What do you think?
Rate this book
Variations d'un coeur
" Le deuxième roman de Janice Pariat parle de ce que l'on sait, et de ce que l'on ignore chez ceux qu'on aime, autant qu'il parle de liberté. Cette liberté que le principe même de sa construction offre au lecteur, et qui fait aussi le prix de ce livre à l'écriture élégante et à la vraie finesse psychologique. " Le Monde des livres . Une femme, dénuée de nom. Neuf hommes qui l'ont aimée ou qu'elle a aimés. Dans un " tu " libérateur, ils vont s'adresser à elle. Elle, on ne l'entendra jamais, mais résonnera son histoire d'enfant un peu sauvage et de jeune femme impétueuse dans une ville sans fleuve. La ville n'est pas nommée non plus. On l'imagine quelque part en Europe. Comme on la devine, elle, dont se dessine un portrait fragmenté.
Avec Variations d'un coeur , Janice Pariat dépeint une femme dans toute sa complexité, au long d'un roman kaléidoscopique poétique et émouvant. En taisant la voix de cette femme pour laisser place à ceux qui la racontent, l'auteure s'interroge : l'intimité conduit-elle nécessairement à la connaissance de l'autre ? montre-t-on jamais toutes ses facettes à l'être aimé ?
Avec Variations d'un coeur , Janice Pariat dépeint une femme dans toute sa complexité, au long d'un roman kaléidoscopique poétique et émouvant. En taisant la voix de cette femme pour laisser place à ceux qui la racontent, l'auteure s'interroge : l'intimité conduit-elle nécessairement à la connaissance de l'autre ? montre-t-on jamais toutes ses facettes à l'être aimé ?
213 pages, Pocket Book
First published November 1, 2017
204 people are currently reading
4264 people want to read
About the author
Janice Pariat
13 books347 followersJanice Pariat is the author of Boats on Land: A Collection of Short Stories and Seahorse: A Novel. She was awarded the Young Writer Award from the Sahitya Akademi and the Crossword Book Award for Fiction in 2013.
She studied English Literature at St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. Her work—including art reviews, book reviews, fiction and poetry—has featured in a wide selection of national magazines and newspapers. In 2014, she was the Charles Wallace Creative Writing Fellow at the University of Kent, UK.
Her novella The Nine Chambered-Heart is out with HarperCollins India (November 2017) and HarperCollins UK (May 2018), and is being translated for publication into ten languages including Italian, Spanish, French, and German.
Currently, she lives in New Delhi with a cat of many names.
She studied English Literature at St Stephen’s College, Delhi, and History of Art at the School of Oriental and African Studies, London. Her work—including art reviews, book reviews, fiction and poetry—has featured in a wide selection of national magazines and newspapers. In 2014, she was the Charles Wallace Creative Writing Fellow at the University of Kent, UK.
Her novella The Nine Chambered-Heart is out with HarperCollins India (November 2017) and HarperCollins UK (May 2018), and is being translated for publication into ten languages including Italian, Spanish, French, and German.
Currently, she lives in New Delhi with a cat of many names.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 418 reviews
May 20, 2019
2.5 stars rounded up.
I was in the mood for something different and this book is definitely that. Nine chapters, multiple perspectives about a woman who we never hear from herself except from the sparse dialogue in these second person narratives. We don’t even know her name, a pet peeve of mine. I had an odd feeling as if I was listening to a private conversation. Maybe it was the second person, which made me feel very much removed from this character and more connected to the people talking to her. An art teacher who ultimately feels sorry for this character who is twelve years old and sent to live with her grandparents as her parents live their lives separately from her and only visit her on occasion. The teacher shows her how to do origami and this stays with her. The recurring impact of abandonment, being left behind, who is the one who leaves a relationship or stays is apparent in the chapters of a boyfriend from her university days and he appears again later in another. She has a relationship with a married man twice her age, some other relationships, a marriage. She tell the man she marries that her parents were “part time “ parents who never really knew her and she didn’t really know them. This sense of abandonment seems to follow her through her life. I kept reading even though I wasn’t especially enjoying it, hoping it would come together for me, but it never happened. While I learned some things about her and get the sense that she is a broken soul in a way, I always felt distanced from her. I rounded up to 3 stars because I was curious enough to finish reading it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from The Borough Press/HarperCollins through Edelweiss.
I was in the mood for something different and this book is definitely that. Nine chapters, multiple perspectives about a woman who we never hear from herself except from the sparse dialogue in these second person narratives. We don’t even know her name, a pet peeve of mine. I had an odd feeling as if I was listening to a private conversation. Maybe it was the second person, which made me feel very much removed from this character and more connected to the people talking to her. An art teacher who ultimately feels sorry for this character who is twelve years old and sent to live with her grandparents as her parents live their lives separately from her and only visit her on occasion. The teacher shows her how to do origami and this stays with her. The recurring impact of abandonment, being left behind, who is the one who leaves a relationship or stays is apparent in the chapters of a boyfriend from her university days and he appears again later in another. She has a relationship with a married man twice her age, some other relationships, a marriage. She tell the man she marries that her parents were “part time “ parents who never really knew her and she didn’t really know them. This sense of abandonment seems to follow her through her life. I kept reading even though I wasn’t especially enjoying it, hoping it would come together for me, but it never happened. While I learned some things about her and get the sense that she is a broken soul in a way, I always felt distanced from her. I rounded up to 3 stars because I was curious enough to finish reading it.
I received an advanced copy of this book from The Borough Press/HarperCollins through Edelweiss.
November 22, 2025
"The once we pretend to ignore are the once we are most aware of."
In the book you see the protagonist through the perspective of eight different men and a woman and the most interesting part is the protagonist is mute throughout the story (you never hear her side). The chapters are very thoughtfully named. Once you read the chapter and recollect why the chapter is named so it will put a smile on your face.
I am impressed by how despite no suspense or plot twist it kept me intrigued and glued. Some characters perceive the protagonist as very generous while some perceive her as very cold and that's what my takeaway is. Either you can be an amazing person for some people or you can be very shallow for others. It's all a matter of perspectives and the phase where you stand.
By the by, there are some really beautiful phrases written throughout the book.
You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.
In the book you see the protagonist through the perspective of eight different men and a woman and the most interesting part is the protagonist is mute throughout the story (you never hear her side). The chapters are very thoughtfully named. Once you read the chapter and recollect why the chapter is named so it will put a smile on your face.
I am impressed by how despite no suspense or plot twist it kept me intrigued and glued. Some characters perceive the protagonist as very generous while some perceive her as very cold and that's what my takeaway is. Either you can be an amazing person for some people or you can be very shallow for others. It's all a matter of perspectives and the phase where you stand.
By the by, there are some really beautiful phrases written throughout the book.
You might like to wander through a few artistic journals — they’re full of sparks and surprises.
February 12, 2021
This is the tale of an unnamed character from an unnamed place (with subtle hints with names of cafes & tourist places thrown in here and there) with nine guys (as is divided into 9 chapters for each of them) she has come across during different stages of her life. The first chapter starts with her art teacher describing her like she is enigmatic. Likewise she meets different guys later on with each of them either falling in love with her or just want to spend time with her. She eventually married one of them (not telling here which one and when, no spoilers) but her spirit is free and she cannot be happy kept stuck in a place. She is such a character that the reader will get hooked to as well (that is the beauty of this book). She cannot be described to the point where one understands her how she is. She herself is really independent to the point that no man can give her the love and the need she yearns for. She seems like a complicated being to the men mentioned but you will feel like you understand her as you come to know her.
The book is divided into 9 chapters but it's actually 10 chapters when you go through the book as one of the characters meets her again in between.
👍Such a good read describing well the uncertainties of emotional needs as well as the inevitable need of being a free spirit.
👍 The book ends in such a way that you feel happy accepting the main character as she is even though you tend to become a bit inpatient with her as most of the men in the story felt about her.
👍 Such a realistic read that you can relate with the characters.
👎 For once, the main character should have voiced out her opinion what she wants instead of just searching for happiness from the men she meets instead of keeping quiet and running away.
Even then I can totally relate with her. It is never that easy to put in words what I feel.
👌 Overall this was a mesmerizing read!
✴️ Recommended!!!
The book is divided into 9 chapters but it's actually 10 chapters when you go through the book as one of the characters meets her again in between.
👍Such a good read describing well the uncertainties of emotional needs as well as the inevitable need of being a free spirit.
👍 The book ends in such a way that you feel happy accepting the main character as she is even though you tend to become a bit inpatient with her as most of the men in the story felt about her.
👍 Such a realistic read that you can relate with the characters.
👎 For once, the main character should have voiced out her opinion what she wants instead of just searching for happiness from the men she meets instead of keeping quiet and running away.
Even then I can totally relate with her. It is never that easy to put in words what I feel.
👌 Overall this was a mesmerizing read!
✴️ Recommended!!!
May 14, 2020
“Nine characters recall their relationship with a young woman”; now this sounds like an interesting plot. That’s the reason I picked up this book, but it disappointed me! The plot was good, but the execution was deplorable!
I was thinking about what rating I should give this book because it doesn’t deserve over 2 stars. However, I ended up giving it a 3 because I liked some aspects of the book but on a whole, it had nothing to stand out.
The story is about a woman portrayed through the descriptions of the nine people she had some kind of relationship with. What I liked about this book is also the thing I hated and I think ruined it for me- the writing.
First off, I have to say that the writing was captivating and intriguing with a slight touch of melancholy. I think that's what drew me in. Reading the book makes you feel like you are reading candid journal entries or letters. It was very intimate and sweet.
The downside was that the narration was very consistent if you consider nine people are talking about a relationship with one woman. It feels like it is written by one person posing as distinct people. That’s why it’s difficult to get through the book because it gets boring.
Another thing that annoyed me was not using the names of people or places. Everyone just uses something like ‘city with a river’, ‘city without a river’ for a city; how do we know if they are talking about the same place? And also did all the narrators compare notes or what? Now, this is just my preference, but I’d have preferred the conventional way of naming stuff.
Next, the woman whose story is narrated in the book didn’t feel any interesting to me. Maybe it was the narration but all those relationships came across as very shallow to me to create a full picture of her from their written accounts.
What we learn about this woman is very surface-level, that she was charming and lonely. But you’d think if you’re in a relationship with someone or if you know any human for some time, you’d have many ways to describe them -in both positive and negative ways. But she was someone who people fell in love with and then abandoned. I couldn't find any reason for either of those things.
What I learned about this woman was that she didn’t have many layers. She was just a two-dimensional character. I never heard people describe her with all her qualities and flaws. Maybe that's what the author was going for. This woman had terrible relationships and none of them could depict her adequately.
All in all, this book was a let-down for me! I’d suggest you not to waste your time on it.
I was thinking about what rating I should give this book because it doesn’t deserve over 2 stars. However, I ended up giving it a 3 because I liked some aspects of the book but on a whole, it had nothing to stand out.
The story is about a woman portrayed through the descriptions of the nine people she had some kind of relationship with. What I liked about this book is also the thing I hated and I think ruined it for me- the writing.
First off, I have to say that the writing was captivating and intriguing with a slight touch of melancholy. I think that's what drew me in. Reading the book makes you feel like you are reading candid journal entries or letters. It was very intimate and sweet.
The downside was that the narration was very consistent if you consider nine people are talking about a relationship with one woman. It feels like it is written by one person posing as distinct people. That’s why it’s difficult to get through the book because it gets boring.
Another thing that annoyed me was not using the names of people or places. Everyone just uses something like ‘city with a river’, ‘city without a river’ for a city; how do we know if they are talking about the same place? And also did all the narrators compare notes or what? Now, this is just my preference, but I’d have preferred the conventional way of naming stuff.
Next, the woman whose story is narrated in the book didn’t feel any interesting to me. Maybe it was the narration but all those relationships came across as very shallow to me to create a full picture of her from their written accounts.
What we learn about this woman is very surface-level, that she was charming and lonely. But you’d think if you’re in a relationship with someone or if you know any human for some time, you’d have many ways to describe them -in both positive and negative ways. But she was someone who people fell in love with and then abandoned. I couldn't find any reason for either of those things.
What I learned about this woman was that she didn’t have many layers. She was just a two-dimensional character. I never heard people describe her with all her qualities and flaws. Maybe that's what the author was going for. This woman had terrible relationships and none of them could depict her adequately.
All in all, this book was a let-down for me! I’d suggest you not to waste your time on it.
January 3, 2018
“Love, it never dies. It never goes away, it never fades, so long as you hang on to it. Love can make you immortal”
----Gayle Forman
Janice Pariat, an award winning Indian writer, has penned an evocative and mesmerizing "fictional" biography through love called, The Nine-Chambered Heart that narrates the life story of a woman through nine characters, who has previously loved her or whom she has loved, either briefly or longwindedly in her life. The readers will only get to know this woman through the varied perspectives of the nine characters. And the one thing is clear from reading this book, that love never stays permanently in reality, but it lives on inside one's heart for as long as time goes on, and that is aptly captured by the author in this book.
Synopsis:
Profound, illuminating and deeply moving, this is the kaleidoscopic story of one woman, told by those whom she has loved or been loved by.
Nine characters recall their relationship with this same woman, their stories and memories breathing life into her, drawing us close, but stopping short of true intimacy as her own voice remains unspoken. Piecing together these slivers, it becomes hard to decide which version of her is real.
Set in familiar, nameless cities, moving between East and West, The Nine-Chambered Heart is a delicate, poignant and exquisitely written novel. A compendium of shifting perspectives that reveals how it is possible to exist intimately with another – yet, perhaps, not know them at all.
A journey of a young Indian woman from East to West swaying backwards and forwards for her education, for her brief marriage, for her affair and for her job, sadly all through out this intimate journey through love and life, the readers will never once get to contemplate the identity or the depth of her nature, as the readers will only get to contemplate her through her 9 lovers, who have either broken her heart or have come back to haunt her or she has loved them fiercely. All her love stories do not have any sort of happy ending, it eventually left both, her as well as her lover brokenhearted. One is her art teacher, one a dorm friend, one a married and celebrity writer, one a college student, another is also a writer and some more just like her, and each time the woman fell in love with these 9 characters either instantly through conversation or sometimes even just by a look or across a certain time frame.
Just from the very first page itself, this book arrested me and kept me glued to its very core till the turn of the last page. And what can I say, the unique voice of the national award winning writer not only made me visualize the emotional flow amongst the characters but also made me sentimental and touched my heart thoroughly. Not only that, even I too had a handful of lovers, and I was able to relate to the relationships easily, some of them were made me feel like reading about my own experiences with love and relationships. And yes I do agree, love is not forever with one person, love comes to our lives and touches us through many characters and through many ways, be it a teacher or even a pet animal or a stranger or a friend. And only through all those experiences with love, we learn to embrace and accept our fatal flaws.
The author has poured out her best emotions while penning this part biographical anthology about various relationships, which may or may not have a happy ending. Her writing style is exquisite and is laced with deep and powerful emotions that is one or another, is going to make an impact in the souls of its readers. The narrative is painted vividly with feelings and is kept close to reality, ensuring that the readers are able to relate to the stories. With a poetic prose and a fast pace, this book is an absolute unputdownable, the stories of which are not only addictive to read about but will also make the readers teary eyed at the end of each story.
The characters, other than the main character around whom the nine stories revolve, are extremely well developed through their inner voices, wishes, dreams and emotions, be it lust or sympathy or love or grief. All the nine characters, who impacted the life of the young woman reflect realism and honesty through their demeanor. The author has strikingly portrayed the voices of her nine characters, who describe the central character always with love and in first person narrative, that is bound to make the readers feel like reading someone's personal journal that is raw with emotions and sometimes very intimate.
I recommend this book highly to all of those who have got burnt by love at least once in their life time. Also this is one of the best books that I have read this year, books should be like this one, which speaks not only for itself but also for its readers in a personal way.
Verdict: Thoroughly poetic, heart breaking and raw,
this is a must read book!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
----Gayle Forman
Janice Pariat, an award winning Indian writer, has penned an evocative and mesmerizing "fictional" biography through love called, The Nine-Chambered Heart that narrates the life story of a woman through nine characters, who has previously loved her or whom she has loved, either briefly or longwindedly in her life. The readers will only get to know this woman through the varied perspectives of the nine characters. And the one thing is clear from reading this book, that love never stays permanently in reality, but it lives on inside one's heart for as long as time goes on, and that is aptly captured by the author in this book.
Synopsis:
Profound, illuminating and deeply moving, this is the kaleidoscopic story of one woman, told by those whom she has loved or been loved by.
Nine characters recall their relationship with this same woman, their stories and memories breathing life into her, drawing us close, but stopping short of true intimacy as her own voice remains unspoken. Piecing together these slivers, it becomes hard to decide which version of her is real.
Set in familiar, nameless cities, moving between East and West, The Nine-Chambered Heart is a delicate, poignant and exquisitely written novel. A compendium of shifting perspectives that reveals how it is possible to exist intimately with another – yet, perhaps, not know them at all.
A journey of a young Indian woman from East to West swaying backwards and forwards for her education, for her brief marriage, for her affair and for her job, sadly all through out this intimate journey through love and life, the readers will never once get to contemplate the identity or the depth of her nature, as the readers will only get to contemplate her through her 9 lovers, who have either broken her heart or have come back to haunt her or she has loved them fiercely. All her love stories do not have any sort of happy ending, it eventually left both, her as well as her lover brokenhearted. One is her art teacher, one a dorm friend, one a married and celebrity writer, one a college student, another is also a writer and some more just like her, and each time the woman fell in love with these 9 characters either instantly through conversation or sometimes even just by a look or across a certain time frame.
Just from the very first page itself, this book arrested me and kept me glued to its very core till the turn of the last page. And what can I say, the unique voice of the national award winning writer not only made me visualize the emotional flow amongst the characters but also made me sentimental and touched my heart thoroughly. Not only that, even I too had a handful of lovers, and I was able to relate to the relationships easily, some of them were made me feel like reading about my own experiences with love and relationships. And yes I do agree, love is not forever with one person, love comes to our lives and touches us through many characters and through many ways, be it a teacher or even a pet animal or a stranger or a friend. And only through all those experiences with love, we learn to embrace and accept our fatal flaws.
The author has poured out her best emotions while penning this part biographical anthology about various relationships, which may or may not have a happy ending. Her writing style is exquisite and is laced with deep and powerful emotions that is one or another, is going to make an impact in the souls of its readers. The narrative is painted vividly with feelings and is kept close to reality, ensuring that the readers are able to relate to the stories. With a poetic prose and a fast pace, this book is an absolute unputdownable, the stories of which are not only addictive to read about but will also make the readers teary eyed at the end of each story.
The characters, other than the main character around whom the nine stories revolve, are extremely well developed through their inner voices, wishes, dreams and emotions, be it lust or sympathy or love or grief. All the nine characters, who impacted the life of the young woman reflect realism and honesty through their demeanor. The author has strikingly portrayed the voices of her nine characters, who describe the central character always with love and in first person narrative, that is bound to make the readers feel like reading someone's personal journal that is raw with emotions and sometimes very intimate.
I recommend this book highly to all of those who have got burnt by love at least once in their life time. Also this is one of the best books that I have read this year, books should be like this one, which speaks not only for itself but also for its readers in a personal way.
Verdict: Thoroughly poetic, heart breaking and raw,
this is a must read book!
Courtesy: Thanks to the publishers from Harper Collins India for giving me an opportunity to read and review this book.
January 27, 2018
I finished reading this book a few days ago and have been debating whether or not I should write a review; I tend not to write reviews here or elsewhere, since I never feel I do justice to the book/movie/restauran/what-have-you and that may well be the case with this particular review, too! However, there was something about Janice Pariat's The Nine-Chambered Heart that compelled me to pen down my thoughts.
When the book was published, I read about in the newspaper and I was intrigued. The premise seems insightful and it led me to expect an unusual, in-depth depiction of the oft-dissected emotion that we call 'love'. Pariat presents a (semi-autobiographical?) portrait of a woman through the perspectives of those whom she has loved and who seem to have loved her. A few pages into the book, though, I began to feel as though the reader was being led through the same old 'menu' of cliched 'romantic' relationships that we encounter in most forms of popular culture nowadays: the supportive, wise teacher; the first-real-relationship-in-college; the older/married guy; the-younger-guy-with-an-intense-infatuation; the mandatory same-sex experience; the summer fling; the artsy/unconventional guy. What was truly disappointing about all these relationships, though, was how sadly superficial they all were. These characters are described in such a manner that they are made to seem like intense, interesting, and intelligent people, and yet there appears to be no trace of any sincere emotion in any of them, including the elusive, nameless woman at the heart of this nine-chambered heart. All of them seem self-absorbed and intent on confusing lust for love, despite the fact that most of these characters ought to be experienced enough to know better. Perhaps that was the point, to portray a series of bleak liaisons that were mistaken for love? I kept getting the feeling that the author is trying very hard to create a mysterious literary figure that no-one can pin down, but, as a result, this character remains just that - a paper figurine (ironic that Pariat mentions origami so often) that simply cannot leap off the page and does not seem life-like. As I read the book, I kept seeking those little moments of ingenuity, affection, and humour that characterise 'love', or at least how I see love, but I could not find them. I put this book down with some amount of dismay, because surely there must be more to life and love?
When the book was published, I read about in the newspaper and I was intrigued. The premise seems insightful and it led me to expect an unusual, in-depth depiction of the oft-dissected emotion that we call 'love'. Pariat presents a (semi-autobiographical?) portrait of a woman through the perspectives of those whom she has loved and who seem to have loved her. A few pages into the book, though, I began to feel as though the reader was being led through the same old 'menu' of cliched 'romantic' relationships that we encounter in most forms of popular culture nowadays: the supportive, wise teacher; the first-real-relationship-in-college; the older/married guy; the-younger-guy-with-an-intense-infatuation; the mandatory same-sex experience; the summer fling; the artsy/unconventional guy. What was truly disappointing about all these relationships, though, was how sadly superficial they all were. These characters are described in such a manner that they are made to seem like intense, interesting, and intelligent people, and yet there appears to be no trace of any sincere emotion in any of them, including the elusive, nameless woman at the heart of this nine-chambered heart. All of them seem self-absorbed and intent on confusing lust for love, despite the fact that most of these characters ought to be experienced enough to know better. Perhaps that was the point, to portray a series of bleak liaisons that were mistaken for love? I kept getting the feeling that the author is trying very hard to create a mysterious literary figure that no-one can pin down, but, as a result, this character remains just that - a paper figurine (ironic that Pariat mentions origami so often) that simply cannot leap off the page and does not seem life-like. As I read the book, I kept seeking those little moments of ingenuity, affection, and humour that characterise 'love', or at least how I see love, but I could not find them. I put this book down with some amount of dismay, because surely there must be more to life and love?
March 31, 2021
This is the tale of an unnamed character from an unnamed place (with subtle hints with names of cafes & tourist places thrown in here and there) with nine guys (as is divided into 9 chapters for each of them) she has come across during different stages of her life. The first chapter starts with her art teacher describing her like she is enigmatic. Likewise she meets different guys later on with each of them either falling in love with her or just want to spend time with her. She eventually married one of them (not telling here which one and when, no spoilers) but her spirit is free and she cannot be happy kept stuck in a place. She is such a character that the reader will get hooked to as well (that is the beauty of this book). She cannot be described to the point where one understands her how she is. She herself is really independent to the point that no man can give her the love and the need she yearns for. She seems like a complicated being to the men mentioned but you will feel like you understand her as you come to know her.
The book is divided into 9 chapters but it's actually 10 chapters when you go through the book as one of the characters meets her again in between.
👍Such a good read describing well the uncertainties of emotional needs as well as the inevitable need of being a free spirit.
👍 The book ends in such a way that you feel happy accepting the main character as she is even though you tend to become a bit impatient with her as most of the men in the story felt about her.
👍 Such a realistic read that you can relate with the characters.
For once, the main character should have voiced out her opinion what she wants instead of just searching for happiness from the men she meets instead of keeping quiet and running away.
Even then I can totally relate with her. It is never that easy to put in words what I feel.
👌 Overall this was a mesmerizing read!
**For some, this book might get a little frustrating to read. I was getting frustrated towards the end as well but I was still enjoying the book till the very last sentence.
The book is divided into 9 chapters but it's actually 10 chapters when you go through the book as one of the characters meets her again in between.
👍Such a good read describing well the uncertainties of emotional needs as well as the inevitable need of being a free spirit.
👍 The book ends in such a way that you feel happy accepting the main character as she is even though you tend to become a bit impatient with her as most of the men in the story felt about her.
👍 Such a realistic read that you can relate with the characters.
For once, the main character should have voiced out her opinion what she wants instead of just searching for happiness from the men she meets instead of keeping quiet and running away.
Even then I can totally relate with her. It is never that easy to put in words what I feel.
👌 Overall this was a mesmerizing read!
**For some, this book might get a little frustrating to read. I was getting frustrated towards the end as well but I was still enjoying the book till the very last sentence.
March 24, 2020
1st * - For the idea
It's unique. This is a book where 9 people share with us their relationship with the same woman, when she was with them for a brief period of time.
2nd * - For the cover art (My book cover is different than this) and occasional lines which were beautiful.
What they tell you this book is about: From these separate accounts, we try to figure out the character of this unnamed woman and they tell its a unique experience.
What I felt : I didn't feel any difference in the tone of the narrators. They change, but they are the same. I didn't feel like any one truly loved her. Though almost everyone slept with her. I feel sorry for this women because she must be so damaged to sleep with all these men because most of them are married, one or two of them are very very old and I felt over all this book was disgusting.
I was not interested in the main character. I couldn't even find anything deep about her. Whatever this book claims the reader can perceive, I couldn't. I was left with boring shallow recollections of this women's equally insipid relationships with different narrators who all narrate in the same way.☹
I wish this book had more depth and the narrators sounded unique.
I won't reccomend it to anyone. But I do find positive reviews for this book.
It's unique. This is a book where 9 people share with us their relationship with the same woman, when she was with them for a brief period of time.
2nd * - For the cover art (My book cover is different than this) and occasional lines which were beautiful.
What they tell you this book is about: From these separate accounts, we try to figure out the character of this unnamed woman and they tell its a unique experience.
What I felt : I didn't feel any difference in the tone of the narrators. They change, but they are the same. I didn't feel like any one truly loved her. Though almost everyone slept with her. I feel sorry for this women because she must be so damaged to sleep with all these men because most of them are married, one or two of them are very very old and I felt over all this book was disgusting.
I was not interested in the main character. I couldn't even find anything deep about her. Whatever this book claims the reader can perceive, I couldn't. I was left with boring shallow recollections of this women's equally insipid relationships with different narrators who all narrate in the same way.☹
I wish this book had more depth and the narrators sounded unique.
I won't reccomend it to anyone. But I do find positive reviews for this book.
December 27, 2017
This book is incredible! I loved every minute of reading it. If you are the kind who loves slow reads, multiple POVs, unreliable narrators and a mysterious protagonist, this one is for you.
What is it about?
Nine different people describe a girl (woman) whom they have known for a brief period in their lives.
What I loved?
- Hands down, the whole structure of the book. We know nothing about this girl we are reading about. And each of the storytellers know only an aspect of her life. Each story adds a new dimension to the whole, some break ideas that we have formed about the girl from other storytellers. In short, we readers are creating an image of the girl along with the story tellers and the writer. (All the joy in the world to read such a style of writing)
- The POVs were perfect. Each one adds a new layer to the story. Sometimes we get answers of questions that were raised in earlier POVs from a different person (eg: her background, parents). And this establishes how different the relationships between the narrators and the heroine were. I LOVED this! The fact that we don't get all answers in the same story and that different people analyze the girl in a different way shows the depth of human behaviour and characteristics.
- The subtleties were perfect. Janice Pariat knows when to 'show' and when to 'tell' even though technically the story tellers are 'telling' their story of the girl.
-The ending is vague. Even after all these stories the reader feels he knows the heroine inside out; but sometimes unsure whether that is actually true. Mind boggling!
What I disliked?
- Sometimes the stories of the 'other' (read friend, lover, etc etc; the one who tells the story about our protagonist) seemed to blur into one another. At times I would be like, "Wait, isn't this the same thing that happened to/with the other guy? Such repetitions made me feel miffed by the book. HOWEVER on further reflection about the same, I am confused if that was a deliberate attempt by the author to highlight how we often repeat our mistakes, gravitate towards the same old things that we had promised ourselves we never would. Hence, I would not say this is a negative aspect of the book. Rather, I'd say these small repetitions would be distasteful to some readers while some would find them to be nuggets of perfection.
Verdict:
Absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed the book. A very good choice if you are looking to explore the Indian publishing industry scene.
Disclaimer : Much thanks to Harper Collins India for a copy of the novel. All opinions are my own.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
What is it about?
Nine different people describe a girl (woman) whom they have known for a brief period in their lives.
What I loved?
- Hands down, the whole structure of the book. We know nothing about this girl we are reading about. And each of the storytellers know only an aspect of her life. Each story adds a new dimension to the whole, some break ideas that we have formed about the girl from other storytellers. In short, we readers are creating an image of the girl along with the story tellers and the writer. (All the joy in the world to read such a style of writing)
- The POVs were perfect. Each one adds a new layer to the story. Sometimes we get answers of questions that were raised in earlier POVs from a different person (eg: her background, parents). And this establishes how different the relationships between the narrators and the heroine were. I LOVED this! The fact that we don't get all answers in the same story and that different people analyze the girl in a different way shows the depth of human behaviour and characteristics.
- The subtleties were perfect. Janice Pariat knows when to 'show' and when to 'tell' even though technically the story tellers are 'telling' their story of the girl.
-The ending is vague. Even after all these stories the reader feels he knows the heroine inside out; but sometimes unsure whether that is actually true. Mind boggling!
What I disliked?
- Sometimes the stories of the 'other' (read friend, lover, etc etc; the one who tells the story about our protagonist) seemed to blur into one another. At times I would be like, "Wait, isn't this the same thing that happened to/with the other guy? Such repetitions made me feel miffed by the book. HOWEVER on further reflection about the same, I am confused if that was a deliberate attempt by the author to highlight how we often repeat our mistakes, gravitate towards the same old things that we had promised ourselves we never would. Hence, I would not say this is a negative aspect of the book. Rather, I'd say these small repetitions would be distasteful to some readers while some would find them to be nuggets of perfection.
Verdict:
Absolutely beautiful. I really enjoyed the book. A very good choice if you are looking to explore the Indian publishing industry scene.
Disclaimer : Much thanks to Harper Collins India for a copy of the novel. All opinions are my own.
Blog | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook
December 24, 2023
❝ Perhaps it's the only way to retain it. Love. To never have it happen. To love, otherwise is always to lose. And isn't it true? That one imagined kiss is worth a thousand real ones.
I say this also to console myself.❞
আহ! কি অসাধরণ স্টোরি টেলিং!
Definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
I say this also to console myself.❞
আহ! কি অসাধরণ স্টোরি টেলিং!
Definitely not everyone's cup of tea.
January 27, 2018
The nine perspectives on the woman at the heart of this novel are tightly framed, and show how people perceive what they want to see in a relationship. However, these vignettes told from the perspective of people who have ‘loved’ the woman fall back on several tropes and fail to deliver any deep insight into human relationships or the characters.
The blurb on the back of this book promises incomplete but illuminating slivers of a woman; shards that we can piece together and reflect on ‘how sometimes we tend to become what others perceive us to be’. The inner monologue of the narrators is stylishly written, and the backdrops for the many fleeting encounters are enchanting. However, the beauty in the writing and in the characters, is strictly superficial – by appealing to romantic fantasies, the author tries to cover up the internalised misogyny and self-centred actions. The abandonment issues of the central woman are similarly written in with a heavy hand, yet remain unexplored in any meaningful way.
The sad takeaway from this book is that the author has romanticized some rather selfish, unhealthy and even lurid characters, none of whom see the central woman as much more than a vessel for their version of the manic pixie dream girl. The woman herself is equally selfish, and doesn’t share the intimacies which build relationships with her lovers. Applying for studies abroad without even mentioning it to the man who seems to be providing her a place to stay is particularly telling of her callousness. Worse yet is that she accepts all manner of mistreatment so long as her beauty or generosity in loving is praised. Thus, she buys into the shallow notions of who she should be, and in return emotionally abuses partner after partner while we are meant to feel sorry for her.
The Nine-Chambered Heart delivers to us a sexually liberated yet immature woman, whose life is filled with a cast of convenient caricatures. The delusional view of their fights and lusts as being beautiful or grand makes for painful reading.
The blurb on the back of this book promises incomplete but illuminating slivers of a woman; shards that we can piece together and reflect on ‘how sometimes we tend to become what others perceive us to be’. The inner monologue of the narrators is stylishly written, and the backdrops for the many fleeting encounters are enchanting. However, the beauty in the writing and in the characters, is strictly superficial – by appealing to romantic fantasies, the author tries to cover up the internalised misogyny and self-centred actions. The abandonment issues of the central woman are similarly written in with a heavy hand, yet remain unexplored in any meaningful way.
The sad takeaway from this book is that the author has romanticized some rather selfish, unhealthy and even lurid characters, none of whom see the central woman as much more than a vessel for their version of the manic pixie dream girl. The woman herself is equally selfish, and doesn’t share the intimacies which build relationships with her lovers. Applying for studies abroad without even mentioning it to the man who seems to be providing her a place to stay is particularly telling of her callousness. Worse yet is that she accepts all manner of mistreatment so long as her beauty or generosity in loving is praised. Thus, she buys into the shallow notions of who she should be, and in return emotionally abuses partner after partner while we are meant to feel sorry for her.
The Nine-Chambered Heart delivers to us a sexually liberated yet immature woman, whose life is filled with a cast of convenient caricatures. The delusional view of their fights and lusts as being beautiful or grand makes for painful reading.
January 22, 2020
(3.5) I find second-person narration intriguing, and I like the idea of various people’s memories of a character being combined to create a composite portrait (previous books that do this that I have enjoyed are The Life and Death of Sophie Stark and Kitchens of the Great Midwest; I’m also intrigued about Little Gods and will sample it to see if I get on with the style).
The protagonist here, never named, is a young Indian writer who travels widely, everywhere from the Himalayas to Tuscany. She also studies and then works in London, where she meets and marries a fellow foreigner. We get the sense that she is restless, eager for adventure and novelty:
My only issue with the book is that most of the nine viewpoints belong to her lovers, which would account for the title but makes their sections seem repetitive. By contrast, I probably most enjoyed the first chapter, by her art teacher, because it gives us the earliest account of her (at age 12) and so contributes to a more rounded picture of her as opposed to just the impulsive, flirtatious twentysomething hooking up on holidays and at a writers’ residency.
I also wish Pariat had further explored the main character’s relationship with her parents: we know that she resents them because they were often absent during her growing-up years and she was mostly raised by her grandparents, but even during a stint when she’s living with them as an adult we don’t learn any more about their dynamic.
Still, I found this thoroughly absorbing and read it in a few days, steaming through over 100 pages on one of them.
The protagonist here, never named, is a young Indian writer who travels widely, everywhere from the Himalayas to Tuscany. She also studies and then works in London, where she meets and marries a fellow foreigner. We get the sense that she is restless, eager for adventure and novelty:
You seem to be a woman to whom something is always about to happen
Ideas bolting from you like wild horses. I like it. It makes me imagine that, with you, anything could happen; that there will always be surprises.
‘Let’s go somewhere,’ you say. And this becomes, I notice, a recurring request. Let’s go somewhere, anywhere, to get out of this rut.
My only issue with the book is that most of the nine viewpoints belong to her lovers, which would account for the title but makes their sections seem repetitive. By contrast, I probably most enjoyed the first chapter, by her art teacher, because it gives us the earliest account of her (at age 12) and so contributes to a more rounded picture of her as opposed to just the impulsive, flirtatious twentysomething hooking up on holidays and at a writers’ residency.
I also wish Pariat had further explored the main character’s relationship with her parents: we know that she resents them because they were often absent during her growing-up years and she was mostly raised by her grandparents, but even during a stint when she’s living with them as an adult we don’t learn any more about their dynamic.
Still, I found this thoroughly absorbing and read it in a few days, steaming through over 100 pages on one of them.
July 4, 2021
It's a train wreck!!!
July 11, 2019
It was funny. I read this book all the way through to the end without realizing that this was written by an Indian author. ‘The Nine-Chambered Heart’ was written beautifully - poetry and verse and all that stuff. Yet, I felt remote. This woman that everyone falls for in the book? Who was she? I just couldn’t understand why almost everyone loves her universally. What I can’t understand I reject - old failing of mine that haunts me even in my book reading.
Which is why this beautifully-written book just didn’t make it for me. Not the author’s fault. Just mine.
Which is why this beautifully-written book just didn’t make it for me. Not the author’s fault. Just mine.
March 20, 2019
It's easy to love.This turned out to be a pleasant surprise! In some ways (although they are very different in other ways), it reminded me a lot of The Life and Death of Sophie Stark. Both books are about one woman and use the different perspectives of multiple characters to build up her character. But by the end of the book, you question, despite everything you've learnt during the course, whether you really know her character at all. The protagonist of The Nine-Chambered Heart remains nameless, emphasising the idea that, perhaps, the reader and her lovers never really know her or understand. Are all nine narrators describing the same woman, adding layers to her personality, or are they seeing a different character? How can she be one and the same? There are contradictions, similarities and repetitions to each perspective which add to this mystery. Ultimately, this book is above love. Whether it's about the source of that love or the act itself is another question. Both beautiful, mysterious, and slightly discomforting at times, I believe I've found a hidden gem.
May 14, 2019
Nouă povești, nouă amintiri ale oamenilor care au cunoscut-o pe ea, femeia misterioasă care nu știe ce vrea de la viață, dar știe că vrea să fie independentă și să poată spune mereu ce gândește. Nu m-am întrebat de ce toți sunt fascinați de ea sau de ce ea este atât de instabilă emoțional. Pur și simplu, m-am bucurat de scriitură și să văd că există atâtea moduri de a iubi pe cineva.
,,Pentru că așa e viața, nu? Omul nu-i poate stăvili curgerea. Ești pe val și orice se află în drumul tău se va încrucișa cu tine, te va atinge și, câteodată, va rămâne. Nu mă gândesc prea mult la ce trece pe lângă mine. Dacă se întâmplă, se întâmplă. Un fel de credință într-o curgere organică, uniformă, dacă există așa ceva. Nu poți controla vremea. Navighezi încotro bate vântul. Așa stau lucrurile.''
,,Pentru că așa e viața, nu? Omul nu-i poate stăvili curgerea. Ești pe val și orice se află în drumul tău se va încrucișa cu tine, te va atinge și, câteodată, va rămâne. Nu mă gândesc prea mult la ce trece pe lângă mine. Dacă se întâmplă, se întâmplă. Un fel de credință într-o curgere organică, uniformă, dacă există așa ceva. Nu poți controla vremea. Navighezi încotro bate vântul. Așa stau lucrurile.''
January 23, 2020
Beautiful writing, unique concept and despite that I couldn't really get into the book. You know some books are beautiful but not just for you, yeah, it was one of that book.
Sorrynotsorry!
Sorrynotsorry!
August 30, 2019
I truly feel bad that I missed the chance to meet Janice Pariat ma’am, the author of this book, when she visited Rachna Books recently for a book event, especially now that I loved her book.
With a beautiful, eye-catching cover, this book had attracted me at the very first sight, and when I finished the first story, I realized that the content is even better than the cover.
The simple, poetic prose, the short, vivid paragraphs, and the striking dialogues impressed me from the very beginning. Moreover, the narrative style flavored with a bit of mystery lured me in gradually until I was hooked. It is such a unique concept, nine characters narrating their experiences with the same woman. The best part is that the characters and places keep returning at different points in the book, filling you with nostalgia and excitement. The stories flow so effortlessly that you don’t even realize when the book is over.
The characterization of the protagonist is top-notch. Decorated by so many unique traits that keep manifesting themselves, the protagonist is very relatable. I thought she would be characterized as a strange, mysterious, irritating woman to make her more exotic, but on the contrary, she is shown to be a caring, loving woman, and that made me like her a lot. All the other supporting characters have also been portrayed wonderfully, complementing the protagonist and spicing up the narrative.
The descriptions are exquisite too, and the author has done a fabulous job. The descriptions are so vivid that I could feel as if I were right there in the scene. Delectable is the only word that comes to mind while describing the language used in this book. Short, vivid, classy, laced with beautiful metaphors and similes yet never sounding forced or bloated. The grammar and punctuation are flawless too, and I feel this is the type of writing style that should be emulated by young writers instead of the colloquial version used in commercial bestsellers.
Apart from the ending, which I feel could have been slightly better, I think The Nine Chambered Heart is a modern masterpiece that should be celebrated and read by as many people as possible. Highly recommended.
4.8 stars from my side.
With a beautiful, eye-catching cover, this book had attracted me at the very first sight, and when I finished the first story, I realized that the content is even better than the cover.
The simple, poetic prose, the short, vivid paragraphs, and the striking dialogues impressed me from the very beginning. Moreover, the narrative style flavored with a bit of mystery lured me in gradually until I was hooked. It is such a unique concept, nine characters narrating their experiences with the same woman. The best part is that the characters and places keep returning at different points in the book, filling you with nostalgia and excitement. The stories flow so effortlessly that you don’t even realize when the book is over.
The characterization of the protagonist is top-notch. Decorated by so many unique traits that keep manifesting themselves, the protagonist is very relatable. I thought she would be characterized as a strange, mysterious, irritating woman to make her more exotic, but on the contrary, she is shown to be a caring, loving woman, and that made me like her a lot. All the other supporting characters have also been portrayed wonderfully, complementing the protagonist and spicing up the narrative.
The descriptions are exquisite too, and the author has done a fabulous job. The descriptions are so vivid that I could feel as if I were right there in the scene. Delectable is the only word that comes to mind while describing the language used in this book. Short, vivid, classy, laced with beautiful metaphors and similes yet never sounding forced or bloated. The grammar and punctuation are flawless too, and I feel this is the type of writing style that should be emulated by young writers instead of the colloquial version used in commercial bestsellers.
Apart from the ending, which I feel could have been slightly better, I think The Nine Chambered Heart is a modern masterpiece that should be celebrated and read by as many people as possible. Highly recommended.
4.8 stars from my side.
June 3, 2018
I picked up this book after hearing great reviews, reading the very interesting and promising premise and the beautiful cover page. I read a Kindle sample of the first chapter and loved it but....However, the book was so disappointing and I just can't believe the number of people who have given rave reviews for this shallow piece.
The story is told by 9 persons who at different times have loved or been loved by the subject - described as a beautiful and artistic. All the relationships described lack any depth. Almost all of them seem to be driven by lust and physical attraction. All the storylines follow the same curve - boy meets girl in some random (mostly artistic) place - both are immediately physically attracted to each other - they hook up almost immediately with no build up - they get bored of each other - they move on. The conversations are bland. Even though the age of the woman is chronologically increasing, you see absolutely no growth in her character. Till then end she is described in a way that you would imagine a boring teenager. You don't see different sides of the woman in the different stories and the book is so boring that you are not invested in any of the characters. It is sad that such an interesting premise was developed so poorly by Pariat. I feel that she just failed miserably in conceptualising her characters and plot. By the end all the stories read the same way to me. THE ONLY chapter i enjoyed reading was the very first one.
During the first two or three chapters the author manages to hold your attention and keep you interested. By the fourth story, I regretted starting the book. It was incredibly repetitive and dull. By the time I reached midway, I felt like I could go on no longer. I finished the book just because I started it (and because I had a Goodreads challenge to read 15 books this year !).
All in all - this was a terrible disappointment. I have not read any of Pariat's other books so I did not have any expectations from her but the number of positive reviews this book had are really surprising. It is not even a decent light book to enjoy - Its just plain boring and terribly written.
The story is told by 9 persons who at different times have loved or been loved by the subject - described as a beautiful and artistic. All the relationships described lack any depth. Almost all of them seem to be driven by lust and physical attraction. All the storylines follow the same curve - boy meets girl in some random (mostly artistic) place - both are immediately physically attracted to each other - they hook up almost immediately with no build up - they get bored of each other - they move on. The conversations are bland. Even though the age of the woman is chronologically increasing, you see absolutely no growth in her character. Till then end she is described in a way that you would imagine a boring teenager. You don't see different sides of the woman in the different stories and the book is so boring that you are not invested in any of the characters. It is sad that such an interesting premise was developed so poorly by Pariat. I feel that she just failed miserably in conceptualising her characters and plot. By the end all the stories read the same way to me. THE ONLY chapter i enjoyed reading was the very first one.
During the first two or three chapters the author manages to hold your attention and keep you interested. By the fourth story, I regretted starting the book. It was incredibly repetitive and dull. By the time I reached midway, I felt like I could go on no longer. I finished the book just because I started it (and because I had a Goodreads challenge to read 15 books this year !).
All in all - this was a terrible disappointment. I have not read any of Pariat's other books so I did not have any expectations from her but the number of positive reviews this book had are really surprising. It is not even a decent light book to enjoy - Its just plain boring and terribly written.
October 9, 2018
It's easy to love - Anaïs Nin .. THE NINE CHEMBERED HEART by JANICE PARIAT
Most of the time I have heard it's hard to love. Love is complicated . Love is hard to understand . But whenever I saw this quote I was amazed ! Is it really easy to love ? If it's that easy then why we choose to hate mostly our shelves ? If it's really easy to love then why people leave ? Then why people easily gave up ?
Is it that our mind which take over the love ? ..
The opening line gives something of the story inside. This story is about a girl and the chapters include the feelings of the nine persons who love her .
In this complete story you don't get to know her name but you can get a vivid picture of her curvy tall figure with shaped legs and neck and obvio her shiney skins too .
The girl moves from city without river to city with river . But no matter there is river or not there is obvio atleast someone to fall for her "Beauty " which lies on her shiny skin . And she got "Love". ,, This book has made me too much confused . Is it that something called love where two persons don't know each other well but they can easily make out !? Most of the cases I have felt the "Lust " inspite of "Love". .. But I can't say that I hate this book . This book is something easy to read and understand . Author has used new way of retailing the story . .. The chapters as short stories are perfect . They feel so relateable . But as a whole story it's monotonous ! .. but as every person has different views may be it can be your best read !! It's a 3/5 read !! #qotd -have you read this book ? What do you think about it ?
Most of the time I have heard it's hard to love. Love is complicated . Love is hard to understand . But whenever I saw this quote I was amazed ! Is it really easy to love ? If it's that easy then why we choose to hate mostly our shelves ? If it's really easy to love then why people leave ? Then why people easily gave up ?
Is it that our mind which take over the love ? ..
The opening line gives something of the story inside. This story is about a girl and the chapters include the feelings of the nine persons who love her .
In this complete story you don't get to know her name but you can get a vivid picture of her curvy tall figure with shaped legs and neck and obvio her shiney skins too .
The girl moves from city without river to city with river . But no matter there is river or not there is obvio atleast someone to fall for her "Beauty " which lies on her shiny skin . And she got "Love". ,, This book has made me too much confused . Is it that something called love where two persons don't know each other well but they can easily make out !? Most of the cases I have felt the "Lust " inspite of "Love". .. But I can't say that I hate this book . This book is something easy to read and understand . Author has used new way of retailing the story . .. The chapters as short stories are perfect . They feel so relateable . But as a whole story it's monotonous ! .. but as every person has different views may be it can be your best read !! It's a 3/5 read !! #qotd -have you read this book ? What do you think about it ?
February 23, 2023
“I am oriented only by your presence, or your absence. You are my north.”
“This year I turned 30, so i chose to travel… on my own… because I wanted to learn how it is alright to journey alone…”
This was the perfect book for the month of love. What could be better than nine people professing their love for the same woman, and recounting the first time they set their eyes on her? Truly brilliant!
We get to see vignettes of a woman’s life through the eyes of her paramours. We never get to meet the woman in person, or find out her thoughts, she is not given a voice. But we are allowed to watch her shadow, as she threads in and out of nine people’s lives, leaving a deep impression on them, so as to influence them to tell her story as they perceive her.
She is an enigma which makes her presence surreal, flitting from one place to another, catching someone’s fancy and then disappearing. For them she is perfect, flawless, untouched, and they know she can never be theirs forever.
I am mesmerised by the words, each chapter is narrated by one of the paramours, and they are creatively named “The Saint”, “The Butcher”, “The Caretaker’, and the narration reads like a love letter written to a woman referred to as “You”. The absence of names for people and places adds to the dream-like effect of the book, allowing us to concentrate on the deep beauty of the words.
I have placed an order for Pariat’s book, Everything the Light Touches, and I can’t wait to get lost in her words again.
“This year I turned 30, so i chose to travel… on my own… because I wanted to learn how it is alright to journey alone…”
This was the perfect book for the month of love. What could be better than nine people professing their love for the same woman, and recounting the first time they set their eyes on her? Truly brilliant!
We get to see vignettes of a woman’s life through the eyes of her paramours. We never get to meet the woman in person, or find out her thoughts, she is not given a voice. But we are allowed to watch her shadow, as she threads in and out of nine people’s lives, leaving a deep impression on them, so as to influence them to tell her story as they perceive her.
She is an enigma which makes her presence surreal, flitting from one place to another, catching someone’s fancy and then disappearing. For them she is perfect, flawless, untouched, and they know she can never be theirs forever.
I am mesmerised by the words, each chapter is narrated by one of the paramours, and they are creatively named “The Saint”, “The Butcher”, “The Caretaker’, and the narration reads like a love letter written to a woman referred to as “You”. The absence of names for people and places adds to the dream-like effect of the book, allowing us to concentrate on the deep beauty of the words.
I have placed an order for Pariat’s book, Everything the Light Touches, and I can’t wait to get lost in her words again.
March 8, 2018
This book is not literature at its best. And it’s flawed. Much like the people it talks about. But that’s what makes this book so endearing. The flaws. The palpable sense of loss. Of something wasted.
Throughout this book, I felt it could have been so much more. But then so can everything. More often than not though, it never is.
This is a book about possibilities and how they often remain just that.
Throughout this book, I felt it could have been so much more. But then so can everything. More often than not though, it never is.
This is a book about possibilities and how they often remain just that.
May 6, 2018
Una historia original escrita en segunda persona por muchos personajes y sin embargo, que consigue conectar gracias a una sensibilidad extraordinaria. La prosa es poética y los perfiles de los personajes muy creíbles y tiernos. Para amantes de las historias originales, no necesariamente con final feliz.
Para releer y descubrir esta pluma, para mí, totalmente desconocida.
Para releer y descubrir esta pluma, para mí, totalmente desconocida.
March 21, 2019
Poetic, aesthetic, delightful, breezy, deep, satisfying, amazing, beautiful! - I suppose I would not be able to contain The Nine Chambered Heart in words completely and properly. It is too much at the surface and too much in the depths, the depths I could not fathom, the love I could never understand fully, the soul I am still trying to relate to.
A vague character of a young woman who is loved by nine different people in nine different ways is the premise of this book. It has flaws, imperceptible ones, and love, that is quick and way too breezy. And amidst the cracks and crevices, you feel the reality striking you hard, you feel yourself drowning in the abyss of wilderness and at times, nothingness.
Janice draws realistic characters and brings out of them the very real human eccentricities. She doesn't miss the point of delving into their skin and portray their storytelling in the best possible manner. I felt the narrators conversing to me in a fashion I love the most. There are no bridges and boundaries but a free-flowing river of communication that drenches the reader and soothes them. Each one of them looks at our protagonist in a distinct way. Each weaves a different story around her. Each makes a unique relationship with the heart seeking love. And in the mid of all the people touching her lives or the lives she touched, she found a lifetime of love that lasted for a mere 5 days. And that's where I understand, How content we are to grasp at so little.
Our protagonist loves art. She finds it the most comforting thing. In the ways she dresses and goes on to collect strange articles, we could connect to her love for aesthetics. In her stubbornness to not settle for just 'anything', we could feel her love for freedom caressing our helplessness. She is fire and free, we are ashes in the cage! For the first time, I liked the intimacy drawn in a book so vividly and beautifully. I loved the layers of love and layers of humans brought out with a lucid wring style. I liked the flow, the softness of the light glinting at the edges of our faces and the perpetual sauntering of our wanderlust souls. Love is not absolute, it is not for the one yet it stays the best with the ONE. And guess what, it is easy to be in love. We ought to love freely and not make it complex.
"Perhaps it's the only way to retain it. Love. To never have it happen. To love otherwise is always to lose."
At last, this book would stay in my heart forever for it gave me a new perspective. I am an avid lover of reality and mystic writing and so, this book has all the right to be in my heart. With a delightful cover and a stunning title, this work of art is MESMERIZING!
Art comes to us proposing frankly to give nothing but the highest quality to our moments as they pass.
A vague character of a young woman who is loved by nine different people in nine different ways is the premise of this book. It has flaws, imperceptible ones, and love, that is quick and way too breezy. And amidst the cracks and crevices, you feel the reality striking you hard, you feel yourself drowning in the abyss of wilderness and at times, nothingness.
Janice draws realistic characters and brings out of them the very real human eccentricities. She doesn't miss the point of delving into their skin and portray their storytelling in the best possible manner. I felt the narrators conversing to me in a fashion I love the most. There are no bridges and boundaries but a free-flowing river of communication that drenches the reader and soothes them. Each one of them looks at our protagonist in a distinct way. Each weaves a different story around her. Each makes a unique relationship with the heart seeking love. And in the mid of all the people touching her lives or the lives she touched, she found a lifetime of love that lasted for a mere 5 days. And that's where I understand, How content we are to grasp at so little.
Our protagonist loves art. She finds it the most comforting thing. In the ways she dresses and goes on to collect strange articles, we could connect to her love for aesthetics. In her stubbornness to not settle for just 'anything', we could feel her love for freedom caressing our helplessness. She is fire and free, we are ashes in the cage! For the first time, I liked the intimacy drawn in a book so vividly and beautifully. I loved the layers of love and layers of humans brought out with a lucid wring style. I liked the flow, the softness of the light glinting at the edges of our faces and the perpetual sauntering of our wanderlust souls. Love is not absolute, it is not for the one yet it stays the best with the ONE. And guess what, it is easy to be in love. We ought to love freely and not make it complex.
"Perhaps it's the only way to retain it. Love. To never have it happen. To love otherwise is always to lose."
At last, this book would stay in my heart forever for it gave me a new perspective. I am an avid lover of reality and mystic writing and so, this book has all the right to be in my heart. With a delightful cover and a stunning title, this work of art is MESMERIZING!
Art comes to us proposing frankly to give nothing but the highest quality to our moments as they pass.
February 25, 2018
”-Ești trist?
Dau din cap că da.
-De ce?
Nu mă simt în stare s-o spun. Că sunt fericit și că în asta stă sfârșitul nostru.
-E ca atunci când ajungi la aeroport, nu? Și-ți imaginezi deja plecarea ta din locul acela..E deja întipărită. Întotdeauna ajungem și plecăm în același timp.”
Dau din cap că da.
-De ce?
Nu mă simt în stare s-o spun. Că sunt fericit și că în asta stă sfârșitul nostru.
-E ca atunci când ajungi la aeroport, nu? Și-ți imaginezi deja plecarea ta din locul acela..E deja întipărită. Întotdeauna ajungem și plecăm în același timp.”
February 5, 2018
"You, though, are as beautiful as light splitting through glass."
I found this book very intriguing. All the 9 people who narrate the story in parts add a layer of personality to the young woman. I liked how altogether vague the book was. I loved that we never get to read the woman's point of view.
The story had a very realistic feel to it. It actually made me cry at some parts. I related to the woman a lot too in a way as I consider myself a drifter too. In my opinion, somehow the setting of the novel gave me an uncanny Grey's Anatomy-esque feel and I'm not complaining at all.
I also liked the ending and how even though it was complete, it also wasn't. It just highlighted for me how sometimes we exactly become what we do not want to and it's sad but C'est la vie.
It's a very good book to pick up if you're trying to read books from the Indian Publishing industry.
Rating: 3.9/5
I found this book very intriguing. All the 9 people who narrate the story in parts add a layer of personality to the young woman. I liked how altogether vague the book was. I loved that we never get to read the woman's point of view.
The story had a very realistic feel to it. It actually made me cry at some parts. I related to the woman a lot too in a way as I consider myself a drifter too. In my opinion, somehow the setting of the novel gave me an uncanny Grey's Anatomy-esque feel and I'm not complaining at all.
I also liked the ending and how even though it was complete, it also wasn't. It just highlighted for me how sometimes we exactly become what we do not want to and it's sad but C'est la vie.
It's a very good book to pick up if you're trying to read books from the Indian Publishing industry.
Rating: 3.9/5
August 5, 2019
As stingy as I am with my ratings, I haven't given anything one star yet - I think so at least. But this book was such a disappointment that I did not know what else to give it.
I've heard Janice Pariat speak and I've read Sea Horse and Boats On Land, so there was some reason for the expectation I had. She'd proved herself a good writer and even in this book the prose is beautiful. There is some nice imagery and the descriptions are vivid. She has the magic of bring her surroundings alive. There is some obscurity about where the stories are placed - it was easily deducible in a way and hence wanton, but there was a certain elegance to it nevertheless.
What this book resoundingly lacks is a soul. It could potentially be because of the way this book is structured. There are nine different people talking about one woman - a woman who seems autobiographical to some extent at least. These characters who voice the narrative are very amorphous. They don't seem to have any fixed character of their own and the way they look at this woman also doesn't add anything huge to the woman herself. The portions I enjoyed the most are the first one with a school teacher and the one with the man she marries. There was a stroke of reality there.
You know how we sometimes think about how we want other people to see us. We wear our clothes in a fashion, talk in a way, just so people perceive us as something. All the other narratives felt like this. It felt like the woman was explaining the image she wanted to create, the reality she wanted the people around her to have of her instead of it being any narrative by the people themselves. There was an authenticity that was missing in the narrative because of this. The whole book felt as though it was pandering in some way to some one or something in particular, perhaps to the author herself.
Maybe this book was just an experiment that did not work for me as a reader. Overall though, I'd advice you to go back to Boats on Land - that was beautiful.
I've heard Janice Pariat speak and I've read Sea Horse and Boats On Land, so there was some reason for the expectation I had. She'd proved herself a good writer and even in this book the prose is beautiful. There is some nice imagery and the descriptions are vivid. She has the magic of bring her surroundings alive. There is some obscurity about where the stories are placed - it was easily deducible in a way and hence wanton, but there was a certain elegance to it nevertheless.
What this book resoundingly lacks is a soul. It could potentially be because of the way this book is structured. There are nine different people talking about one woman - a woman who seems autobiographical to some extent at least. These characters who voice the narrative are very amorphous. They don't seem to have any fixed character of their own and the way they look at this woman also doesn't add anything huge to the woman herself. The portions I enjoyed the most are the first one with a school teacher and the one with the man she marries. There was a stroke of reality there.
You know how we sometimes think about how we want other people to see us. We wear our clothes in a fashion, talk in a way, just so people perceive us as something. All the other narratives felt like this. It felt like the woman was explaining the image she wanted to create, the reality she wanted the people around her to have of her instead of it being any narrative by the people themselves. There was an authenticity that was missing in the narrative because of this. The whole book felt as though it was pandering in some way to some one or something in particular, perhaps to the author herself.
Maybe this book was just an experiment that did not work for me as a reader. Overall though, I'd advice you to go back to Boats on Land - that was beautiful.
February 1, 2020
Gorgeous little thing of a book read in a couple of hours. Due to not having read the cover properly, it took me a while to realize how the writing perspective works and how all the stories come together- for a while I misread the book as non-connected short stories. A few times I found myself making assumptions about the characters' genders which were later in the book proved wrong. What I really loved about this one is the way it plays with the idea of perception and of how we are all, ultimately, different people depending on who we are with. By extension, about how we are alternating between the role of the villain and that of victim, particularly within our aw-so-complicated love life. How we are either composed, detached and cool or longing and hoping and refusing to see.
Also, the fact that no cities or countries are explicitly mentioned gave this book an extra dimension for me - especially when one of the narrators gives himself away as a co-national of mine. I think it's nice to observe what mentioning places or countries does to our perception of a character, and it was good to not have that happen in this book.
In a true narcissistic manner, I found myself identifying a lot with the unnamed "you" of this book, in most of her phases - the escape artist, the detached, the hope fool, and maybe above all - and theoughout all - the hedonist.
I did occasionally find the "male gaze" of this book somehow unrealistic (can I say that as a female myself?). The characters do sometimes play on different clichès of masculinity. And people want to hold hands unrealistically much, for my taste. Regardless, I loved this, so here it goes.
Also, the fact that no cities or countries are explicitly mentioned gave this book an extra dimension for me - especially when one of the narrators gives himself away as a co-national of mine. I think it's nice to observe what mentioning places or countries does to our perception of a character, and it was good to not have that happen in this book.
In a true narcissistic manner, I found myself identifying a lot with the unnamed "you" of this book, in most of her phases - the escape artist, the detached, the hope fool, and maybe above all - and theoughout all - the hedonist.
I did occasionally find the "male gaze" of this book somehow unrealistic (can I say that as a female myself?). The characters do sometimes play on different clichès of masculinity. And people want to hold hands unrealistically much, for my taste. Regardless, I loved this, so here it goes.
June 12, 2021
2.5 stars rounded to 3.
I don't think this book was for me. Even though it's well written, I did not like any of the characters in the book. The idea to provide insight into someone's life through the eyes of multiple people is marvellous, but when they keep talking about themselves, are we really getting to understand a character or their own twisted perception of things?
The two chapters that I liked the most were the one with the art teacher and the guy she married. Those two actually sum up the central character better than all the others put together.
I understand the charm of writing without giving out too much but - the city with the river, the city without the river, the city in the east of the country, the city by the sea, the city that flooded in 1960s; this was like the literary version of the famous conversation - "What would you like to eat?" "Anything."
You can be vague about the characters or vague about the places or vague about the story in general but when you're vague about everything, you end up with one big lump of vague and little else.
I don't think this book was for me. Even though it's well written, I did not like any of the characters in the book. The idea to provide insight into someone's life through the eyes of multiple people is marvellous, but when they keep talking about themselves, are we really getting to understand a character or their own twisted perception of things?
The two chapters that I liked the most were the one with the art teacher and the guy she married. Those two actually sum up the central character better than all the others put together.
I understand the charm of writing without giving out too much but - the city with the river, the city without the river, the city in the east of the country, the city by the sea, the city that flooded in 1960s; this was like the literary version of the famous conversation - "What would you like to eat?" "Anything."
You can be vague about the characters or vague about the places or vague about the story in general but when you're vague about everything, you end up with one big lump of vague and little else.
November 13, 2021
If you like detailed description,go for it.
The story revolves around a woman and the people she loved or who loved her.
Like I felt the characters only spoke out how attractive she was,and not much of her personality.
I didn't feel LOVE in this book.
But it was good enough that I kept reading.
In the end I couldn't figure anything about her personality- an attractive woman is all I know .
The story revolves around a woman and the people she loved or who loved her.
Like I felt the characters only spoke out how attractive she was,and not much of her personality.
I didn't feel LOVE in this book.
But it was good enough that I kept reading.
In the end I couldn't figure anything about her personality- an attractive woman is all I know .
Displaying 1 - 30 of 418 reviews