Between Lives

by K.S. Maniam

Right in the middle of a buzzing Malaysian city is a magnificent forest, now a piece of prime real estate and the perfect setting for a swanky theme park. The trouble, however, is Sellamma, the old woman who owns the forest land, and refuses to budge. Sumitra, who works for the Social Reconstruction Department, is given the challenging task of convincing the old lady to move into a welfare home. A great believer in her people skills and a focused professional, Sumitra is used to tackling all kind of cases. But, somehow, Sellamma eludes her manoeuvres. Instead, Sumitra finds herself falling under the spell of the lazy afternoons she spends with the old woman and her dog, listening to stories by the gushing river. Bewitched by the hidden sounds of the forest that punctuate the ageless woman s narrative, she begins to reflect on her life and choices. On her death, Sellamma leaves Sumitra with yet another choice by bequeathing the land to her. Set in a mesmerizing landscape, and illuminating the eternal struggle between the old and the new, Between Lives reveals to us a journey of self-reflection and the hope of recovering what is lost forever to humanity.

388 pages, Hardcover

First published June 20, 2011

About the author

K.S. Maniam, born 1942, has been writing from his early teens. His stories have appeared in numerous journals around the world. His first novel, The Return, was published in 1981 and the second, In a Far Country, in 1993. He won the first prize for The Loved Flaw: Stories from Malaysia in The New Straits Times–McDonald short-story contest (1987) and for Haunting the Tiger: Contemporary Stories from Malaysia in The New Straits Times–Shell contest (1990). He is the inaugural recipient of the Raja Rao Award (New Delhi, September 2000), for his outstanding contribution to the literature of the South Asian diaspora. He has been lecturer (1980–85) and associate professor (1986–97) in the English Department, University of Malaya, in Kuala Lumpur. He lives with his wife, son and daughter in Subang Jaya, Malaysia, and devotes his time fully to writing.

Reviews

[Whitaker · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was just a confused and amorphous mess. There were fragments of this that I liked -- the account of Sumitra's mother's adolescence, bits of Sellamma's life -- but as a whole the work never seemed to quite come together.

Everything just felt amorphously vague. Part of it is due to the fact that the setting, while intended to be somewhat Malaysian, is not really Malaysia but something that lies midway between alternate future and metaphor. The Social Reconstruction Department does not describe an actual government department but represents invasive paternal government and soul-deadening office work. The Club, a swanky private club somewhere outside the city, nestled in a jungle valley, does not describe an actual private club near Kuala Lumpur, but represents one in all its commercialised luxury nature setting.

I assume that the amorphous quality of the work was a deliberate choice on KS Maniam's part but that quality affects the stories/histories of the characters as well. Sellamma's childhood is a frustratingly amorphous mix of the childhood of a rubber plantation worker, Malaysian history and a vaguely mystical fabulous tale of returning to the land. Sumitra's childhood in school has the same amorphous mix of a representational childhood meant to depict the degradation of racial harmony in Malaysia as a result of the introduction of a more Malay-Muslim identity. The work veers between mystical metaphor and realistic representation in a way that seems to remind people of magical realism but isn't really. In Marquez's Hundred Years of Solitude or Okri's The Famished Road, the fantasy elements were highly specific and detailed in the way needed to affix them to the reality being described. What we get here is at best described as wafflely new agey mysticism.

Maniam also tries to shoehorn too many themes into this work -- racism, Malay hegemony, commercialism, capitalist anomie, government bureaucracy, misogyny, women's rights -- all get a quick look in, brushed over and on to the next.

And frustratingly none of it actually goes anywhere. This strips the work of any force it might have had. What I get at the end is a vaguely soothing clarion call to return to nature as a means of healing that seems to have been written by someone who has not actually spent any time in it.

[Atikah Wahid · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I just read? I have no clue. This is possibly the only book I've ever read where I understood less and less as the story goes on. This book follows the character of Sumitra who works in a shady government office as a "social worker". Her assignment is to convince an old lady to give up a particular lucrative land at any cost whatsoever. At first, I thought this would be a crime thriller of sorts. Then, I started reading. This book is deceptively simple at first, I thought it was a cross between chicklit and historical fiction. Then, it went all experimental postmodern speculative fiction on me! The lines between reality, imagination and memories are so often blurred that I gave up trying to make sense of it all. Take it away, KS Maniam! I am amazed that KS managed to explore issues like marginalisation, conformity, nationalism, modernisation - all the typical topics you would find when talking about our country's history - in ways that are refreshingly unique and mind-bending. I've never really read anything like this, especially one that is set in our own background? Like it's a familiar universe and yet, it's strange enough to make you question everything? I especially love the use of Indian culture and traditions in this. It's true that my lack of knowledge regarding Indian culture is maddening because I feel that I'm losing valuable comprehension of details but I feel that KS' patient exploration of Malaysian Indian culture, tradition, history and community enriches this story so much more. For an outsider, it adds a layer of mystique but also a newfound appreciation. If you're the type who loves books that makes sense, has a clear plot and ending, then you'll most likely hate this book. However, if you like something that is different and philosophical, that makes you think and question, magical realism based on Indian culture, this is a great read. Although I did end the book feeling confused as ever, I really enjoyed this crazy ride and applaud KS' ability to string such a haunting story.

[Vhicy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maniam does not know how to characterise young women - what he meant to be flippant became more histrionic bimbotism - and his dialogue in this particular area suffers as a result. Although distracting, fortunately the rest of the novel is a lot more convincing.

He does magic realism very well here, intertwining the narrative of Sellamma/old garden land and Sumitra/modern capitalism wonderfully. Some may find fault with the overt moralising, but the message itself is true and relevant and needs to be adopted by every Malaysian.