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The Outcasts - A Thousand Dreams of Redemption
The Outcasts is a story of loss, running away, hope and return. Three protagonists boldly confront a tradition-driven and repressive world. Through a series of serendipitous encounters, and against all odds, their paths intertwine at a time when each stands at a personal crossroads.
Tabu is a rebellious young Muslim woman, who speaks her mind under the guise of jinn influence. Santan, an aging Hindu man, in the face of a near-death experience, suddenly discovers a new spark for life. And Chameli, a dazzling but emotionally fragile transgender woman, is forced to leave the community which had once provided her with safety and identity. Together, they embark on a transformative journey, laced with doubt and danger. They are forced to re-examine their values, renounce their old risk-averse selves, and face a dark night of the soul.
Set in contemporary India, a land of dichotomies, the novel challenges the notions of gender, feminism vis-à-vis spirituality/religion, and culturally appropriate romantic expression.
Tabu is a rebellious young Muslim woman, who speaks her mind under the guise of jinn influence. Santan, an aging Hindu man, in the face of a near-death experience, suddenly discovers a new spark for life. And Chameli, a dazzling but emotionally fragile transgender woman, is forced to leave the community which had once provided her with safety and identity. Together, they embark on a transformative journey, laced with doubt and danger. They are forced to re-examine their values, renounce their old risk-averse selves, and face a dark night of the soul.
Set in contemporary India, a land of dichotomies, the novel challenges the notions of gender, feminism vis-à-vis spirituality/religion, and culturally appropriate romantic expression.
196 pages, Paperback
Published April 1, 2019
2 people are currently reading
252 people want to read
About the author
Lidija Stankovikj
2 books5 followersLidija Stankovikj has authored two books—'The Outcasts' and 'Alexander's Infinity.' For over a decade, she has worked in the areas of education, sustainability, international development and wellness/spirituality. She has lived in India, Burma (Myanmar), Sweden, Switzerland and Macedonia. She holds degrees in Mathematics, Management of International Organizations and Contemporary Asian Studies.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 19, 2019
20th book of 2019 (104th book overall)
Quote from the Book I Liked - 'It is easy to be inspired, but hard to follow.' (Page no. 111)
&
'Sometimes, what we dare to leave behind is more important than what awaits us.' (Page no. 36)
Rating - 5 Stars
Plot Summary - The Outcasts is a story of loss, running away, hope and return. Three protagonists boldly confront a tradition-driven and repressive world. Through a series of serendipitous encounters, and against all odds, their paths intertwine at a time when each stands at a personal crossroads.
Tabu is a rebellious young Muslim woman, who speaks her mind under the guise of jinn influence. Santan, an ageing Hindu man, in the face of a near-death experience, suddenly discovers a new spark for life. And Chameli, a dazzling but emotionally fragile transgender woman, is forced to leave the community which had once provided her with safety and identity. Together, they embark on a transformative journey, laced with doubt and danger. They are forced to re-examine their values, renounce their old risk-averse selves, and face a dark night of the soul.
Set in contemporary India, a land of dichotomies, the novel challenges the notions of gender, feminism vis-à-vis spirituality/religion, and culturally appropriate romantic expression.
My Review - OMG! What a great experience it has been to read this book by the debut Author 'Lidija Stankovikj'. The book is a spiritual journey for 3 persons who are outcasted by society just because they are different or they don't fit in the mental note of others. Among the three, one is Santan, who went on the ghats of a holy city and he would have accepted the death awaiting him but something awakened in him his love for life and he started to live his life again with love and with a journey to look forward too. Then came the second person who is an unfortunate soul, Tabu (Tabassum), in this society of short-minded. In her early youth, she infatuated in love and tried to run away with him only to find that the boy hasn't turned up at the meeting point and what was left was a misfortunate life for her. Later in her life when she got married and wasn't able to consummate the child, she was blamed to be possed by the evil Jinns and was discarded and blamed for all the misfortunes that came over her family. The third person is Chameli, who is a Transgender/Eunuchs (Hinjra, as said across Indian subcontinent). She went through a rough Childhood and her family disconnected from her due to her transgender-ness. She went through a life full of hardships and ran from one place to another, until one day.
The book is a take on Taboo's and miss-conceptions which may be logical (as not all the aspects of life are known to human) but they harm the individuals of society in a very ill-tempered way. The treatment of Transgenders across India and the world is so bad that to consider such discriminators as Humane is not valid at all. Though they were once the most respected individual in the Past era, as of now, they suffer at large. Every generous Human needs their blessings but will not treat them and accept them for what they are. The nourishment and cultural importance of Eunuchs is the teaching one must be given from their childhood to understand the Nature of Nature. They say - Eunuchs are Un-natural but there's a very good saying in this book that says - 'If they are un-natural, think about it this way that they were indeed created by nature and who are you to question nature and Judge them'. I've too had some encounter with them during my commute on Train (quite common in India), Ceremonies, Birth of a child, they come and give their blessing to the newborn, newlyweds. But the people, rather than accepting the blessing of them in a graceful and respectful way, people just want to get rid of them as soon as they give the blessing to avoid the embarrassment they might feel. The wholesome consideration of them as some alien species is what makes me sad. We, humans, fear the unknown, or to say it properly we feel strange to the things we are unknown to, but rather than discriminating and treating them ill, having empathy and curiosity will elevate us as Humans and develop the oneness among each of us which we are purposed to. The book gave me a change in perspective of how society treats Eunuchs and how throughout there life they struggle and are been treated in a very ill-mannered way. After reading this book, the curious eyes of mine will have a better and more evolved perspective for them and every individual (may it be Human or any other from the Animal Kingdom) on this Planet earth in a very different and positive way.
The storytelling is weaved in an intricate manner, intermingling the lives of the outcasts, their survival and moving on, in a way I've read in a very few books. I consider this book to be a mirror to the society which they still ignore but shows the reality of what we are. All the characters storyline in this book, may that be major or the supporting ones, has a great story to tell you and teach you the philosophy of the life and got the justice and a complete story, we as a reader yearns for it. The ending of the book is one of the best way it ended and something I totally didn't expect it to. The only part I find sort of confusing was with the names, it may be just me to feel it this way but the names of many characters felt too much of the same (Tanu-Tabu, Abhi-Abhir) and also a single character had many names (Baba-Santan-Tanu-Tanav) which got me confusing many a time. I hope the Author comes up with more such storytelling and considering the mix of a culture she belongs to I hope we'll get to read more from her in the future.
Conclusion - Will change your perspective towards a group of people living among us in society in a very emotional way.
Full Review on Blog.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
Quote from the Book I Liked - 'It is easy to be inspired, but hard to follow.' (Page no. 111)
&
'Sometimes, what we dare to leave behind is more important than what awaits us.' (Page no. 36)
Rating - 5 Stars
Plot Summary - The Outcasts is a story of loss, running away, hope and return. Three protagonists boldly confront a tradition-driven and repressive world. Through a series of serendipitous encounters, and against all odds, their paths intertwine at a time when each stands at a personal crossroads.
Tabu is a rebellious young Muslim woman, who speaks her mind under the guise of jinn influence. Santan, an ageing Hindu man, in the face of a near-death experience, suddenly discovers a new spark for life. And Chameli, a dazzling but emotionally fragile transgender woman, is forced to leave the community which had once provided her with safety and identity. Together, they embark on a transformative journey, laced with doubt and danger. They are forced to re-examine their values, renounce their old risk-averse selves, and face a dark night of the soul.
Set in contemporary India, a land of dichotomies, the novel challenges the notions of gender, feminism vis-à-vis spirituality/religion, and culturally appropriate romantic expression.
My Review - OMG! What a great experience it has been to read this book by the debut Author 'Lidija Stankovikj'. The book is a spiritual journey for 3 persons who are outcasted by society just because they are different or they don't fit in the mental note of others. Among the three, one is Santan, who went on the ghats of a holy city and he would have accepted the death awaiting him but something awakened in him his love for life and he started to live his life again with love and with a journey to look forward too. Then came the second person who is an unfortunate soul, Tabu (Tabassum), in this society of short-minded. In her early youth, she infatuated in love and tried to run away with him only to find that the boy hasn't turned up at the meeting point and what was left was a misfortunate life for her. Later in her life when she got married and wasn't able to consummate the child, she was blamed to be possed by the evil Jinns and was discarded and blamed for all the misfortunes that came over her family. The third person is Chameli, who is a Transgender/Eunuchs (Hinjra, as said across Indian subcontinent). She went through a rough Childhood and her family disconnected from her due to her transgender-ness. She went through a life full of hardships and ran from one place to another, until one day.
The book is a take on Taboo's and miss-conceptions which may be logical (as not all the aspects of life are known to human) but they harm the individuals of society in a very ill-tempered way. The treatment of Transgenders across India and the world is so bad that to consider such discriminators as Humane is not valid at all. Though they were once the most respected individual in the Past era, as of now, they suffer at large. Every generous Human needs their blessings but will not treat them and accept them for what they are. The nourishment and cultural importance of Eunuchs is the teaching one must be given from their childhood to understand the Nature of Nature. They say - Eunuchs are Un-natural but there's a very good saying in this book that says - 'If they are un-natural, think about it this way that they were indeed created by nature and who are you to question nature and Judge them'. I've too had some encounter with them during my commute on Train (quite common in India), Ceremonies, Birth of a child, they come and give their blessing to the newborn, newlyweds. But the people, rather than accepting the blessing of them in a graceful and respectful way, people just want to get rid of them as soon as they give the blessing to avoid the embarrassment they might feel. The wholesome consideration of them as some alien species is what makes me sad. We, humans, fear the unknown, or to say it properly we feel strange to the things we are unknown to, but rather than discriminating and treating them ill, having empathy and curiosity will elevate us as Humans and develop the oneness among each of us which we are purposed to. The book gave me a change in perspective of how society treats Eunuchs and how throughout there life they struggle and are been treated in a very ill-mannered way. After reading this book, the curious eyes of mine will have a better and more evolved perspective for them and every individual (may it be Human or any other from the Animal Kingdom) on this Planet earth in a very different and positive way.
The storytelling is weaved in an intricate manner, intermingling the lives of the outcasts, their survival and moving on, in a way I've read in a very few books. I consider this book to be a mirror to the society which they still ignore but shows the reality of what we are. All the characters storyline in this book, may that be major or the supporting ones, has a great story to tell you and teach you the philosophy of the life and got the justice and a complete story, we as a reader yearns for it. The ending of the book is one of the best way it ended and something I totally didn't expect it to. The only part I find sort of confusing was with the names, it may be just me to feel it this way but the names of many characters felt too much of the same (Tanu-Tabu, Abhi-Abhir) and also a single character had many names (Baba-Santan-Tanu-Tanav) which got me confusing many a time. I hope the Author comes up with more such storytelling and considering the mix of a culture she belongs to I hope we'll get to read more from her in the future.
Conclusion - Will change your perspective towards a group of people living among us in society in a very emotional way.
Full Review on Blog.
Link to Blog - The Tales of Fugitive Biker
June 7, 2019
The cover of the book and the Title intrigued me to pick this book. Also this is the first time I'm reading a contemporary fiction. I had high expectations from the book, It didn't fail to impress me and I loved the writing style.
" There is nothing unique about human sadness. It is laced into every thread of one's life. "
The story revolves around 3 people- Tabu, Chameli and Santan and how they interconnect through their spiritual journey. The three of them embark on a journey encompassing social, religious and cultural boundaries.
The first part of the book tells us about the three characters in brief along with their histories. First we met Tanu- A rebellious Muslim woman who was under the influence of jinns and left by her family in a Dargah in order to be cured. Second we met Santan, an old age man who was on the verge of dying but found a new hope to live and began a new journey. Lastly we met Chameli, a transgender who was not accepted by her own family and also kicked out by her own community.
The second part connects the three characters and the trio comes together to embark on a trip, that would finally shape their life. Three of them were constantly travelling and experiencing the world boldly. Their journey is a transforming one which gives us an overview of the society and its conventions.
" Unwrap your soul's story, live it through and forget the perspective of others. Most of the time it is a distorted view."
The book is divided into 5 parts - each part depicting the constant journey of the three characters with intricate details. The book is a compelling read as the character development is very nicely done. I personally loved Chameli's character- she was bold and fearless. And the way she handled herself was commendable.
A lovely book with the elements of loss, running away, hope and return. The author has a very beautiful writing style. The language was a bit complex but keep a dictionary close. It was an engaging read and I enjoyed reading it.
" There is nothing unique about human sadness. It is laced into every thread of one's life. "
The story revolves around 3 people- Tabu, Chameli and Santan and how they interconnect through their spiritual journey. The three of them embark on a journey encompassing social, religious and cultural boundaries.
The first part of the book tells us about the three characters in brief along with their histories. First we met Tanu- A rebellious Muslim woman who was under the influence of jinns and left by her family in a Dargah in order to be cured. Second we met Santan, an old age man who was on the verge of dying but found a new hope to live and began a new journey. Lastly we met Chameli, a transgender who was not accepted by her own family and also kicked out by her own community.
The second part connects the three characters and the trio comes together to embark on a trip, that would finally shape their life. Three of them were constantly travelling and experiencing the world boldly. Their journey is a transforming one which gives us an overview of the society and its conventions.
" Unwrap your soul's story, live it through and forget the perspective of others. Most of the time it is a distorted view."
The book is divided into 5 parts - each part depicting the constant journey of the three characters with intricate details. The book is a compelling read as the character development is very nicely done. I personally loved Chameli's character- she was bold and fearless. And the way she handled herself was commendable.
A lovely book with the elements of loss, running away, hope and return. The author has a very beautiful writing style. The language was a bit complex but keep a dictionary close. It was an engaging read and I enjoyed reading it.
May 21, 2019
The Outcasts is a story of 3 seemingly unrelated characters who have seen life give them lemons. It is a story that encompasses social, religious and cultural boundaries and how our upbringings make us live inside a box of these constraints.
We first meet Tabassum, or Tabu, who is a rebellious young Muslim woman, who is seemingly under the influence of jinns. Moving ahead, we meet Santan, an aging Hindu man, who returns with a new lease of life from the face of death. The Third person, we meet is Chameli, who is an emotionally fragile transgender woman, who is forced to leave the community which provided her with safety and identity.
The book first introduces us to each of the characters individually. We meet Tabassum in a dargah. Where she has been left by her family to be cured of the jinns. Here we see the fragility of her mind, yet she does not hesitate in helping out people those who ask for it. We also get to see glimpses of her headstrong nature and a brief of her story. Next, we are introduced to Santan, an old man, who has been brought to the City of the Liberation to die by his son. Since he lived for 40 days and did not die, he asks his son to leave him as his duties as a son were over and Santan starts off towards a journey. And finally, we are introduced to Chameli, who was named Ajay by her parents, but being uncomfortable in being a boy, she finally accepts who she is and becomes a Hijra. Her story of moving on is also very detailed and impressive.
At crossroads of life, this uncommon trio embarks on a trip, that would finally shape their life. It is their experience from life that turn into lessons for others. They have multiple experiences that help us understand these 3 people in detail and how each of them react to it. The trip turns out to be a transformative journey, where all 3 of them look for the things they were looking for and how they find them.
The book is a compelling read as the character development is very nicely done. The 3 protagonists can be anyone around us. It is easy to relate to them and their stories. Lidija has amalgamated very subtle hints of how we are bound by social conventions and our reactions to situations are governed by those. Reading between the lines, the 3 people represent the majority of the people. How our notions of gender, religion, caste & sexuality define what we are and what we do. There are no names of the cities but this story could be put in any part of the world and would still remain true.
The last part of the book closes the story arcs in a very emotional and poignant manner. We get to the very soul of each of them as they bare out their very emotions.
The storytelling is very tight and no instance in the book seems unnecessary. For everything comes a full circle and we are all haunted by who we are, our pasts.
We first meet Tabassum, or Tabu, who is a rebellious young Muslim woman, who is seemingly under the influence of jinns. Moving ahead, we meet Santan, an aging Hindu man, who returns with a new lease of life from the face of death. The Third person, we meet is Chameli, who is an emotionally fragile transgender woman, who is forced to leave the community which provided her with safety and identity.
The book first introduces us to each of the characters individually. We meet Tabassum in a dargah. Where she has been left by her family to be cured of the jinns. Here we see the fragility of her mind, yet she does not hesitate in helping out people those who ask for it. We also get to see glimpses of her headstrong nature and a brief of her story. Next, we are introduced to Santan, an old man, who has been brought to the City of the Liberation to die by his son. Since he lived for 40 days and did not die, he asks his son to leave him as his duties as a son were over and Santan starts off towards a journey. And finally, we are introduced to Chameli, who was named Ajay by her parents, but being uncomfortable in being a boy, she finally accepts who she is and becomes a Hijra. Her story of moving on is also very detailed and impressive.
At crossroads of life, this uncommon trio embarks on a trip, that would finally shape their life. It is their experience from life that turn into lessons for others. They have multiple experiences that help us understand these 3 people in detail and how each of them react to it. The trip turns out to be a transformative journey, where all 3 of them look for the things they were looking for and how they find them.
The book is a compelling read as the character development is very nicely done. The 3 protagonists can be anyone around us. It is easy to relate to them and their stories. Lidija has amalgamated very subtle hints of how we are bound by social conventions and our reactions to situations are governed by those. Reading between the lines, the 3 people represent the majority of the people. How our notions of gender, religion, caste & sexuality define what we are and what we do. There are no names of the cities but this story could be put in any part of the world and would still remain true.
The last part of the book closes the story arcs in a very emotional and poignant manner. We get to the very soul of each of them as they bare out their very emotions.
The storytelling is very tight and no instance in the book seems unnecessary. For everything comes a full circle and we are all haunted by who we are, our pasts.
April 1, 2022
The Outcasts is a story about 3 Indians, but the questions it raises are universal:
What happens when we betray our dreams to make others happy? And when this makes us frustrated, who is then responsible for the consequences?
How much courage does it take to undo the past and start all over again?
The book tells stories of those who go with the flow, and others who refuse a life of conformity. It is a hard choice to make, but needless to say, freedom often comes with a price.
I found the most interesting character to be Chameli, a transwoman. She is different from the stigmatising way in which transgenders are typically featured in Indian stories/cinema. She is intelligent, beautiful and succeeds to bring out a social change in a village.
Santan, a man past sixty, is suddenly driven by love. For an Indian man it is against the tradition. Sadly, we believe that infatuation and romantic love belong exclusively to the youth.
The novel begins and ends with Tabu, an unorthodox woman, who her family believes to be possessed by jinns. Through her story we are reminded that modern science and superstition somehow coexist in modern India. We also see how women repression perpetuates misery, resentment and can lead to worst forms of cruelty.
There are several other, side characters in the novel, for example: black-eyed Asha, Tanav (the horse breeder), Kaseem (the seller of middle-eastern cures) and Abhir (a wise man tantalized with the idea of spiritual enlightenment). Their stories, although brief, are beautiful and intriguing.
It was a pleasure reading this book and I highly recommend it.
What happens when we betray our dreams to make others happy? And when this makes us frustrated, who is then responsible for the consequences?
How much courage does it take to undo the past and start all over again?
The book tells stories of those who go with the flow, and others who refuse a life of conformity. It is a hard choice to make, but needless to say, freedom often comes with a price.
I found the most interesting character to be Chameli, a transwoman. She is different from the stigmatising way in which transgenders are typically featured in Indian stories/cinema. She is intelligent, beautiful and succeeds to bring out a social change in a village.
Santan, a man past sixty, is suddenly driven by love. For an Indian man it is against the tradition. Sadly, we believe that infatuation and romantic love belong exclusively to the youth.
The novel begins and ends with Tabu, an unorthodox woman, who her family believes to be possessed by jinns. Through her story we are reminded that modern science and superstition somehow coexist in modern India. We also see how women repression perpetuates misery, resentment and can lead to worst forms of cruelty.
There are several other, side characters in the novel, for example: black-eyed Asha, Tanav (the horse breeder), Kaseem (the seller of middle-eastern cures) and Abhir (a wise man tantalized with the idea of spiritual enlightenment). Their stories, although brief, are beautiful and intriguing.
It was a pleasure reading this book and I highly recommend it.
May 1, 2019
The Outcasts is a beautiful story of hope in spite of sorrow, of freedom in spite of restraints. It is a very nicely written novel, and I enjoyed its language and style. The characters are blunt and memorable. Although this book is a strong criticism of society, it breaks many stereotypes and it surprises till the end.
June 12, 2020
This beautifully told and nuanced story weaves through tropical sensuality, conflicted sexuality, Sufi and yoga spirituality, and emotional suffering in the heart of India. The beguiling prose opens with a possessed and tormented young wife's trials in an oppressive male-dominated culture before being abandoned altogether. Add to that a dying old man who finds new life as a wandering ascetic plus a transgender adolescent who joins him. The trio's journey is richly infused with perceptive wisdom, self-discovery, compassion, and transformation. It's magical. The footnotes, crucial as they are, feel annoying. Fortunately, there are fewer and fewer of them as the tale advances.
June 1, 2023
A book with so much heart and thought to it; that through the lens of three very well-fleshed out protagonists, on a journey of self discovery, leaves you perpetually altered, philosophically and mentally, as you turn the last page. It’s a book that is refreshing and poignant, contemporary yet the questions it addresses are timeless. It is only a bonus, for me, that it is set in India and features really good Transgender representation.
Thank you for serving as a reminder to why I love literature in the first place 🤍
Thank you for serving as a reminder to why I love literature in the first place 🤍
July 10, 2020
The title was enough for me to pick up this book. It had a very thorough writing style, something nice about a debut book. The story was lucid in a way that one could relate to their own life, in case spiritually inclined, in my opinion. I would recommend this to someone who wants to let go of prejudices and live and accept the natural occurances of this earth. Just the way it is. Everything the way it is.
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August 20, 2019Detailed #BookReview is available at: https://thinkerviews.com/books/englis...
January 10, 2020
Excellent book. Beautiful writing style. Unusual story.
January 10, 2020
Beautiful writing style. Socially relevant narrative. Well developed and memorable characters, particularly that of Chameli.
January 11, 2020
Well-developed and memorable characters, particularly that of Tabu. Describes some of the social evils which still prevail in modern India, a land of contrasts.
March 18, 2020
The concept and the characters were interesting which is why I picked up the book but the writing just put me off. I couldn't connect with the characters at all. There were unnecessary adjectives in every sentence which made it so difficult to read and feel for the characters. The character development was decent.
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July 24, 2023If I have to describe the experience of reading this book in two words it would be Unique and Fascinating. This could be said to be a tough read, not because of its length, it's merely 195 pages but the main difficulty comes from the subjects it tries to tackle, from religion, spirituality, transgenderism, India, taboo, stigma, love, longing, jealousy, hatred, theology. I began reading it in September 2022, then read some graphic novels, then went into a reading slump over the last few months but I finished the last 80 or so pages last night in a single sitting. Another thing to note about it is that it will send you to dictionary nearly on every page sometimes multiple times on a single page. Overall I would give it 3 out 5. #wortharead #contemporaryfiction #theoutcasts #transgender
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews