Kari

by Amruta Patil

They were inseparable – until the day they jumped. Ruth, saved by safety nets, leaves the city. Kari, saved by a sewer, crawls back into the fray of the living. She writes ad copy for hair products and ill-fitting lingerie, falls for cats and roadside urchins, and the occasional adventuress in a restaurant. As Danger Chhori, her PVC-suit-clad alter ego, she unclogs sewers and observes the secret lives of people and fruit. And with Angel, Lazarus, and the girls of Crystal Palace forming the chorus to her song, she explores the dark heart of Smog City – loneliness, sewers, sleeper success, death – and the memory of her absentee Other. Sensuously illustrated and livened by wry commentaries on life and love, Kari gives a new voice to graphic fiction in India.

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fiction, Comics, Queer, LGBT, India, Graphic Novels Comics

120 pages, Paperback

First published December 30, 2007

About the author

Amruta Patil, is an Indian graphic novel author and painter.

Patil spent her childhood in Goa. She has a BFA from Goa College of Art (1999), and Master of Fine Arts degree from Tufts University, School of the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston (2004).

She worked as a copywriter at Enterprise Nexus (Mumbai) in 1999-2000. She was the Co-founder, Editor of the quarterly magazine, 'Mindfields' (2007-2012). She was awarded TED Fellowship in 2009.

Her debut graphic novel, Kari, commissioned and published by VK Karthika at HarperCollins India, explored themes of sexuality, friendship and death; and heralded Patil as India's first female graphic novelist.

She was awarded the Ministry of Women and Child Development's Nari Shakti Puraskar in March 2017 at the hands of the 13th President of India, Pranab Mukherjee.

Reviews

[Jack Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve never read a graphic novel before, but this was one of the most beautiful pieces of art I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading. It’s captivating and heartbreaking, empowering and tragic.

[daph pink ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book reveals to be uninteresting, loaded with random graphic style and narration going in all areas, whether I am dumb enough to grasp it or lazy enough to see the hidden meanings or reading between the lines...

[jay · Rating 2 out of 5]

Bhavya: i gave this one star, but i think you'll like it!!

me: what. why would i -

me, one page later: oh, because it's depressing✨


i am a firm believer that to like something you have to understand it - which is why i only like math when i excel and if i don't math can go fuck itself.


sadly, i just... have no idea... what i just read?


there were some lines - yes, sad ones - that i really liked and enjoyed but the rest of the writing went so far over my head i can't even give you an idea of what was going on let alone a summary of the book.


my space key is making a weird sound it's annoying


there was also art in this and art is probably the most subjective thing there is but... you know what, let's end this sentence there


i didn't necessarily dislike this? but i also didn't like it? to summarize this experience, it was weird.

there. today's too long didn't read for a review that you indeed could have read because it is not too long: weird. 2.5 (?) stars

[Shaina Agrawal · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the last semester at my university, I read my first graphic novel, Kari. The writer of the novel, Amruta Patil ( @amruta_gauri ) received a Nari Shakti Puruskar (Women Empowerment Award) at the hands of India's president. It is a poetic novel with a number of symbols. It questions the people questioning the sexuality of a person, urban lifestyle, skin color, the worth of life, and lesbian relationships in hetrosexual society. You will seldom find bright colors in the book, for the subjects the story deals with aren't bright either. Somewhere in the 2-3 hours of reading this novel based in Mumbai, you will find yourself or someone you know in Kari. Isn't that the objective of a novel? To make us look at us?

[Shruti · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 stars

This book was weird…but also so good! Filled with metaphors (some I didn’t quite understand) but still captured what it was like living in Mumbai in the 90s as a woman figuring out life, love and her career. Can’t wait for the sequel!

[C.E. G · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing and structure of Kari almost make it feel more like "graphic poetry" than a "graphic novel." I was totally drawn into it and moved by it - it felt like a dark, beautiful dream.

[sal · Rating 5 out of 5]

How jarring to read something so reflective of your personal thoughts written by a complete stranger. Every single sentence is poignant and real.

[Gorab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dark. Depressing. Abstract. Random. Suicidal. Queer.
Had a lot of fun delving into its venomous layers.

[Smitha Murthy · Rating 2 out of 5]

I haven’t read too many graphic novels in my small reading life. But I have been trying to read more when I can. That is, when the price is right.

And Indian graphic writers? I have read even less. But Amruta Patil is recognized as one of the best in this genre. So, I picked up ‘Kari’ with the greatest expectations.

Well, as with most of my expectations, they don’t quite match up.

There are many pluses to this book, but I struggled with understanding the storyline. I am saddened. What book can I drown my sorrows in now?

(This shouldn’t detract from the book being ahead of its times. It’s bold, courageous, and a splash of diverse color in the bland, white-dominated graphic novel world).

[Travis · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't realize just how sick I was of reading terrible, terrible, graphic novels by mopey white dudes about their boring love life until I read Kari.

Thank you, Amruta Patil, for expanding the palette.

[B · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Whatever love laws have to be broken, the first few seconds suffice. After that everything is a matter of time and incident.”

~ Rating- 1.5 stars ~

Content/ Trigger Warnings- Alcohol, Bars, Suicide & Attempted Suicide, Nudity, Sex, Pregnancy, Drugs, Cheating & Grey-area cheating (the kind of relationship is not established, and since the timeline is jumbled I don't know if this is actually there in the book with the MC's relationship, but it is there in the side-characters relationship), Swearing

-Mention and Discussions of most of these in my review-

I don't know what I just read. And I don't know what happened in this book.

The idea of it? Powerful. Excellent. A book set in the 90's Bombay about a lesbian Indian women, her relationship with her partner and her mental health. But the execution? Terrible. Flat.

We barely get to know the MC Kari. Her struggles with her mental health are shrugged off like they are no big deal. Her suicidal urges are not even addressed properly. And I have no clue what kind of relationship she has with her lover Ruth. We barely see Ruth on page, the times she is mentioned are scarce, and the kind of influence she has on Kari, frankly doesn't seem like a healthy one.

The art style was alright, but I personally wasn't a huge fan of it. The writing was also ok, and some quotes were really good. But for the most part, I just found it underwhelming.

I do however, appreciate the representation in this book. This is one of the few graphic novels written by an Indian author, and it features a queer MC, which is great! I just wish it was a better read for me.

So, Kari felt like a half-assed attempt at discussing important issues, but not really addressing them in a mature manner. Overall, very disappointing.

*#7 Read for Asian Readathon 2022.

“There are settling girls, and there are unsettling girls. The ones who seem to have it in them to be flyers are the ones who want to snuggle into settling. The ones who look as settled as old housedogs want to twist their way into flying. Necessarily, you must be defensive about being a settling sort of girl.”

Review written on 5th May, 2022.

BR with Stuti!

DISCLAIMER-All opinions on books I’ve read and reviewed are my own, and are with no intention to offend anyone. If you feel offended by my reviews, let me know how I can fix it.

How I Rate-
1 star- Hardly liked anything/was disappointed
2 star- Had potential but did not deliver/was disappointed
3 stars- Was ok but could have been better/was average/Enjoyed a lot but something was missing
4 stars- Loved a lot but something was missing
5 stars- Loved it/new favourite

[Mrinal Sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was the first mature graphic novel I read besides the usual kid stuff we read as children. Trust me ! I was mind blown by the kind of illustration and intensity this novel carries. The story is so gripping that keeping it aside for even a minute would take you on a guilt-trip and you'd be dying to wrap up whatever that you are doing and indulge into this amazing piece again. It's amusing to witness the depiction of Kari's thought process which is so complex, yet so simple. It creates this fascinating charm around Kari which is simply irresistible. Her yearning for her partner is a beautiful outburst of emotions. Her relationship with a dying woman and willingness to be near death is extremely intriguing which Angel puts it as Kari's regular fix of decay.
All in all, the novel is one of the most absorbing bundle of papers I have read.
Recommended highly.

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kari was unsatisfactory in a way because just when I started to appreciate the story and fall in love with it, it got over. The artwork is beautiful and unapologetically raw. When I was reading the graphic novel, I had no idea where it was heading and that threw me off a bit. It's almost poetic so it was difficult to get the exact meaning for me but I liked thinking about my own take on the story. I have to say, this is definitely the first time I have read about a lesbian protagonist written by an indian author and it was done wonderfully. I loved Kari. She was bluntly honest and loved relentlessly. I loved reading about her and I feel like I can always read it again and each time, it will be different.

[Anupama C K(b0rn_2_read) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Indumathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book. The writing was very less bc graphic novel, but still so much came through. Lots of “a sentence speakers a thousand words” vibes.

[Mahika]

***read for Forms of Lit class***

I refuse to rate this book for so many reasons - it feels too autobiographical for me to comment on the plot, with graphic novels in particular I think there's even more subjectivity, and I met the author.

I read this book in one sitting, it's almost impossible not to. It is very text heavy compared to other graphic novels and invokes all the greats before it - paradise lost, heart of darkness, the Bible! If you are a literature student, you would get even more out of this, if you're not, it's still a deeply enjoyable (tragic!) and beautiful (disturbing!) read.

Lastly, a little personal anecdote - my professor planned class in such a way that he got us all riled up with questions and then introduced the actual author. We were stunned and she is so intelligent and kind! So yes, a book I will remember.

[Mirranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was honestly so excited to read this and it did not disappoint. Easiest 5 stars I've ever given I loved this soooo much !! It was the first graphic novel I've read and it was just beautiful - some of the descriptions and metaphors were so moving I was like ❤❤❤ at every section. It was more poetic than plot driven if that's your style. The protagonist, Kari, was so charming and felt really realistic. The illustrations and the sporadic use of colours enhanced the story so much and emphasised Kari's alienation and longing for Ruth. Themes of heteronormativity, gender binaries, and illness were dealt with in such a sensitive yet captivating way. Now on my way to find more graphic novels hehehe

[BookStarred · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of abstract open ended stories and incidents related to the main character Kari and random eye opening shocker dialogues that just kind of make you stop and think like "Damn what did I just read!"
The more I read this, the more meaningful I find it. And that the meanings and point of views are infinite. That's the best thing about this.

The only thing left after reading this was curiosity to know the other half of those smol stories that felt incomplete and maybe were done so on purpose. That's why I still think about this book sometimes randomly outta nowhere. The art is harrowing which is also something that makes it stand apart from other graphic novels.
Would definitely recommend.

[Neha Gupta · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Curry of Pictures

Starting form comics a picture book has always been a fascinating thing for me. As you grow up you mature from dramatic comics to real life fiction and when you get fiction with pictures, you can enjoy best of both worlds. So in line of Persepolis, embroideries, book thief, etc I had been wanting to read Kari.

But post reading I wish I hadn’t.

To read more visit here:
http://storywala.blogspot.in/2012/11/...

[Ruchira · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so?? felt so raw, devastating, disgusting, unhinged and Indian?? the way Amruta weaves into her characters such depth with serpentine descriptions- has me in a chokehold.
4.5

[Areeb Ahmad (Bankrupt_Bookworm) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh this was GOOD! Carves out a place and a vibe of kts own. It ends with a "to be continued"... Where's the sequel, Amruta??

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kari’s smouldering black eyes drilled into my soul from the stark cover of Amruta Patil’s graphic novel for almost a month before I finally gathered the courage to dive into the turgid dark waters of her Soul. Kari, the protagonist, inhabits the same time and space that I called home for several years- we might even have taken the same local train to work or back- yet, superficially, we couldn’t be more different.
Brooding, melancholy, drawn to the dark, Kari introspects on the urban lifestyle, on sexuality and people’s reaction of fidelity, on lesbian relationships and how the heterosexual society often sees it as a temporary deviant, on paternal expectations and the guilt of children, on domestic violence and the studied silence of society when it encounters it. As Kari navigates the labyrinth of ‘Smog City’, collecting symbols like we collect ticket stubs, you start seeing glimpses of yourself in Kari and of Kari in you.
The book is in sombre colours. Like the world Kari inhabits-
“Smog city looks even more anaemic in the sun. Left to itself long enough, everything in the world withers, wastes, fades away to brown and grey. Tarpaulin and trash. Cinders and ash. Vegetables turn to potty. Red curtains colourless, add to this, streams of women and women, like rotos and slaves, in equally tired colours. We are scared of too much colour.”
But when you least expect it, that monochromatic world gets drenched in colour. Sometimes, it is the colour of the magical, sometimes of the mundane. But colour it is.
Some of her musings are spot on-
“There are settling girls, and there are unsettling girls. The ones who seem to have it in them to be flyers are the ones who want to snuggle into settling. The ones who look as settled as old housedogs want to twist their way into flying. Necessarily, you must be defensive about being a settling sort of girl.”
“The Airlines lady who travels in the same compartment as us day after day, has bruises on her arms and face today and her eyes keep welling, but no one asks her why. Our eyes dart towards her, but we go back to travelling in too much proximity. Two inches from one another and expressionless.”
“I wait to watch their train leave just as I waited to watch their train pull in. I wait till they have disappeared. Until the next train pulls in. I have temporarily regressed to being a guilt ridden and miserable child.”
Amruta Patil’s ‘Kari’, for all practical purposes, is the first graphic novel for adults that I read, so I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect. Having read it, I now wonder if the bar is set too high.

[Maahi Patel · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

"Others’ lives are beautifully peopled."

Kari is an lgbtq+ graphic novel written by one of India’s first female graphic novelists. Published in 2007, it was considered ground-breaking & acclaimed profusely.

Kari is a warm & cosy book to curl up to. It is one of the first graphic novels I have read & I liked the way it flowed even though the artwork was a little unremarkable. The writing is beautiful in certain parts and it’s written almost poetically, so there are abrupt changes & unexplained endings, not that I mind!
Not sure if it deserves the excessive praise it has received, but I can’t deny its cultural significance as it did break quite a few glass ceilings.

TW : mention of suicide

[l · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m bummed out there isn’t more. And given that this was published ten years ago, probably won’t be a sequel :(

[Smriti · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a sweepingly beautiful book - both in terms of the prose and illustrations.

[isaac⁷ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*

impulse monday morning read. this probably wasn't the best way to start off my week because this was ✨depressing✨.

although the art style was raw, the narration was too haphazard and non-sequitur for my liking. i didn't dislike it too much but i didn't like it much either.

[Nika · Rating 5 out of 5]

ripped my heart out in the weirdest way possible

[Lucy Wragg · Rating 5 out of 5]

first graphic novel i’ve ever read, very enjoyable

[Raj Nandani ( Wrap the Fury) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kari is a graphic novel that raises so many layers of stories as a wave of ocean arriving at the shore, arriving and being shunned by the next coming wave, again and again. Kari is a brilliant story. I am still drowning in it. The river imagery continues parallel to everything that happens. I float away with the narration while Kari goes on living with the memories of Ruth...

[Lila Clementine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book. I might’ve not understood it … but it was beautifully illustrated and had delightful poetic lines. 😊

My fav page:

“Isn't it great? We never have to worry about knocked up by mistake.”

“I’d give anything in the world to be able in the knock you up, Ruthie.”