Excerpts from a review of ‘The Golden Sparrow’
by Foreword Clarion Reviews
Ashok Malhotra’s lyrical prose and vibrant descriptions of Indian landscapes and rituals create authentic atmosphere in this novel.In this first volume of a semiautobiographical family epic, Ashok Malhotra deftly chronicles India and Pakistan’s independence and partition. The vivid setting and subtle touches of magical realism recall Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.
The Mehra family’s story, narrated by elder son Vikram, pivots around the events of 1947. Like Rushdie’s Saleem, young Vikram’s sixth sense offers premonitions of the future. “Sometimes I feel that I have always existed,” he declares in the captivating opening line. The novel begins with India’s ndependence and loops backward to recall how Vikram’s parents, teachers Surinder and Kamla, met and wooed each other. Surinder’s great love for English literature earns him the moniker “Shakespearewala”, yet he is uncomfortable being a lackey for English businessmen. Class, language, and religion are all major sources of societal division, and negotiating a coherent postcolonial identity is a primary challenge.
Malhotra evokes the setting through period detail, foreign phrases, and vibrant descriptions of Indian landscapes and rituals. He successfully anchors his fictional plot to the time period by including milestones, such as the end of the Raj, and Gandhi’s assassination. Muslim-Hindu conflict, refugee crises, government corruption, and spy manoeuvring provide additional historical intrigue. At times, the prose is wonderfully lyrical and adds to a sense of enchantment: “See what a supernatural sight; the kites are dancing in front of the Moon.”
The author is a professional engineer living in Canada. His knowledge of science, technology, and religion comes through in Surinder’s fascination with telepathy and the ethical dilemmas posed by the atomic bomb.
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“Golden Sparrow” was an old nickname for India, and readers will come away from this richly imagined novel feeling they know the country as intimately as Malhotra and his characters do.
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From: Susan L
Sent: Tuesday, October 28, 2014 10:06 AM
To: Malhotra, Ashok
Subject: The Golden Sparrow
Dear Ashok,
I finished reading “The Golden Sparrow” last evening. It is a wonderful story and I so enjoyed my time immersed in it – I didn’t want it to end! My mother read it a week or two before me and we discussed the history of India and the partition and took out the atlas to look at a map of India and Pakistan and see the cities mentioned and follow your family’s journey. We didn’t know much of this history and it was so interesting. Because of other reading commitments, it took me some time to begin this story, but I very much look forward to the sequel! Thank you so much for writing this and for sending me a copy to enjoy.
Very best regards,
Susan
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From: Kam
Sent: September-10-14 5:27 PM
To: amalhotra@rogers.com
Subject: The Golden Sparrow
This was an adventure like no other that made the reader feel like they were completely immersed in Surinders' journey. This novel brilliantly brought together precision and elegance in story telling in a way that made it very difficult to put it down. Every page felt like a new lesson, a new idea and most notably a new insight that continually evolved into an intricate set of connections coming together beautifully in the end. The writing style set the back drop gracefully and anchored the reader to the dramatic culture of the time.
Well done, brilliant piece of historical fiction!
Kamil D
Bsc. Kine, Msc. PT, CSEP CEP
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From Facebook:
Allyson L.
Read it. Beautiful book.
August 12 at 3:35pm
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From: Michael
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2014 11:06 AM
To: Malhotra, Ashok
Subject: The Golden Sparrow
Hi Ashok,
I read your book in two days last weekend, and I cannot stop thinking about it. It hit the nerve, since the events in my home country – the former Yugoslavia – were so similar to the ones during the partition of India you described, down to neighborhood committees of Muslim, Orthodox and Catholic Christians trying to stop the madness, with little success. I saw what was brewing and came to Canada before the bloodshed, but I heard a lot of stories from people who lived through it. It is so tragic that no one seems to learn from history!
I never visited India, but your book brought the country alive to me, with all the people, places, traditions, smells and textures. I find it to be in the same league with the books by Rohinton Mistry, whom I greatly respect.
Thank you so much for the great and enjoyable experience. I am impatiently looking forward to the next installment.
Best regards,
Mike
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Ashok ji, I finished reading your fascinating novel last night; if you do not count time out for daily chores, I would say that I read the novel in one breath. Thanks for taking me to the troubled, political turmoil of Lahore, the ’mystique Ashram of Srinagar, the terrifying journey by train during partition, and finally the hardships that the migrants faced in settling back in their 'own' country in Delhi.
But more than that , the context of daily lives of families, their interactions, the births and marriages , the rearing of children- all provided a wonderful background to the story that sounds so realistic that that it is difficult to filter the fiction from it. It looks like, the 'Shakespearwala' was always present in your pen when you were writing.
Wishing you the best in writing the second volume.
Sain - Retired High School English teacher
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Hi Ashok
I can't put this book down! What an enjoyable and enlightening read–Just paused to look up Savastik Sri Ganesh.
But I have to say only someone used to running a consulting business would know that Anjou endured 2209 hours of complicity in the production.
Happy New Year to you both!
Best regards
Peter
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Hi Ashok,
Just finished reading your lovely novel. It became alive for me from Partition onwards. So many memories of India of that period, especially struggles of refugees during the early period. It will be nice for us threesome (or twosome) to get together over coffee to walk down the memory lane. Heartfelt congratulations!!
Warmly,
Balwant
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Hi Ashok,
I read your book and really enjoyed it.
I liked the way you told the story mainly through the eyes of father and son, and that the story was a combination of major events and every day life, with both profound thoughts and light humor. I was also reminded of the general interest in mental telepathy when I was young. I guess the internet could be looked upon as the next best thing.
I was very impressed to read that Anjou kept you company while you were writing. She is truly devoted to you.
I look forward to your second book which will continue the story of the parents and their children.
Best regards, Dave
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Hi Ashok,
I loved the book The Golden Sparrow- am waiting for book 2. I was in Israel when I read your book- and experienced the ongoing politics of Israel versus Palestine- so reading your book brought the conflicts of others alive for me. Thank you for thinking of me when you sent the invite to read. Look forward to reading, and listening to your interviews.
PS Jim read it too.
Regards,
Debbie
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Thanks for your greetings. I have read the novel and it is quite absorbing. I will revert to you later
Regards
K.Mohan
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MaryLynn Alder Hodshire posted on The Golden Sparrow's timeline
"Finished the book, anxious to read the sequel. Fascinating story."
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From: Michael
Sent: Monday, January 27, 2014 6:22 PM
To: Malhotra, Ashok
Subject: RE: THE GOLDEN SPARROW-----A NOVEL BY ASHOK MALHOTRA
I read your book while on vacation and enjoyed it very much! Very interesting perspectives and historical context. Thank-you.
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Awesome. It was the only book I have read within one Christmas vacation. I could not put it down. Can't wait for the next one.
Best regards
Peter, MASc PEng FCAE
Canadian Urban Institute
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Hi Ashok,
We both enjoyed reading The Golden Sparrow and in doing so, learned more about Indian history and culture. Congratulations on a wonderful achievement.
Alison and Michael
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"A very fascinating and absorbing narration of a family's trials and tribulations during India's turbulent partition time period. Ashok has masterfully weaved Hindu culture, traditions & politics with historical events, and created an intriguing facts and fictional story...a delightful reading indeed!"
Yogi, P.Eng
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Hello Mr. Malhotra
I wanted to write to you about your book “The Golden Sparrow”. I am a friend of Anjou, and when she told me that you were writing a book, I said that I would be very interested to read it. First, because I think it’s exciting to “know” the author of a book, and second, because I am interested in history, especially from the daily-life point of view.
I really enjoyed reading “The Golden Sparrow”. It was written in a way that made me easily visualize family life in India during the 1940’s. Characters and settings were nicely and clearly defined so that I was transported to another time and place. I never knew very much about the partition of India and Pakistan, except that it happened. I never knew that so many people had to cross borders and that so many people died.
One thing you mentioned in the book was the children’s game of playing with 7 stacked stones and a ball. Funnily enough, I do have a memory of playing that game! I grew up in Montreal, and the father of one of my friends was from India. He taught all the kids on our street to play that game. I have such great memories of playing on summer evenings, until it was too dark to see the stones! Although I do remember that we tried to hit each other very hard with the ball –ouch. Maybe that game was played nowhere else in Montreal, but it was fun!
Finally, I loved your unusual discussion with your typewriter keys. That was a surprise chapter! Did you really type with 1 finger?
Anyway, all to say that I enjoyed the book very much.
(Hello to Anjou)
Phyllis
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You have caused me a lot of sleepless nights Golden Sparrow! I couldn’t cage you and put you down. I just kept on flying and turning pages. I was hooked! I have learned more about this fascinating country called India that probably most natives aren’t aware of. I became one with Surinder, Kamla and the rest of the family. One of the most informative, historical, geographical novels I have read. Please...can we have a sequel? I feel the story isn’t over yet.
Emilio
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Most helpful customer review from Amazon.ca
5.0 out of 5 stars A riveting family saga told with the back drop of fading glory of British India and the aspiring newly Independent India March 14 2014
By Rabinder
Format:Paperback
Beyond the story line, what I like best about this book is the writing style that shows maturity of thought and expression. It uses colloquial English spoken during that era that I found very interesting. The description of history, culture and locations intertwined in the story is exquisite. The wit and humor sprinkled in the dialogues is refreshing. For example: the conversation between the author and the computer keyboard letters in Epilogue chapter is hilarious and brilliant. The powerful narrative of the book took me back to my memories of childhood and adolescent years spent in India.
I am looking forward to the next volume to find out whether 'Vikram' lived up to the promise of his father 'Surinder Mehra'.
I recommend this book to anyone who likes stories, about human endeavor to succeed against all odds, filled with mystery and humor, and set in cultural background.
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