Apparently, it was all the mysteries on the year-end lists of best books that appealed to me. I like mysteries -- they're easy to get lost in, and even the bad ones have enough of a plot to drive things forward and keep you turning pages late in the night to discover whodunnit. Maybe I should make it a goal to write the first really bad whodunnit. That'd be unique, right?
There's enough chaos and concern in the world that it's nice to open a book and get lost in it, forgetting all the stress, which is a really nice thing to do in the midst of a pandemic. A Rising Man is Abir Mukherjee's first book after working in finance twenty years. It'd be great if I could produce such a well written book in another 15 years!
A Rising Man is the introduction of Captain Sam Wyndham who, having lost everything in WWI, shipped off to Calcutta as a detective and is partnered with Surrender-Not, a local detective, as they try and uncover the murderer of an Englishman in times of heightened tensions between the colonial overlords and those in favor of independence. There are storms on the horizon that loom throughout the plot, adding tension and pace to the story as Captain Wyndham learns how to navigate society and uncover the murderer in a highly-charged environment.
It's a great book on many levels, but there are two aspects that stand out to me.
The first is how well Mr. Mukherjee creates a sense of place. I've never been to India, but the story is so rich in detail that I almost feel as though I could describe what it's like after finishing this book. From the way the oppressive heat creeps under your skin early in the morning to the tactics people take to avoid it, the reader is immersed in Calcutta, down to understanding the bells on the shoes of the rickshaw operators. When the author talks about the fan that doesn't cool or the flooding rains, it feels like you're there, and that's hard to do, given how different central Ohio is from India.
The second is the tension between the British and the Indians. Colonialism is on full display here, and every character has a part to play in it. Some of them thrive due to it, others suffer repercussions, both personal and political, others question it, and some actively resist and rebel against it. No one is immune to it, and it's like a snake slithering into the depths of the heart, shaping the way characters interact with one another. Captain Wyndham, fresh into Calcutta, notices how he treats the Indians, even Surrender Not, who is invaluable to helping Captain Wyndham solve the mystery (and survive the book!). The Indians are not treated the same, as the English must maintain the upper hand and continue to establish their moral superiority to justify their rule, even when doing deplorable things. The author thrives in pointing out the vital weaknesses of the British positions, the incongruency of their justifications for ruling over the Indians, the brokenness of a system that at its best brings additional educational resources to some, but only so far, and at its worst is purely exploitative and enriches the British at the expense of the Indians and their natural resources. Surrender-Not Bannerjee, who is kicked out of his home for not resigning his job that partners him with the British, seems to be the one character willing to speak the truth in the novel -- he notices the incongruencies and is often willing to help Captain Wyndham see the levels at which society is working. There's an internal struggle in the protagonist, one that invites the reader to ask some big questions about modern life, about what divides us and how we treat one another and wealth disparities.
It's an excellent book, one with a twisting plot that doesn't end up where one thinks it might, and it's beautifully crafted and written.
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