New York, to his ancestral home in Goa. There, with the help of ayah Carmina, he unravels the mystery surrounding the tragedy that befell his siblings nearly twenty-one years ago, that profoundly affected his psyche, ruining his marriage to Maria. The month is May, the year 1961, in the village of Loutolim, in Portuguese Goa. The mother, Dona Isabella, anxiously awaits the return of her eldest and favourite son Paulo, who was studying law in Coimbra, Portugal. On the very day of his return, he escapes execution by masked guerrillas seeking the overthrow of the colonial regime. India’s military takeover of Goa unravels the socio-economic foundation of Roberto’s traditional Goan family. His sister Amanda falls in love with a man of lower caste; while Dona Isabella laments the loss of her culture. Haunted by nightmares, Paulo takes to drinking, drugs and sex orgies with the American hippies on the Baga beach. The revelations by ayah Carmina prompts Roberto and Maria to make up for the lost time. This brilliantly crafted story unfolds like a canvas imbued with a profound sensibility, and a sense of foreboding. In The Sting of Peppercorns, Gomes takes on history, love, death, the conflicts of assimilation, and the cultural mores of the people of his native Goa.
My Review:
A fragile human mind is often subjected to the tumultuous emotions like love,hate,violence,pain and heartbreaks.Often many handsome men succumbed to them and ended up in ruins.
The author traces the life of wealthy Albuquerque family at the cusp of liberation and the internal tug of war to acclimatize with the changing times.The story starts with grand preparations made by the imposing landlady Dona Isabella for her favorite son Paulo returning home after graduating in law from Portugal.A series of events following his return changes their lives irrevocably.
The writer brought alive the Portuguese Goa and liberated Goa through his vivid description.He revived the glorious past of the place,the land of ‘King of Peppercorns’ through his work.All the characters are well etched and explored to the potential.The subplots fills in like the finer details of a painting without which its impossible to comprehend the meaning of the larger piece.A rustic feelings works throughout the plot.The pace of the story is slow ,it takes its own sweet little time to grow on you.But once the narration progressed,the events starts unraveling the skeletons of the past, its hard to the leave the book without finishing.
Few lines which still lingers on my mind
‘ He walked out,taciturn,with an unsteady swagger,as if he had bitten on a chili that stung.’
‘A love of understanding,of familiarity,a love that seeps in by a slow process of osmosis.’
I fell in love with the beautiful imposing buildings of Goa and the rich culture.The author has splendid job in capturing the fine details like the arrival of american hippie culture, the diminishing old culture,the altered education system and the attire of new generation.The plot justified the title and cover gives a glimpse of the story.The climax was unpredictable for me but I liked the way it ended.
I would suggest the book to anyone who loves historical fiction.Its a lovely piece of work.I want to thank the publisher for the review copy in exchange of honest review.
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