Timing and expectation both worked against this book. Kunal Basu set the bar too high with 'The Japanese Wife'. 'The Yellow Emperor's Cure' fails to match it in narration and nuance. Plus, most of the book is set in 19th century China, making it look insipid after Amitav Ghosh's 'River of Smoke'. You may call it an unfair comparison, but it cannot be helped.
That said, I did enjoy some parts of the book. It starts on a very promising note. Dr Antonio Maria's colourful life in Lisbon is gloriously depicted. He is the city's best doctor, casanova and the most eligible bachelor. He leaves all this behind to find a Chinese cure for syphilis or the cursed pox that is sure to kill his father and bring shame upon his family.
Once off the ship, he is sucked into the intriguing politics of the land, the tension between the locals and the foreigners, the tea parties of the European ladies, the mysteries of the Nei Ching medicine, the visual delights of the Empress' Summer Palace where he is lodged, the insect festival and the bustling market, the Chinese way of life. And he falls in love with Fumi, his teacher, whose past continues to haunt him. His friends are attacked by local gangs. The Empress leaves her palace, sparking off rumours and fears of an impending war. Dr Maria must decide why he's endangering his life in pursuit of a cure that he may never find and a woman he may never understand.
It all adds up perfectly. It has all the right ingredients - history, culture, violence and love. It should have been a brilliant book. But somewhere along the story, the cocktail party prattle wears you down. You don't really want to know what happens next. May be I'm too jaded to care. It's a decent book. Just did not work for me.
Book: The Yellow Emperor's Cure; Author: Kunal Basu; Publisher: Pan Macmillan India (Picador); Pages: 325
(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)
 |
 |
 |
|
More on IBNLive Right Now
MOST SHARED
PHOTOGALLERY
