In the recent past, I have always picked up books based on author interviews or reviews or recommendations. But this time I decided to take another route, I asked R to pick me a couple of Anita Desai books from the library. Anita Desai by far seems to be my Indian author of choice. I like that she does not make India sound too mystic like many other current day Indian authors.

The ZigZag way was not the book I thought it will be. I sort of expected a book based on Indian characters and have scenes from my life replicated. Anita Desai does this really well but the Zigzag way starts out with Eric and Em in Boston and en route to Mexico. I was very disappointed because I had imagined it to be something else completely. So disappointed that I did not read it for 3-4 days. Then clearing up my mind I started again.

Eric, a PhD student heads to Mexico with his girlfriend Em. Eric is not happy with the way his research and thesis are shaping up (is there any PhD student who is actually happy about that?). He hopes to find some inspiration and material in Mexico. But instead the trip turns into quest for his past. Eric’s grandfather spend some years in the now forgotten mining towns of Mexico. Eric follows Doña Vera and his instincts and rediscovers his past.

Somewhere along the way, Eric stops being the protagonist in my point of view. Doña Vera takes over – maybe that was Desai’s intention to show the powerfulness of the character. The Mexican vistas, the life is so real. Her descriptions are not floral or descriptive. It is at your face and simply stated. But in those lines she makes Mexico come alive. I am amazed how easily and vividly the vistas of Mexico are described.

A nice read