Review:The Folded Earth

I have been lucky to have read good books back to back. The latest to join in my highly recommended reading would be Anuradha Roy’s The Folded Earth. The book is very well written, the book cover very well designed. Yes would re-iterate my obsession with book covers! But of course no book cover is above the story...And for this book I can surely say that the story will keep you captivated.

Maya, the protagonist of the book, defies her parents to marry the love of her life Michael. They both live happily together but fate has other plans for them. Though Michael by profession is a press photographer he is also a passionate climber and on one such trip to Roopkund in the Himalayas he ends up losing his life. Left with no friends, no family Maya decides to move to Ranikhet, a small town deep in the Himalayas to start her life afresh. With the help of her contacts she takes up a job as a teacher. While being a teacher during the day, in the evening she spends her time by helping her landlord Diwan sahib to write a biography on Jim Corbett. Her bond with the eccentric scholar and her friendship with a village girl Charu seem to offer her the chance of a new life in Ranikhet. Things though start changing soon enough in this quiet, peaceful town with a new administration in place. With the upcoming elections the town is seized by powerful outsiders who are trying to sow division there and usurp the school land, almost bringing it close to closure. Her life is set to change too with the arrival of Diwan sahib’s nephew Veer. Veer starts to live with his uncle and plans to set up a trekking company in the town. Maya finds herself instinctively drawn to him but his frequent disappearances also bring back memories of her past. Why and where does Veer keep disappearing too often? What secrets does he hide? All the pieces fit together at the climax of the book.  

The writing is poetic at times, humorous at places and well researched throughout. Beautifully written, poignant and a great read. An interesting story that will keep you hooked till the very end.

About the Author:

Anuradha Roy was educated in Calcutta and Cambridge. She has worked as a publisher and a journalist and is now an Editor at Permanent Black. She was the winner of the Picador-Outlook Non-Fiction prize in 2004 and her first novel, An Atlas of Impossible Longing, was shortlisted for the Crossword Prize.