Silent Winds, Dry Seas: A Novel

by Vinod Busjeet

"A novel about the independence of a young Hindu boy in Mauritius, a small island under British colonial rule in the Indian Ocean"--

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Mauritius, Africa, Literary Fiction, Cultural, Novels

277 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 17, 2021

Reviews

[Jennifer ~ TarHeelReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Silent Winds, Dry Seas is a coming-of-age novel, often reading like a deeply personal memoir, mostly set on the island of Mauritius. I’ve not read another book set there, and the multicultural aspects immediately fascinated me.

The story is strongly-character driven and many of the chapters read like complete short stories, though they mostly move forward in time and with the main character, Vishnu, at the center.

Vishnu’s parents want more for him from his very beginning, and he internalizes that and is serious about his education, even as the world around him is unsettled at times- sometimes due to his extended family dynamics, sometimes due to daily life in Mauritius under colonial rule.

I read the author’s note after, and my sense that this was at least part memoir feels true because he seems to have followed at least a similar path in some ways. I think that’s why the story felt authentic and deeply personal. The writing is smooth, and I was swept up in the story, even though it was a very slow build with a somewhat stronger first half.

I received a gifted copy.

Many of my reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com and instagram: www.instagram.com/tarheelreader

[Elma Chowdhury · Rating 1 out of 5]

This read exactly like what you would expect of a debut novel from a man coming from an economic development/finance background to read like.

Perusing the inside flap, this book had so much potential: the complex socio-political environment of a colonized/newly independent Mauritius, the coming of age of a man whose childhood was repressive, the conflict one may feel about leaving the motherland to go abroad. I mean...so much potential but as I finished this book in a Dunkin' Donuts, my last thought was "Well, that's finished".

I simply did not care for any of it. It all felt so disjointed. There were random chapter of poetry. Why? What was the point of it? There were many plot-points that were introduced which left me unsatisfied because I felt it did not come to a natural conclusion, it simply vanished or was swept under the rug. I did not feel anything for any of the characters - they aren't developed enough for me to grow attached (and I always feel like that's the greatest tragedy in any novel). Busjeet does not delve into any of its characters so this book ends up being very surface level. Superficial.

Also, there was this weird sexual undertone for the second half of the book. Perhaps it was to signify the main character wanting to "break free" from his repressive culture (but, my god, what a tired and overused trope), or a sign of him approaching young adulthood. I am unsure of the intentions but it just felt dirty and unnatural.

This book is simply unmemorable.

[Lilisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent winds, dry seas

This is a great book to get a taste of the history, culture, setting, food, and what it’s like to grow up on the island of Mauritius. The main character in the book - Vishnu Bhushan - is based loosely on the author and his life growing up in Mauritius. The storyline follows the life of Vishnu from a young boy to an adult - when he moves to the U.S. and then returns to his homeland 30 years later. His family is wrought with complexity - his parents came together in an interesting way. I thoroughly enjoyed young Vishnu’s life. Set against the backdrop of Mauritanian history, culture, race, language and religion, the book is a rich and vivd tapestry of harmony and strife on an island of ethnic groups and immigrants. As is reminiscent of many stories, Vishnu seeks to study abroad. His goal, which he finally achieved, is the U.S. where he experiences the challenges of landing in unfamiliar territory and learning to navigate basic everyday life. This might appear alien to U.S. readers, but to newcomers, who have never experienced what Americans take for granted everyday, this is all new. Think for a minute how Americans would navigate (or not) if they arrived in and had to deal with everyday life in Mauritius? Most would flounder too. The author provides great perspective with a bit of humor and a pinch of sarcasm. I appreciate that the author decided to write this book as fiction rather than nonfiction, which I hope gave him the opportunity to pack the book with additional insights, situations, and details that he personally didn’t experience but observed around him. The book is interspersed with poems, which worked really well. I very much enjoyed the book and would recommend it, especially to those seeking to learn more about Mauritius. I’m impressed by this debut novel - congratulations to the author. Many thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

[Nicholas Gordon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A deeply familial glimpse into the multi-cultural, historically complex world of Mauritius.

If I didn’t fully connect with the book, I did enjoy its evocative island atmosphere with scents of fresh lychees and green mangoes, and turmeric, cardamom, and saffron wafting around everywhere.

This was a unique reading experience because the author of this novel joined our humble little book club to discuss it. (One member’s husband had him as a former student in a poetry class.) He was gracious and generous with his time and insights, giving us both a detailed history of Mauritius and of his interminable publication process. I admired his candor in discussing his approach to the craft, responses to his reviews, and the many trials and tribulations he persevered through en route to getting his book published.

[Anna van Gelderen]

Ik vermoed dat er hier maar heel weinig lezers ooit op Mauritius zijn geweest en dat de meesten waarschijnlijk niet eens precies weten waar het ligt. Daarom eerst maar wat achtergrond. Mauritius is een eilandje in de Indische Oceaan, dat overal ver vandaan ligt, maar uiteindelijk nog het dichtst bij zuidelijk Afrika, om precies te zijn Madagascar. Eerst de Fransen en later de Engelsen hadden er lucratieve suikerplantages, die aanvankelijk bewerkt werden door slaven ontvoerd uit Afrika en na 1833, toen de slavernij werd afgeschaft, door straatarme contractarbeiders uit India. Vishnu Bhushan, de verteller van dit boek, is net als de schrijver een afstammeling van zulke contractarbeiders, die in het midden van de negentiende eeuw naar het eiland kwamen. De werkomstandigheden waren beroerd, maar waarschijnlijk was het leven in India nog beroerder, want na afloop van het contract bleven ze. Later kwamen er ook nog vrij veel Chinezen naar het eiland, waarmee de bevolkingssamenstelling verrassend veel op die van Suriname lijkt.

Heel veel contact tussen de bevolkingsgroepen was er niet. De witte mensen van Franse en Engelse komaf kwamen alleen maar in aanraking met de gekleurde Mauritianen als arbeiders en bediendes. Vishnu is dan ook stomverbaasd als hij later in Engeland en de VS gaat studeren en daar witte taxichauffeurs en serveersters ziet. Zijn vader heeft zich inmiddels opgewerkt tot schoolmeester en werkt op een zwarte school, met als gevolg dat Vishnu als Hindoe deels opgroeit in een zwarte wijk – wat gevaarlijk is als er op een gegeven moment rellen uitbreken tussen de twee bevolkingsgroepen.

Geen reguliere roman
Tot zover de achtergrond van dit mooie boek. En dan is het nu tijd om aan verwachtingsmanagement te doen, zoals dat heet. Want hoewel ik het boek met veel plezier en interesse heb gelezen en het in de VS erg goed is ontvangen, denk ik dat de gemiddelde lezer het mogelijk nogal saai zal vinden, vooral als die gemiddelde lezer een reguliere roman verwacht, want dat is Silent Winds, Dry Seas niet.

Busjeet (geboren op Mauritius in 1949) was aanvankelijk van plan om zijn memoires te schrijven, maar stelde dat gaandeweg bij naar een roman, omdat hij daarmee meer vrijheid had. Het boek leest dus als een soort hybride: er is absoluut geen plot, de chronologie is grotendeels non-lineair en de prozahoofdstukken worden hier en daar afgewisseld met gedichten. Het gaat over de jeugd en volwassenwording van hoofdpersoon Vishnu, maar ook over zijn kleurrijke, ruziemakende Hindoe-familie en het is daarnaast net zozeer een portret van multicultureel Mauritius in de jaren vijftig en zestig, vlak vóór de onafhankelijkheid.

Familie, politiek en bordeelbezoek
We lezen dus over familievetes, over politiek gehakketak (bijvoorbeeld over twee vissersbroers die elkaar naar het leven staan, omdat de ene vóór en de andere tegen onafhankelijkheid is), maar ook over het stiekeme bordeelbezoek van Vishnu, omdat dat voor een jongen uit een traditionele Hindoefamilie de enige manier is om seksuele ervaring vóór het huwelijk op te doen.

De diverse buren en familieleden worden vaak met een paar streken trefzeker gezet en met name de naaste familie wordt geschilderd met alle interne tegenstellingen van levensechte mensen. De vader van Vishnu is een autocraat die zijn vrouw onderdrukt, maar hij beweegt later ook hemel en aarde om voor zijn zoon een studiebeurs voor Europa te krijgen, wat een schier hopeloze taak is, omdat die dankzij corruptie en nepotisme naar de rijkere families worden toegeschoven. Erg vermakelijk is het moment waarop de moeder van Vishnu eindelijk in opstand komt tegen haar autoritaire man en dat nog wel tijdens een familieconclaaf waar getracht wordt een langlopend conflict te beslechten! Een paar oude ooms mompelen wat, waarna Vishnu"s moeder ineens ontploft

Uncles Parsad and Lokhun muttered about clan unity, and how it had helped the Bhushans progress from coolies living like slaves on the sugar estate to being small independent planters. No one was paying attention. My mother’s voice exploded: “You domineering man. You want to control everyone, just as you’ve controlled me all these years.” There was a collective gasp among the women. This was the first time I had heard Mama raise her voice with my father. Uncles Neeraj and Surya looked at each other, stupefied.

Verholen racisme in de VS
In het laatste hoofdstuk, dat in de VS speelt en dat misschien wel het interessantst is, omdat Vishnu daar gedwongen wordt met andere ogen naar zichzelf en zijn eiland te kijken, krijgt hij te maken met verholen racisme. In het voetbalstadion wordt hij aangesproken door een witte Amerikaan.

“Where are you from? India or Pakistan?” he said.
“Neither. I’m from Mauritius.”
“Mo…Mori…Where is that?”
It’s an island in the Indian Ocean.”
“So it’s part of India.”
“No, it is off the coast of South Africa, twenty-five hundred miles from Cape Town.”
“Africa,” he said and paused for a moment. He gulped down some beer. “What kind of government do you have there? Tribal government?”
His questions disconcerted me. What do they teach about Africa in schools? I asked myself. I remained calm and replied, “It’s a Parliamentary democracy, based on the British system. You have a president, we have a prime minister.”
The man took a bewildered swig. He squinted his eyes, strained to formulate a question, failed, and took his seat

Om even later terug te komen met de vraag “Who civilized your people?” Waar gebeurd, helaas.

Een ingetogen mozaïek
Het boek bestaat uit heel veel losse steentjes, die samen een fraai mozaïek opleveren. Dat mozaïek is misschien minder bont dan je zou verwachten. Busjeet is een lyrische en evocatieve verteller, maar hij is ook een subtiele, ingetogen schrijver, die elke vorm van sensatiezucht of opwinding vermijdt. Daardoor zullen liefhebbers van plotgedreven van romans waarschijnlijk vinden dat dit boek maar wat voortkabbelt. Zelf heb ik er erg van genoten, maar ik denk niet het voor iedereen is.

[Kathleen Gray · Rating 5 out of 5]

Silent winds, dry seas was chanted by Vishnu's uncle every night to stave off the cyclones which besiege Mauritius. This coming of age story, narrated by Vishnu, takes the reader to a locale and into a culture that I found both fascinating and frustrating. Set largely in the 1960s, it's the tale of Vishnu's complicated family- his parents, his uncle, various cousins- and his own effort, encouraged by all of them, to leave the island for an overseas university education. I was not aware of the unrest which roiled Mauritius in the 1960s; Busjeet manages to inform and educate with a level hand. He's. vivid character, as are others, even the neighbor who has only a small role but who lingers in his mind (and will in yours as well). Sections of the novel are separated by poems- slow down and savor them. The strongest part of the novel is on Mauritius, as it becomes a more familiar story once he makes it to the US. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A great unexpected read- highly recommend.

[Kurt Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this one up with zero knowledge about it but I liked the cover. Really just a collection of anecdotes. The first portion is really good but then it drops off precipitously. 3.5 stars ⭐️

[Kathy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Library Loan

I could not embrace the contents of this book as I had expected to. It seemed a randomly patched together memoir to me. I appreciated some of the cultural gems, but that is the best I can say. Perhaps my expectations were too high due to favorable reviews I had read.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps my first observation when I began Silent Winds, Dry Seas is that, although it is a novel, the way it’s presented feels more like a collection of short stories. Each chapter is told from the perspective of Vishnu, and they do mostly work their way forward in time, from Vishnu’s early childhood through his years in college. However, each chapter really stands on its own and contains its own story arc, themes, and message. There aren’t cliffhanger endings at the close of each chapter; there isn’t a chapter-to-chapter momentum rushing you through the book. Instead, each chapter tells a complete story, a snapshot of a particular time in Vishnu’s life, a particular theme he focuses on. As such, you can take your time with this book, allowing each chapter to sink in before moving on to the next.

When I started this novel, I admit that I knew virtually nothing about Mauritius. Perhaps that’s part of why I wanted to read it: I love learning about different countries and cultures, and fiction can be the most rewarding way to do so. I appreciate how Vinod Busjeet provides such a sweeping and immersive look into the nation’s history, politics, culture, and people. Vishnu offers a child’s perspective, often innocent and rarely judgmental. Because of this, the reader is able to draw conclusions along with him. We get to know more about Mauritius as he does, learning along with him.

Indeed, Silent Winds, Dry Seas is both educational and absorbing. I enjoyed the chance to learn more about Mauritius. For example, I wasn’t aware that Mauritians are largely descended from India, and fairly recently, too. Based on that, from their appearance, Mauritians may look Indian, yet their country is off the southeastern coast of Africa. And due to different colonizers in the nation’s past, they also speak several languages, including English, French, Mauritian Creole, and Bhojpuri.

Due to the aforementioned format, Silent Winds, Dry Seas is able to contain numerous themes, each highlighted in its own chapter. Early on, one of the most difficult themes is domestic abuse. Vishnu is only a child, observing the affects of domestic violence on a young married woman who lives nearby. He’s powerless to help her, and even years after her suicide, he continues to think of her.

Another theme is politics and the move to make Mauritius an independent nation. Not only do we see two disparate sides of the political spectrum here, we also get a chance to learn about the country’s recent history. Later, we see corruption in another form: academia. Despite being near the top of his high school class, we watch with dread as Vishnu is denied a scholarship, then a visa, to attend good schools in England or France. Because of his family’s poor background, he’s effectively trapped, held back from his full potential. Later, when Vishnu is a student in the United States, we see him learn to work with his hands, better manage his money, combat racism and general ignorance, and eventually take his first steps as a college graduate.

While most of the chapters are fairly long – giving ample time to draw out complete stories and themes – some of them are remarkably short. In the audiobook, some were only a minute or two (perhaps a couple of pages in the physical book). These ones felt more like tiny flashes of memory, a sort of stream-of-consciousness idea that is incomplete yet still impactful.

Because I read Silent Winds, Dry Seas as an audiobook, I have to give immense credit to the narrator, Mahesh Jadu. I’m no expert on Mauritius or the various languages and accents used throughout the book, but to my ears, the narrator did an excellent job. He swiftly transitions into French and Mauritian Creole, easily adopts different accents depending on where the character is from, gives characters distinctive voices. It’s always easy to understand which character is speaking. Further, his narration is overall quite calm and soothing, yet still nuanced enough to hold the listener’s attention. He elevated this novel, and I’m glad I chose to listen to this as an audiobook.

Silent Winds, Dry Seas is a contemplative and immersive book, both a novel and almost a collection of short stories. Vishnu is a bright and enjoyable character, and I loved getting to know more about Mauritius through his eyes. I hope Vinod Busjeet continues writing because I would be happy to read more from him.

* Please read my full review on my blog, Amanda's Book Corner! *

[Booknblues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silent Winds, Dry Seas is an interesting and entertaining book set primarily on Mauritius, an island nation in the Indian Ocean, considered part of Africa.

The book begins with Vishnu Bhushan returning to Mauritius from the United States where he has lived for the past 3 decades , because his father is recovering from heart surgery. He then takes the reader back to remember his up-bringing and coming of age.

It is a fascinating story in which the reader learns, not just about Vishnu's life but also about Mauritius. I am grateful that I learned about a country which I knew nothing.

This book has been nominated for the Dublin Literary Award.

While the book has a somewhat uneven pacing and skipped past some events, I enjoyed it and would encourage all interested to read it.

[Dee Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audible sale 8 hours 32 min. Narrated by Mahesh Jadu (A)

One goal I set for myself at the beginning of this year was to listen to one book about a culture unfamiliar to me. This book's title called to me, and that it was set on the island of Mauritius, I decided this would be that book. I enjoyed learning about the island, its many ethnicities, its history, and more about the Hindu religion. It is the story of a man who had left the island to pursue and fulfill a dream of his parents for their only son. Realistic, often sad, sometimes humorous, and a chapter that I skipped because it was too much information. The author must be only a few years younger than I am, so I could relate to many of the historical references he made. It would have been nice to have French as a second language.

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I picked this book because I was traveling to Mauritius for my honeymoon and wanted to gain some understanding of the culture and this was one of the only books I could find relating to Mauritius.

I did enjoy it and I certainly learned more about the culture than I did previously, however, as a book itself I never really got hooked by it.

I did sometimes wonder if it was low key a secret autobiography because it seems like it may mirror the authors life but I enjoyed it and I liked all the characters.

[Megan Doney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book may not entirely know what it wants to be: a chronicle of life in Mauritius or a tale of immigration and displacement. But I loved and appreciated all the scenes in Mauritius as well as the interspersed poems.

[Carlijn · Rating 4 out of 5]

A wonderful novel full of heart

[Annamaria · Rating 4 out of 5]

7.00 = 4*

[Beth G · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 actually. I really enjoyed learning more about the history and culture of the island country of Mauritius as told through this memoir.

[Elisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

High expectations to learn about multicultural Mauritius. A book that didn’t seem to know if it was artistic, a memoir, or realistic fiction. The sequence was all over the place and didn’t tie up in the end. It had great potential, but needed a great editor.

[Googie Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

The timeline jumps sometimes in a way that's confusing, but a thoughtful book

[McKenzie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This coming-of-age novel, set in Mauritius, parallels a young man's early years against the rising of a nation. While the main character matures so does his country as it strives to free itself from its colonial roots. With discussions around politics, religion, racism, and family throughout, I would have thought that I would like this more than I did. I found it very slow moving, with stilted dialogue, and sorely lacking in structure or plot. It also reminded me of older books and movies with a rather heavy male gaze. I'm pretty sure this wouldn't pass the Bechdel test. This is perhaps at least partially cultural, and honestly aside from the main character basically everyone felt flat, but I would have liked to have a bit more of a balance. My favorite part of this were the few scenes of sort of everyday life in Mauritius that weren't so heavily focused on the main character's family or strive for the best education.

Overall, I would recommend this for people interested in life in Mauritius in the 50s and 60s, predominantly male family dramas, and main characters that better their life through education. I think that this book will find a lot of fans, it just really really didn't work for me. I picked it up hoping for something that read more fiction than non-fiction with beautiful prose, but this reads more like it could be a thinly veiled memoir. However, I hope that this book finds its intended audience and that they fall in love with it.

Thank you to Netgalley and Doubleday Books for providing me with an eARC of this novel, however all thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

[Christy · Rating 1 out of 5]

I didn't finish this book. I found it boring. Just because you have a life, doesn't mean it's all that interesting.

[Katherine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Evocative coming-of-age story based loosely on the author's life growing up in 1950s and 60s on the island of Mauritius.

[Hpnyknits · Rating 2 out of 5]

The parts in Mauritius are interesting and even charming, even if the characters are not very interesting. Once Vishnu moved to the US, it was predictable and not that interesting.

[Ellen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Somewhat interesting. Read like semi autobiographical short stories.

[Lata Narayanan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reads more like a memoir than a novel. I found it absorbing nonetheless and a good window into the lives and perspectives of a certain segment of Mauritian society.

[Irina R. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3-3.5🌟 out of 5!. Might come up with a proper review but for now just listen to my rambling thoughts. Overall, a pretty interesting read about a country that its beautiful seas always mesmerize me, after Maldives. I even had an Indo-Mauritian friend who is Indian but speak French! Now, i finally get learned about his country and the unique multi-racial people,learned about their culture, history and struggles of the people during the pre-independence days in the 1950's to 1960's until their independence in the 1960's. The only thing that driving me nuts about this story is how disjointed and all over the place the structure and the focus of the story is!. There are even poems inserted in between each chapters as fillers with no connection to the storyline. And somethings left unanswered with no proper explanations or connections, like how the heck after the protagonist's mother being chase out of the house by his father and his family for making one tiny domestic mistakes, ended up living together with him and his family again?. What irks me the most is the way women and the wives are being terribly treated by the husbands and the husbands' families where they had to serve them like slaves and maids where a single tiny mistakes and incompetency would be punished by a large amount of insults,verbal abuses and even physical abuses like slaps on the face (which is pretty common in the Asian patriarchy culture where i grew up in where men do not have to do a single house work, not even picking up their own plates to the sink and wash them! Where men bosses women around to serve them well while they treated women like shits! Where women are subjected to constant words of degradation, shame,ridicule,mockery and tons of other verbal insults for making mistakes, for being incompetence in domestic chores, for not excelling). Trigger warnings: domestic violence, abuse,murder and suicide and pejorative words) Not only that, it drives me nuts on the way women are portrayed in this story,the graphical depictions of women,the objectification, is just too much and over the board for me,regardless the protagonist's way of hitting the puberty and his transitions from being a young boy,adolescent and being an adult, just as his country progresses from being under the British colonization into an independent country. Other than these, i have no problem with the story even though i don't feel attached to any single characters in the story but i learned a lot about the lives of the people,the struggles,the conflicts for being a multi-racial country. Ok i'm gonna stop now as this nonsensical ramblings is turning into a mini review already when i had other ideas in mind. Just no idea how to articulate them into proper reviews yet.

[Erica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a beautiful story. I thoroughly enjoyed as an audiobook, narrated by Mahesh Jadu, who was excellent. I appreciated all of the native language, accents, and voice modulations as depicted. Those looking for a subtle, yet stunning account on behalf of coming of age, as well Mauritius from societal aspects during mid-20th century, will enjoy this one. Would make a great book club read.

The Story
It takes a deep dive into first hand account of growing up in the small and gorgeous island of Mauritius. Touches on several insightful and important markers of culture and tradition. How such was established, influenced, and evolved. Details the individual, family, community, and lifestyle with a very honest and reflective approach.

Religious distinction and ecumenical questioning. Effects of natural disaster. Abundance and lack of resources. Economic trade. The political structure.

Parental guidance, aunties and uncles, as well as peers and acquaintances, guiding the little boy as he establishes himself through moments of discovery and lingering wisdom.

Life milestones and celebrations as told through the very personal, wandering mind of an adolescent from longings, fantasy, and joys of life driving him forward and reflective at the same time. From childhood musings to more adult tones, I appreciated the 360-degree look at life.

Ponders his origin, belonging, identity, direction, and purpose.

This was in tandem with familial and cultural expectations, along with the academic value and scholarly journey with surprising dynamics of job prospects and fulfillment. All of which were shaping his personhood in forms of lessons learned and not learned. Each at the horizon, sometimes reaching a satisfying peak, others falling from his grasp. The accomplishments and defeat in either case, was very heartfelt.

Lovely mentions of delicious cuisine.

The Writing
The writing was intriguing. I felt transported through what I’d mostly describe as free flow, less structured, lyrical prose, which was fitting for story.

Loved the poetic nature of the established songs and poems, as well as the overall trajectory. Even in the details of slow pacing through the wanderings, I felt myself embracing each moment as told.

Framing was immersive, being both deeply self-reflective and providing external viewpoint of societal pressures and personal determination, as well as endearing references to literary studies such as specific French novels as required reading in school.

I will look forward to more from this author.

Blog post

[Swati · Rating 3 out of 5]

The mention of Mauritius immediately brings to mind an azure ocean surrounded by white beaches on little islands, and swaying palm trees.

Vinod Busjeet’s semi-autobiographical novel “Silent Winds, High Seas” sweeps aside that image and places us firmly amidst the haze of city smog and family politics. Set in 1950s-60s Mauritius, the story unfolds in the voice of Vishnu, a young boy growing up in a small town called Mahebourg. He dreams of leaving the confines of the town and making it big on his own. Over many chapters we trace not only Vishnu’s journey through boyhood to adulthood but also that of Mauritius as it comes into its own.

The novel begins with Vishnu sitting at his ailing father’s bedside. He is visiting Mahebourg after 30 years. In conversation with his mother, Vishnu learns of his family’s past, one that’s filled with struggles, both financial and mental. The narrative gently moves away from his mother’s memories to his, at some point, and we are privy to some of Vishnu’s escapades as a teen and his growing ambition as a young man who sees education as his way out into the world.

Unravelling through short chapters, the book reads more like a collection of short stories interspersed with some poetry. I thoroughly loved the peek into Mauritian life and culture. I wasn’t aware of the heavy Creole influence, and that they speak a Creole-infused Hindi, for instance. I didn’t know that Mauritius, located in East Africa, is “mostly populated (by) various communities on the island of Indian, African, French, and Chinese origin,” as Busjeet says in an interview with Wesleyan University, his alma mater.

The imagery in the first half is as powerful as the cyclone that blows away tin roofs and reduces entire houses to rubble. And the writing, too, is quite engrossing with descriptions of the Mauritian way of life and introductions to different idiosyncratic family members.

It’s only towards the second half that the pace slows down considerably and the plot begins to meander. Women are present but largely absent - they don’t develop too much. I thought the poetry was kind of distracting and did not add much to the book.

Don’t skip this book though. It’s got enough charm and wit to keep you going till the end. And the fact that a lot of the book is based on Busjeet’s own family and his experiences growing up in Mauritius, adds to it.

[Yanique Gillana · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars

Informative, tense, cultural

I am grateful to Doubleday Books for sending me a copy of this book for review.

This was an interesting coming of age story of an Indo-Mauritanian man. As a Creole person I love reading stories set in other Creole countries, but this was a bit different from the other reading I've done from Mauritius because of the perspective. I loved learning more about the complexities of life in Mauritius along with our young main character, and seeing how the people in his life and the events he witnesses change and shape him. The writing style was also engaging and fit well with the narrative. My one issue with this story was the pacing. This book is not particularly long, but at moments it felt like it was 1000 pages. I personally think the author simply included too much, and some of these events could have been edited out.

The first part of the story takes place in Mauritius as our MC (Vishnu) grows up seeing hardship and unfairness all around him, and acknowledges that his parents have pinned all of their hopes onto him. Throughout that period, he is optimistic and sees academic success as the answer to all his concerns about the future. During this period Vishnu has many external influences both positive and negative, but the author manages to make this flow within the story and not feel like some sort of "training sequence".

The last portion of the story is actually set in the US. By this point, Vishnu is an adult and we see him floundering once again as he tries to adjust to a new setting. But the foundations of his personality and values are there, and he is able to come closer to understanding and accepting himself fully. The ending really pulled everything together, and though we are left wondering what Vishnu will go on to do with the rest of his life, it felt satisfying and not incomplete.

I recommend this to readers of literary fiction, historical fiction, and fans of cultural stories.

[Laronda Blessing · Rating 4 out of 5]

SILENT WINDS, DRY SEAS tells the story of Vishnu, a young man growing up in Mauritius in the 1950s-1970s. (I had to get out my atlas--Mauritius is an island in the Indian Ocean not far off the coast of Madagascar.) We learn about the history of the island, first a French colony, then part of the British Commonwealth until its people voted for in the late 60s. We also learn a lot about the main cultural groups on the island and their sometimes rocky relationships. Just the history part alone is fascinating--the island is a melange of French whites, mostly Catholic Creoles, Hindus who migrated from India, and Muslims. We get a peek into traditions, livelihoods, and the constantly surprising juxtapositions of Hindu names living in French-named towns featuring statues of Queen Victoria. The novel reads a lot like a memoir and is likely inspired by its author's childhood in Mauritius and eventual move to college in the US and career in finances. Vishnu has a bright future, and his family hopes he will win a scholarship abroad. Along the way, he struggles with a byzantine political system and periodic ethnic clashes, cyclones, and a large and colorful family that is at once grounding and also a bit repressive to a young man trying to find himself. I found it quite interesting.

[Jen Perena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm mixed on this one. The book is a work of fiction but is written as if it's a memoir which feels confusing at times, and I had to remind myself whether this was fact or fiction. The inclusion of historic events that were happening around the time of Mauritius independence were interesting, but read like historic fact - so those were my least favorite parts of the book; the pieces that described the cultural aspects of life in Mauritius in the late 60s and early 70s were my favorite passages. The book was also written from the perspective of a young man looking back on his childhood; it jumped around a bit from period to period, and represented a male's perspective of social norms, familial expectations and cultural taboos - while also interesting, these bits were harder to relate to.