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Buddha's Orphans
Called “a Buddhist Chekhov” by the San Francisco Chronicle, Samrat Upadhyay’s writing has been praised by Amitav Ghosh and Suketu Mehta, and compared with the work of Akhil Sharma and Jhumpa Lahiri.
Upadhyay’s new novel, Buddha’s Orphans, uses Nepal’s political upheavals of the past century as a backdrop to the story of an orphan boy, Raja, and the girl he is fated to love, Nilu, a daughter of privilege.Their love story scandalizes both families and takes readers through time and across the globe, through the loss of and search for children, and through several generations, hinting that perhaps old bends can, in fact, be righted in future branches of a family tree.
Buddha’s Orphans is a novel permeated with the sense of how we are irreparably connected to the mothers who birthed us and of the way events of the past, even those we are ignorant of, inevitably haunt the present. But most of all it is an engrossing, unconventional love story and a seductive
and transporting read.
Upadhyay’s new novel, Buddha’s Orphans, uses Nepal’s political upheavals of the past century as a backdrop to the story of an orphan boy, Raja, and the girl he is fated to love, Nilu, a daughter of privilege.Their love story scandalizes both families and takes readers through time and across the globe, through the loss of and search for children, and through several generations, hinting that perhaps old bends can, in fact, be righted in future branches of a family tree.
Buddha’s Orphans is a novel permeated with the sense of how we are irreparably connected to the mothers who birthed us and of the way events of the past, even those we are ignorant of, inevitably haunt the present. But most of all it is an engrossing, unconventional love story and a seductive
and transporting read.
437 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2010
46 people are currently reading
530 people want to read
About the author
Samrat Upadhyay
11 books106 followersSAMRAT UPADHYAY is the author of Arresting God in Kathmandu, which earned him a Whiting Award, and The Guru of Love, which was a New York Times Notable Book, a San Francisco Chronicle Best Book of the Year, a finalist for the Kiriyama Prize, and a Book Sense 76 pick. He lives in Bloomington, Indiana, and teaches creative writing and literature at Indiana University. His eight-year-old daughter Shahzadi, is a published poet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
January 19, 2015
I rarely give 1 star reviews, but this overlong and poorly-written family saga earned it. This review will contain SPOILERS, but you won’t want to read the book anyway.
This is a family saga, more or less, set in Nepal in the second half of the 20th century. The central focus is an orphan named Raja, though the story is told primarily through the eyes of his love interest, Nilu. Meanwhile the early chapters feature a street vendor named Kaki who adopts Raja as a baby, while toward the end there are random psychic flashbacks about the life of his dead mother. Unfortunately, from a young age Raja is an unappealing character, perhaps in part because of the author’s distasteful imagery; here he is as a young boy curious about his birth mother:
“He’d find a woman sitting by herself on the grass, doodling on the ground with a stick, and he’d perch a few yards away. . . . But before that woman looked up, another would glide past, gesticulating with her fingers as she carried on a silent conversation with herself. Then Raja would abandon the first woman and follow the second. And during this pursuit, he’d spot one or two other women who didn’t look any less sad, and he’d feel confused and go to a bush and pee.”
Okay? At any rate, Raja finds a new surrogate mother, gleefully abandoning the woman who raised him up to this point:
“After Raja’s bath, Jamuna would make the boy lie on the carpet in their bedroom and massage him. She’d rub her palms with oil and draw circles on his belly with her fingers, making his shriveled penis jiggle.”
We are talking about a 6-year-old boy and his mother-figure here, and no, this creepy image does not foreshadow child molestation. Though don’t worry, there is plenty of child molestation in the book.
At any rate, Raja becomes a teenager and gets involved with Nilu, who adores him for some reason. I’m sure we’d all want to be friends with this charming pair:
“Often they were together, rarely relinquishing each other’s company to join their other friends, who were not too many. Raja had a group of friends who sat around admiring him for his bravado, but he didn’t hesitate to abandon them when he saw Nilu walking through the campus gates. Nilu in general kept to herself, preferring Raja’s company to that of her women classmates, who seemed to enjoy gossip and talking about fashion more than anything else.”
Stereotypes ahoy! This book runs on stereotypes: all the men are losers, and all the women are maternal, and all the characters are so flat that that’s about all you need to know. Raja and Nilu of course defy their families to marry; Raja then takes the opportunity to mooch off Nilu’s teaching job for years, and without even helping around the house (he prefers to eat out, on her dime). When he eventually finds a job, he does nothing but complain and immediately decide to quit, and Nilu enables him:
“[W]hen she pictured him fidgeting in his chair, drumming the desk with a pencil, responding to rude, dismissive clients, she felt he had a point.”
Poor baby, with an unsatisfying first job! But life moves on. They ignore their families, including the poor woman who devoted her life to Raja for years, and whom he refuses for no reason to acknowledge or visit; she dies of a broken heart, for which Raja never feels a shred of remorse. He and Nilu have a baby, and Raja gets over his giant sense of entitlement (born, apparently, of not knowing the identity of his birth mother) long enough to hold down a job, and then after a few years, the child dies. Our hero is supportive to Nilu in her distress:
“ ‘Don’t you have anything else to say? I’m so sick and tired of hearing about how your world has gone dark. Fed up! I can’t listen to it anymore.’”
So he leaves, demanding of his upset wife, “Why can’t you think a bit positively about this? Why do you always have to be negative?” This is totally reasonable, because most people would think positively about being abandoned by their spouse soon after the death of their only child.
Because she is a woman, Nilu soon finds a new outlet for her maternal urges:
“She was fully aware that with Shiva she experienced a cravenness that was more maternal than anything.”
I don’t even know what that means, except that, of course, Nilu is maternal.
Anyway, this lovely couple reconciles; sadly, more than 100 pages remain in the book. Thus, the random psychic flashbacks about Raja’s mother, which don’t affect the plot, but do reveal that despite being portrayed as a victim of her father’s abuse, she is just as sympathetic as her son, inclined to knocking over old disabled women in the street:
“Holding the books to her chest, she trotted down the sidewalk, brushing past pedestrians. The old spitting lady from the neighborhood, the one with the horribly bent back, was a few yards away, stooping in front of a peanut vendor, arguing about something, probably asking for samples with no intention of buying. As she breezed past her, Mohini thwacked her on the back of the head with her books, making her tumble forward, onto the mountain of peanuts arranged on a nanglo, which scattered all over the sidewalk.”
Lovely. Then there is a random subplot about Raja and Nilu’s adult daughter. Raja never does redeem himself; he simply grows older. Then the book ends. And no, I don’t know what the point of any of it is, except that if you never knew your birth mother, you have a Freudian excuse for anything, apparently.
Long story short, the most positive statement I can make about this book is that the sheer unpleasantness of its otherwise dull characters kept my attention better than the inoffensive blandness often found in bad books. The story is way too long, without any plot to speak of; what events do occur are predictable and trite. The writing is clunky. The setting has the potential to be interesting, but the author never delves into it; Nepalese history passes in the background, but in a way that makes little sense to a reader without prior knowledge of the region. Really, there is no reason to read this, unless (like me) you find yourself looking for a novel set in Nepal and with limited options, or you are curious to see just how unappealing an author can make a protagonist, without apparent reason. Avoid.
This is a family saga, more or less, set in Nepal in the second half of the 20th century. The central focus is an orphan named Raja, though the story is told primarily through the eyes of his love interest, Nilu. Meanwhile the early chapters feature a street vendor named Kaki who adopts Raja as a baby, while toward the end there are random psychic flashbacks about the life of his dead mother. Unfortunately, from a young age Raja is an unappealing character, perhaps in part because of the author’s distasteful imagery; here he is as a young boy curious about his birth mother:
“He’d find a woman sitting by herself on the grass, doodling on the ground with a stick, and he’d perch a few yards away. . . . But before that woman looked up, another would glide past, gesticulating with her fingers as she carried on a silent conversation with herself. Then Raja would abandon the first woman and follow the second. And during this pursuit, he’d spot one or two other women who didn’t look any less sad, and he’d feel confused and go to a bush and pee.”
Okay? At any rate, Raja finds a new surrogate mother, gleefully abandoning the woman who raised him up to this point:
“After Raja’s bath, Jamuna would make the boy lie on the carpet in their bedroom and massage him. She’d rub her palms with oil and draw circles on his belly with her fingers, making his shriveled penis jiggle.”
We are talking about a 6-year-old boy and his mother-figure here, and no, this creepy image does not foreshadow child molestation. Though don’t worry, there is plenty of child molestation in the book.
At any rate, Raja becomes a teenager and gets involved with Nilu, who adores him for some reason. I’m sure we’d all want to be friends with this charming pair:
“Often they were together, rarely relinquishing each other’s company to join their other friends, who were not too many. Raja had a group of friends who sat around admiring him for his bravado, but he didn’t hesitate to abandon them when he saw Nilu walking through the campus gates. Nilu in general kept to herself, preferring Raja’s company to that of her women classmates, who seemed to enjoy gossip and talking about fashion more than anything else.”
Stereotypes ahoy! This book runs on stereotypes: all the men are losers, and all the women are maternal, and all the characters are so flat that that’s about all you need to know. Raja and Nilu of course defy their families to marry; Raja then takes the opportunity to mooch off Nilu’s teaching job for years, and without even helping around the house (he prefers to eat out, on her dime). When he eventually finds a job, he does nothing but complain and immediately decide to quit, and Nilu enables him:
“[W]hen she pictured him fidgeting in his chair, drumming the desk with a pencil, responding to rude, dismissive clients, she felt he had a point.”
Poor baby, with an unsatisfying first job! But life moves on. They ignore their families, including the poor woman who devoted her life to Raja for years, and whom he refuses for no reason to acknowledge or visit; she dies of a broken heart, for which Raja never feels a shred of remorse. He and Nilu have a baby, and Raja gets over his giant sense of entitlement (born, apparently, of not knowing the identity of his birth mother) long enough to hold down a job, and then after a few years, the child dies. Our hero is supportive to Nilu in her distress:
“ ‘Don’t you have anything else to say? I’m so sick and tired of hearing about how your world has gone dark. Fed up! I can’t listen to it anymore.’”
So he leaves, demanding of his upset wife, “Why can’t you think a bit positively about this? Why do you always have to be negative?” This is totally reasonable, because most people would think positively about being abandoned by their spouse soon after the death of their only child.
Because she is a woman, Nilu soon finds a new outlet for her maternal urges:
“She was fully aware that with Shiva she experienced a cravenness that was more maternal than anything.”
I don’t even know what that means, except that, of course, Nilu is maternal.
Anyway, this lovely couple reconciles; sadly, more than 100 pages remain in the book. Thus, the random psychic flashbacks about Raja’s mother, which don’t affect the plot, but do reveal that despite being portrayed as a victim of her father’s abuse, she is just as sympathetic as her son, inclined to knocking over old disabled women in the street:
“Holding the books to her chest, she trotted down the sidewalk, brushing past pedestrians. The old spitting lady from the neighborhood, the one with the horribly bent back, was a few yards away, stooping in front of a peanut vendor, arguing about something, probably asking for samples with no intention of buying. As she breezed past her, Mohini thwacked her on the back of the head with her books, making her tumble forward, onto the mountain of peanuts arranged on a nanglo, which scattered all over the sidewalk.”
Lovely. Then there is a random subplot about Raja and Nilu’s adult daughter. Raja never does redeem himself; he simply grows older. Then the book ends. And no, I don’t know what the point of any of it is, except that if you never knew your birth mother, you have a Freudian excuse for anything, apparently.
Long story short, the most positive statement I can make about this book is that the sheer unpleasantness of its otherwise dull characters kept my attention better than the inoffensive blandness often found in bad books. The story is way too long, without any plot to speak of; what events do occur are predictable and trite. The writing is clunky. The setting has the potential to be interesting, but the author never delves into it; Nepalese history passes in the background, but in a way that makes little sense to a reader without prior knowledge of the region. Really, there is no reason to read this, unless (like me) you find yourself looking for a novel set in Nepal and with limited options, or you are curious to see just how unappealing an author can make a protagonist, without apparent reason. Avoid.
April 27, 2010
I wasn't sure whether I would like "Buddha's Orphans" or not. The thing that most appealed about the book was the setting in Nepal. It turns out that I love the book and that it has been hard to put down.
The story begins with Raja, an infant discovered by Bokey Ba, on the streets. He is soon taken in by Kaki, and then stolen from her. You imaginge as you read that the story will continue through Raja's life and that the story centers around him, but the story actually centers around Nilu. Nilu enters the story about page 47 in an unusual way. I congratulate Samrat Upadhyay for bringing Nilu into the story in the way that he did - you have no idea that she is to become the main character in this story.
I love "Buddha's Orphans" and highly recommend it!
The story begins with Raja, an infant discovered by Bokey Ba, on the streets. He is soon taken in by Kaki, and then stolen from her. You imaginge as you read that the story will continue through Raja's life and that the story centers around him, but the story actually centers around Nilu. Nilu enters the story about page 47 in an unusual way. I congratulate Samrat Upadhyay for bringing Nilu into the story in the way that he did - you have no idea that she is to become the main character in this story.
I love "Buddha's Orphans" and highly recommend it!
March 14, 2022
#91: Nepal 🇳🇵
This book did a good job bringing Nepal to live and bringing back memories of my own trip there 25 years ago. Buddhist stupas, Durbar Squares everywhere, Annapurna and tourist-trap restaurants all came back to mind.
The story runs through a number of decades and touches on Nepali history in those times.
However, there are a couple of things that bothered me about the writing. First of all, the way in which time is used is annoying, with sudden time contraction and random flashbacks and flash forwards. Secondly, the main impression I had while reading was that of awkwardness. Awkward characters with little depth get into awkward situations and make awkward decisions that simply make no sense. Towards the end, an unnecessary story about the daughter seems only to be there to draw an (awkward) parallel with her grandmother's story.
There are plenty of big themes in the book that could have been used to go into greater depth with, but the current novel has such a pile-up of themes that none could be developed properly.
In any case, time to pack my bags and fly to Nepal!
This book did a good job bringing Nepal to live and bringing back memories of my own trip there 25 years ago. Buddhist stupas, Durbar Squares everywhere, Annapurna and tourist-trap restaurants all came back to mind.
The story runs through a number of decades and touches on Nepali history in those times.
However, there are a couple of things that bothered me about the writing. First of all, the way in which time is used is annoying, with sudden time contraction and random flashbacks and flash forwards. Secondly, the main impression I had while reading was that of awkwardness. Awkward characters with little depth get into awkward situations and make awkward decisions that simply make no sense. Towards the end, an unnecessary story about the daughter seems only to be there to draw an (awkward) parallel with her grandmother's story.
There are plenty of big themes in the book that could have been used to go into greater depth with, but the current novel has such a pile-up of themes that none could be developed properly.
In any case, time to pack my bags and fly to Nepal!
May 17, 2010
There’s a bracing quality to how unceremoniously Buddha’s Orphans dumps you right into the action of Kathmandu: “Raja’s mother had abandoned him on the parade ground of Tundikhel on a misty morning before the Kathmandu had awakened, then drowned herself in Rani Pokhari, half a kilometer north… ”
Told mainly through the women who come to love Raja, most notably Kaki, the fierce street corn seller who surprises even herself with how quickly she takes on the orphan as her own, and later Nilu, the idealistic young woman who harbors a lingering fascination with the servant boy she once taught to read, the story sweeps through several decades of human drama- Life, Death, Revolution, and all that familiar ilk.
It’s a classic setup. Upadhayay’s got a deft hand with matter-of-fact humor and character, and in the best passages, there’s a great observational specificity of the little everyday beats that keeps it all fresh.
What he has harder problem with is maintaining a sense of momentum with which to make his point. The central character of Raja remains quite a cipher and never particularly compelling, and his weakness at the thematic crux results in lots of meandering story replete with awkward time jumps and point-of-view changes.
In fact, I find it a missed opportunity to not focus the novel solely on Nilu, whose empathy and strength and (perhaps most importantly) ambition could’ve leant a much greater incisiveness and statement to the proceedings. She’s a singular creation and the drop off in the latter third of the novel feels antithetical to her can-do, or rather, must-do nature. At its heart, this is a tale about the inevitable repetition of human history and the bonds of love that tie us to this fate. In such an idea, there’s a fine tonal balance between subtle acknowledgment and the flippant replaceability, and once or twice too often there’s a stagnancy that tips it all towards the later.
But still I applaud the attempt at such universality. The characters of Buddha’s Orphan’s often wander its streets in labyrinthine fashion, almost subconsciously aware of the tapestry they’re weaving and being woven into at a single intersection. I won’t soon forget that alive feeling. Rating: 3.5/5 stars
**I received Buddha’s Orphans from the Goodreads’s First Reads.
Told mainly through the women who come to love Raja, most notably Kaki, the fierce street corn seller who surprises even herself with how quickly she takes on the orphan as her own, and later Nilu, the idealistic young woman who harbors a lingering fascination with the servant boy she once taught to read, the story sweeps through several decades of human drama- Life, Death, Revolution, and all that familiar ilk.
It’s a classic setup. Upadhayay’s got a deft hand with matter-of-fact humor and character, and in the best passages, there’s a great observational specificity of the little everyday beats that keeps it all fresh.
What he has harder problem with is maintaining a sense of momentum with which to make his point. The central character of Raja remains quite a cipher and never particularly compelling, and his weakness at the thematic crux results in lots of meandering story replete with awkward time jumps and point-of-view changes.
In fact, I find it a missed opportunity to not focus the novel solely on Nilu, whose empathy and strength and (perhaps most importantly) ambition could’ve leant a much greater incisiveness and statement to the proceedings. She’s a singular creation and the drop off in the latter third of the novel feels antithetical to her can-do, or rather, must-do nature. At its heart, this is a tale about the inevitable repetition of human history and the bonds of love that tie us to this fate. In such an idea, there’s a fine tonal balance between subtle acknowledgment and the flippant replaceability, and once or twice too often there’s a stagnancy that tips it all towards the later.
But still I applaud the attempt at such universality. The characters of Buddha’s Orphan’s often wander its streets in labyrinthine fashion, almost subconsciously aware of the tapestry they’re weaving and being woven into at a single intersection. I won’t soon forget that alive feeling. Rating: 3.5/5 stars
**I received Buddha’s Orphans from the Goodreads’s First Reads.
February 19, 2015
I couldn't put this book down! I really enjoyed this multi-generational story set in Nepal. A big hint to the central theme of the story is embedded in the book's title - three things humans can't escape - birth, death, and suffering.
The idea of impermanence is also explored with the fleeting happiness, episodes of loss, changes in prosperity, and changing relationships for many characters.
What I found amusing is how most/many Americans hear "Nepal" and think "unsafe to travel there", but the Nepalese had the same thoughts about America....that made me chuckle, although it's sad.
Diverse interpersonal relationships were evident. What really makes us "click" with some people and not with others, regardless of the circumstances? What makes us unable to live without one, but feel repulsed by another? Past lives were hinted at, or some sort of soul connection, felt more in some than in others.
There was also a clear message that young people do impulsive things that change the trajectory of their lives, whether given plenty of freedom, or closely guarded. It may be that we need to do those stupid things - our lessons will find a way to manifest!
My biggest takeaway: The message about escape vs acceptance. Raja and Nilu almost lost everything choosing escape from pain at one point instead of acceptance. And both Muwa and Shiva chose escape mechanisms to cope with pain and loss. One moved into acceptance and became a comfort to others, the other continued to pursue escape and suffered her whole life. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, there is no escape from suffering, just acceptance and knowing it will pass.
The author wrote a beautiful story.
The idea of impermanence is also explored with the fleeting happiness, episodes of loss, changes in prosperity, and changing relationships for many characters.
What I found amusing is how most/many Americans hear "Nepal" and think "unsafe to travel there", but the Nepalese had the same thoughts about America....that made me chuckle, although it's sad.
Diverse interpersonal relationships were evident. What really makes us "click" with some people and not with others, regardless of the circumstances? What makes us unable to live without one, but feel repulsed by another? Past lives were hinted at, or some sort of soul connection, felt more in some than in others.
There was also a clear message that young people do impulsive things that change the trajectory of their lives, whether given plenty of freedom, or closely guarded. It may be that we need to do those stupid things - our lessons will find a way to manifest!
My biggest takeaway: The message about escape vs acceptance. Raja and Nilu almost lost everything choosing escape from pain at one point instead of acceptance. And both Muwa and Shiva chose escape mechanisms to cope with pain and loss. One moved into acceptance and became a comfort to others, the other continued to pursue escape and suffered her whole life. As I mentioned in the first paragraph, there is no escape from suffering, just acceptance and knowing it will pass.
The author wrote a beautiful story.
February 22, 2019
A curious case where the synopsis of the book cover and the novel itself are misaligned. I don't even really understand the inspiration for the title.
The story had all its interesting moments in the last 3% of the book involving two characters that didn't even make it into the book until the last 15%.
It's odd to see so much character development that doesn't end up mattering to the plot.
It was a book I kept feeling the need to finish to understand the point.
Don't recommend this at all.
The story had all its interesting moments in the last 3% of the book involving two characters that didn't even make it into the book until the last 15%.
It's odd to see so much character development that doesn't end up mattering to the plot.
It was a book I kept feeling the need to finish to understand the point.
Don't recommend this at all.
May 27, 2010
I was fortunate enough to get hold of an Advance Reader Copy (ARC) of Buddha’s Orphans, but wasn’t sure whether I would like the book or not. The thing that most appealed about the book was the setting in Nepal. It turns out that I love the book and that it was hard to put down!
October 4, 2018
Better than his first book.
March 12, 2025
Nepal. Raja and Nilu fall in love and elope despite being from different castes during a period of political upheaval in Nepal. Seriously flawed characters, strange plot twists, and then the book just ends. There is no resolution to any of the storylines.
August 31, 2020
This is the story of two lovers Raja and Nilu set in Nepal during the 1960s until the near present. Raja had a struggling childhood while Nilu is child of privilege, but both orphans in spirit. They reunite in highschool, fall in love and eventually live together. Because of the country’s political disturbances, Raja has difficulties finding a job and often seen joining political rallies. After several challenges and hardships, a son was born. Unfortunately, the boy dies during his early school age because Nilu was unable to get him a medical treatment due to a political demonstration that clogs the road. While Raja is not present in that political demonstration, the couple have trouble dealing with their sons death and part ways After some time, they reunite and had a daughter Ranjani.
When their daughter went to study in America and suddenly stopped communicating with them, Raja and Nilu consider flying to Chicago. But Nilu decided to send her husband to America to search for their daughter while she, on a hunch, believes her daughter is somehow back in Kathmandu. After frantically searching the city, Nilu finds her daughter pregnant and about to give birth in Bahairavi’s. Nilu helps with the birthing of a baby girl Kali. Raja and Nilu raised their grandchild together with her daughter Ranjani.
Reading Buddha’s Orphans is an immersion in Nepalese culture, political will and survival. It’s quite depressing at some point especially when you read about poverty. But since you’re already invested in the characters’ lives, you want to see what happens to them in the end. Samrat Upadhyay blends politics, history, poverty, tragedy and romance to create an interesting story about a family.
When their daughter went to study in America and suddenly stopped communicating with them, Raja and Nilu consider flying to Chicago. But Nilu decided to send her husband to America to search for their daughter while she, on a hunch, believes her daughter is somehow back in Kathmandu. After frantically searching the city, Nilu finds her daughter pregnant and about to give birth in Bahairavi’s. Nilu helps with the birthing of a baby girl Kali. Raja and Nilu raised their grandchild together with her daughter Ranjani.
Reading Buddha’s Orphans is an immersion in Nepalese culture, political will and survival. It’s quite depressing at some point especially when you read about poverty. But since you’re already invested in the characters’ lives, you want to see what happens to them in the end. Samrat Upadhyay blends politics, history, poverty, tragedy and romance to create an interesting story about a family.
November 17, 2013
Some of it was fantastic, and some of it, well, wasn't. It could be painfully predictable and the few times there were sexual passages, they just made me uncomfortable (as opposed to being sexy). There were times when I absolutely hated the characters, but in general I consider that to be a positive thing, as at least the characters made me feel. Although I am not sure I hated the ones I was supposed to hate. There were aspects of the plot that I thought were just stupid, mainly Nilu's character development and entire childhood until she sought out Raja again. I'm starting to rethink these 3 stars... and forgetting what I liked about the book. Also, there was no need for the short story about Raja's mom, I think we were all better off not knowing.
Its an ok book, maybe you should read it.
Its an ok book, maybe you should read it.
May 21, 2011
I won this book for free through Goodreads First Reads;
I do have a problem with the way the first few characters are introduced, and the terminology used makes this a very challenging read; however, the storyline was very moving and did a good job at keeping you interested in the beginning. Once I made it to about 1/4 of the way through the book, I found it harder to stay interested. The story just seemed to drag on. The main character Raja is very immature and petty. Nilu is very hard to connect with because she seems to be putting her thoughts and desires into Raja's actions and tolerates way too much.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just couldn't.
I do have a problem with the way the first few characters are introduced, and the terminology used makes this a very challenging read; however, the storyline was very moving and did a good job at keeping you interested in the beginning. Once I made it to about 1/4 of the way through the book, I found it harder to stay interested. The story just seemed to drag on. The main character Raja is very immature and petty. Nilu is very hard to connect with because she seems to be putting her thoughts and desires into Raja's actions and tolerates way too much.
I really wanted to enjoy this book, but I just couldn't.
April 26, 2010
Upadhyay's characters, each one interesting and distinct, meander through life with Nepal as the backrdrop. The story spans both decades and continents, and delivers a roller coaster of ups and downs, just as life so often does. I'm fascinated with Upadhyay's ability to create such an intricate story. The only thing lacking for me, though, is a more convincing sense of place. While the vocabulary throughout the book clearly is Nepali and while Nepali customs and traditions are prominent throughout, I wish I had been transported to Nepal the way Hosseini takes his readers to Afghanistan.
I liked this book but many readers will love it.
I liked this book but many readers will love it.
June 30, 2011
An interesting novel about an orphan is Burma. I think there are many better fictional accounts of the India-Nepal-Burma area.
May 6, 2019
An ambitious book that mostly succeeds. The history of modern Nepal intertwined with a family saga. Its greatest strength is the portrayal of Kathmandu the city.
January 24, 2018
It was a 400 pages of a slice of life tale, set in Nepal.
If you're into slice of life and looking to learn more about Nepalese culture, go for it.
I thought the synopsis was kind of misleading, saying that the two protagonists were fated to fall in love, meeting again and again throughout their lives. In reality though, their love seemed organic rather than meant-to-be, and nothing about their personalities made them made-for-each-other. Like, it's not an opposites-attract situation, or their lives mirror each other. They are two people who met in childhood and fell in love meeting again as adults. Simple.
Being set in Nepal was cool. While a lot of the politics was over my head, I could understand when there was peace and political upheaval.
Other than that, there was no real plot, and I guess I am always a sucker for an interesting plot. But that leaves you with characters. The first 20% of the book is about Raja, the male protagonist. It's his life being abandoned as an orphan and raised by his adoptive mother, only to be kidnapped by another family. And then the rest is about Nilu, the female protagonist. And she's cool, and he's okay- but there's not a lot about them that makes me want to stick with them. Neither are especially kind or clever or witty or sweet. They're fine people, but they're just... fine.
And there's some aspects about the book that might be specific to Nepal culture that just clashed with me. Like, the woman who raised Raja and had him stolen from her- he was her world for a while, and she was crushed when he left. And Raja never really cared for her. Which maybe it was because he was just so in love with his new step-mother, and no, she was kind of a burden to him to. What he really loved was his birth mother. Who we only learn her tale in the end.
But this doesn't come into the rest of his personality. That in it of itself implies Raja wants what he can't have. But Nilu is fully content to be with him, and Raja totally connects himself to Nilu.
Nilu has a pretty intersting backstory, but a lot of it doesn't go anywhere other than to establish that she only really has Raja. And that's kind of sad and not romantic to me (again, maybe it's just a Western thing) because 3/4 of the book is just Raja and Nilu. No one else really affects her, comes into her life, and same with him. They don't have a lot of notable friends, or family. Which kind of makes for an isolating story.
Also, the time jumps are weird. Like, we'd go for 50 pages in a consistent timeline and then the next paragraph gladly informs us that 3 years not relevant to the plot have gone by.
If you're into slice of life and looking to learn more about Nepalese culture, go for it.
I thought the synopsis was kind of misleading, saying that the two protagonists were fated to fall in love, meeting again and again throughout their lives. In reality though, their love seemed organic rather than meant-to-be, and nothing about their personalities made them made-for-each-other. Like, it's not an opposites-attract situation, or their lives mirror each other. They are two people who met in childhood and fell in love meeting again as adults. Simple.
Being set in Nepal was cool. While a lot of the politics was over my head, I could understand when there was peace and political upheaval.
Other than that, there was no real plot, and I guess I am always a sucker for an interesting plot. But that leaves you with characters. The first 20% of the book is about Raja, the male protagonist. It's his life being abandoned as an orphan and raised by his adoptive mother, only to be kidnapped by another family. And then the rest is about Nilu, the female protagonist. And she's cool, and he's okay- but there's not a lot about them that makes me want to stick with them. Neither are especially kind or clever or witty or sweet. They're fine people, but they're just... fine.
And there's some aspects about the book that might be specific to Nepal culture that just clashed with me. Like, the woman who raised Raja and had him stolen from her- he was her world for a while, and she was crushed when he left. And Raja never really cared for her. Which maybe it was because he was just so in love with his new step-mother, and no, she was kind of a burden to him to. What he really loved was his birth mother. Who we only learn her tale in the end.
But this doesn't come into the rest of his personality. That in it of itself implies Raja wants what he can't have. But Nilu is fully content to be with him, and Raja totally connects himself to Nilu.
Nilu has a pretty intersting backstory, but a lot of it doesn't go anywhere other than to establish that she only really has Raja. And that's kind of sad and not romantic to me (again, maybe it's just a Western thing) because 3/4 of the book is just Raja and Nilu. No one else really affects her, comes into her life, and same with him. They don't have a lot of notable friends, or family. Which kind of makes for an isolating story.
Also, the time jumps are weird. Like, we'd go for 50 pages in a consistent timeline and then the next paragraph gladly informs us that 3 years not relevant to the plot have gone by.
July 4, 2018
This is, at the same time, my personal review and a response to some of the comments raised here by other readers. I will of course, egotistically, start with myself:): I could not put the book down, I literally ‘lived in the book’for the week it took me to finish it. It’s not that I dragged it, but, like with a very good piece of dark chocolate, I only took a piece or two each day, in order to enjoy it for longer. It’s true that my evaluation is not objective (but which personal book review is?), as I enjoy India, Nepal, and the entire universe there. Still, I have resonated not only to the nepalese places, characters and decors, but to the universal human dramas unfolding with brutal honesty in front of my very eyes. Raja, Nilu, Mohini, Kaki, Muwa, Maytreia, Ranjana, Bahravi and all the characters were depicted in such a brilliant way that the reader felt like peeking in rather that watching a play unfolding on a stage in front of him. The characters were not demonstrative, but rather got on with their lives, without caring if anyone from the outside world is watching or not.
I have read here (a 1-star review which was also a spoiler alert, really, guys??!), that the novel is cliché and that all women crave motherhood and all men I-don’t-know-what. That there are too big gaps between some chapters (too many years!). I’ve read novels that disrespected the reader so much and made so much justice to the characters that they described in detail each and every (in)glorious moment of the protagonists. This is not the case here. Upadhyay tells you what he considers it’s interesting for you to know, nothing more and nothing less. Women are mothers (duh!), all biologically and some (most, fortunately) also psychologically. Muwa is just a biological mother. Mohini not less so. Jamuna Mummy, in her paranoid schizophrenia, is not a mother, despite her ‘name’, she is just clinging to anything cute that could keep her anchored in reality. What mother plays with her 6 years’ old son.....?
Read Upadhyay’s novel, folks. I have enjoyed it much better than his short story volume ‘Arresting God in Kathmandu’, although that’s a fine book as well. Enjoy it not because it’s exotic, but because it’s human and universal and full of life. And death, of course, as any life worth living.
I have read here (a 1-star review which was also a spoiler alert, really, guys??!), that the novel is cliché and that all women crave motherhood and all men I-don’t-know-what. That there are too big gaps between some chapters (too many years!). I’ve read novels that disrespected the reader so much and made so much justice to the characters that they described in detail each and every (in)glorious moment of the protagonists. This is not the case here. Upadhyay tells you what he considers it’s interesting for you to know, nothing more and nothing less. Women are mothers (duh!), all biologically and some (most, fortunately) also psychologically. Muwa is just a biological mother. Mohini not less so. Jamuna Mummy, in her paranoid schizophrenia, is not a mother, despite her ‘name’, she is just clinging to anything cute that could keep her anchored in reality. What mother plays with her 6 years’ old son.....?
Read Upadhyay’s novel, folks. I have enjoyed it much better than his short story volume ‘Arresting God in Kathmandu’, although that’s a fine book as well. Enjoy it not because it’s exotic, but because it’s human and universal and full of life. And death, of course, as any life worth living.
September 24, 2020
When I first read this book I was 12, this book was immaculately preserved inside a glass self of the senior library of our school - me being a 5th grader i wasn't allowed in there, however the name applead to me when I read it - what could the author mean by such a thing? What was he writing about?? Was it Buddha? But from what I've heard Buddha was never an orphan?? And above all why was it in the fiction section??
So after pleading to the librarian she lent me the book for my vacation- I read it through winter and realized it was just a love story between a guy who was an orphan and a girl - it didn't appeal to my amature self. When I completed the book my questions still remained - it annoyed me.
When I read the book for the second time I was 15 years old and returning to hostel, I wanted company so I picked this book to be my friend. I was amused by the romance of Raja and Nilu, and the household drama and contented with the happy ending, but my question remains - why is raja "Buddha's" orphan? I closed the book realising I had discovered details I never knew I had once read.
When I was 20 and in quarantine - I was bored and cleaning the household library, where I discovered a ragged book I hadn't yet returned it to where it was due. Once again I asked the now fragile and worn book to accompany me, this time I understood beyond the romance there was. As a Nepali I understood the politics behind it, I understood the society that orphaned a vulnerable child, I understood the loss - the hurt and that this story was never truly 'just' a love story - it was a story about healing, overcoming loss ,finding hope in despair, learning to struggle and strive in a society that condems you - it was so much more than I had reduced it to be. And this time - this time I think "THINK" I, understand why it is called 'Buddhas orphan'
Above all, to me it's rather nostalgic - I feel like I've played endless hide and seeks with it, where I have seeked the story and meaning that hides within its voluminous words. Maybe someday I'll play with it again with a different perspective and find something new that will help me answer my question with certainty - why is it called Buddha's orphan?
So after pleading to the librarian she lent me the book for my vacation- I read it through winter and realized it was just a love story between a guy who was an orphan and a girl - it didn't appeal to my amature self. When I completed the book my questions still remained - it annoyed me.
When I read the book for the second time I was 15 years old and returning to hostel, I wanted company so I picked this book to be my friend. I was amused by the romance of Raja and Nilu, and the household drama and contented with the happy ending, but my question remains - why is raja "Buddha's" orphan? I closed the book realising I had discovered details I never knew I had once read.
When I was 20 and in quarantine - I was bored and cleaning the household library, where I discovered a ragged book I hadn't yet returned it to where it was due. Once again I asked the now fragile and worn book to accompany me, this time I understood beyond the romance there was. As a Nepali I understood the politics behind it, I understood the society that orphaned a vulnerable child, I understood the loss - the hurt and that this story was never truly 'just' a love story - it was a story about healing, overcoming loss ,finding hope in despair, learning to struggle and strive in a society that condems you - it was so much more than I had reduced it to be. And this time - this time I think "THINK" I, understand why it is called 'Buddhas orphan'
Above all, to me it's rather nostalgic - I feel like I've played endless hide and seeks with it, where I have seeked the story and meaning that hides within its voluminous words. Maybe someday I'll play with it again with a different perspective and find something new that will help me answer my question with certainty - why is it called Buddha's orphan?
February 15, 2020
This book alternately hooked me and lost me. Most of the characters are great, particularly Nilu. The plotting is excellent in Part 1 and then meanders a bit too slowly in Part 2 (even for me, and I don't need a brisk pace to feel engaged). I think the slowness bugged me because the writing felt like it was anticipating a big reveal, but we know enough about the characters and the way history twistedly repeats itself in this family to pretty much know what was coming from the start of Part 2.
The writing was pretty good - I especially enjoyed the way Upadhyay would often move from one character's perspective to another slowly and seamlessly. He'd start describing a character's thoughts on what another might be experiencing and would end up in that second character's actual experience and thoughts with no clear moment where the switch was flipped.
Some great cultural and historical insight about Nepal here too.
The writing was pretty good - I especially enjoyed the way Upadhyay would often move from one character's perspective to another slowly and seamlessly. He'd start describing a character's thoughts on what another might be experiencing and would end up in that second character's actual experience and thoughts with no clear moment where the switch was flipped.
Some great cultural and historical insight about Nepal here too.
June 10, 2018
Kniha o životě, jaký je.
Jak autor uvádí v předmluvě, chce v knize ukázat to, co mají lidé navzdory odlišnosti kultur a jazyka společné. A toto ukazuje na opravdu kŕasném příběhu celoživotní lásky Rádži a Nilu.
Do zhruba poloviny knihy se seznamujeme s ryze romantickým příběhem, který se opravdu může odehŕavat kdekoliv. Možná o to více má tak čtenář možnost porovnávat odlišný životní styl, který Nepál nabízí. Avšak v druhé polovině knihy ale vystupuje odlišnost kultur hodně i v rozvíjení zápletky příběhu A čtenář se neubrání myšlece, o co by mohli být osudy hrdinů harmoničtější, pokud by se neodehrávali ve společnosti, kde jsou každodenní relitou dohodnuté sňatky a obrovský tlak společnosti chovat se tak, jak se očekává.
Jak autor uvádí v předmluvě, chce v knize ukázat to, co mají lidé navzdory odlišnosti kultur a jazyka společné. A toto ukazuje na opravdu kŕasném příběhu celoživotní lásky Rádži a Nilu.
Do zhruba poloviny knihy se seznamujeme s ryze romantickým příběhem, který se opravdu může odehŕavat kdekoliv. Možná o to více má tak čtenář možnost porovnávat odlišný životní styl, který Nepál nabízí. Avšak v druhé polovině knihy ale vystupuje odlišnost kultur hodně i v rozvíjení zápletky příběhu A čtenář se neubrání myšlece, o co by mohli být osudy hrdinů harmoničtější, pokud by se neodehrávali ve společnosti, kde jsou každodenní relitou dohodnuté sňatky a obrovský tlak společnosti chovat se tak, jak se očekává.
August 28, 2017
Though the setting is interesting, and the plotting ok, the characters are strangely flat. The author doesn't let you in on their interior life much. This was particularly annoying with the character of Raja, as his behavior toward his adopted family members is bizarre, and goes completely unexplained. Perhaps the author believes that an adopted child is incapable of feeling love for his adoptive family? I dunno, but I was disappointed.
August 31, 2020
This decades-long saga, and its underlying love story, were just a bit too Great Expectations to me, especially when the relationship seemed somewhat one-sided. But still, I enjoyed how the push and pull of the two characters revealed the context of Nepal during a time of incredible political and social conflict.
July 20, 2022
I like books like this because they seem to be stories for the sake of the stories themselves, following the course of lives and how they turn out. That said, there wasn't anything in particular that sparked my passion in this book except for the title, which is spectacular, and the fact that there were unexplained jumps forward in time without explanation, which was interesting.
December 10, 2021
This is a story of two young lovers living during the time of Nepal’s political upheavals and all the restraints of Nepalese culture at the time. The story was perhaps too slow paced but mostly enjoyable.
May 17, 2025
many moving vignettes but hard to reconcile
I appreciate the material and many of the efforts to capture the characters. They seemed not-credible or coherent enough to sustain connection or to thread the whole together. However the concepts and care are admirable.
I appreciate the material and many of the efforts to capture the characters. They seemed not-credible or coherent enough to sustain connection or to thread the whole together. However the concepts and care are admirable.
February 16, 2018
I'd like to give this 3.5. Pretty good. Not amazing.
November 16, 2025
a grand experience of emoTional flucTuaTions,,a True poeTic drawing of kaThmandu in words..well wriTTen..
January 3, 2011
NO SPOILERS!!!
This book is finally over. Boy, am I glad! I stuck it out all the way through to the last page. The entire time I have asked myself: Am I annoyed b/c the book description promised so much and delivered so little? The answer is yes! Then I went on and asked myself to judge the book as though I had never read the book description. What do I think of it then? The answer – it bored me. The author makes a point to show that what happens in one generation is repeated in following generations. Maybe this is considered a common way of thinking in Nepal, but to me it just seemed as an unbelievable construction by the author. It did not seem as a portrayal of a Nepali belief.
Look at the title –Buddah's Orphans. Why has the author chosen this title? I believe it is b/c life as it is portrayed both in the book and in Buddhism is one of suffering….. Don't expect much humour, although there are a few touches here and there.
The time line is jumbled. At the end of the novel you learn about events that occurred at the beginning. The story never made me curious for this information. You do get history in bits and patches. Neither did this work for me. The history depicted never had much depth.
I learned practically nothing from this book. The plot line never engaged me. Occasionally I did empathize with Nilu, but that was it. The other characters were just people in story that I briefly encountered. Honestly, I kept thinking I might understand all the words of praise for this book if I just kept looking! I never understood: I feel like I have missed out on something that my head just doesn't comprehend. I am very disappointed.
Through page 102:I am NOT entralled. Not at all. Hopefully this book will improve, but for now it is a real disappointment! The language is just plain ordinary. Never, not even once, have I stopped and thought - "Wow, that was beautifully statedThere are many, many foreign words that I do not understand. That is fine, as long as there is a glossary in the back, but there is no glossary in this book. The story takes place in Kathmandu. but the streets, hospitals, gardens, markets, ponds are all named rather than described. You don't see them; they don't come alive. Neither is there a map, so you cannot keep track of where all the different places are located. All this information lacks relevance and just becomes a burden. The same is true for the numerous people mentioned. Each one is named and their occupation stated. You get too much irrelevant information. Supposedly, this is a love story set against the backdrop of Nepal's political upheavals begining in the 60s. So far the historical facts are m-i-n-i-m-a-l! So far it is a coming-of-age story about a girl and a boy, but it all seems rather ordinary. And the parents are utterly despicable. In fact all the adults are despicable. OK, ther is one teacher who is progressive, enlightened. But hey, all I really know about her at this point is her name!
I get terribly annoyed when I read the book description here at GR. I am very disappointed. I will continue. Maybe it has a slow start. There was no Kirkus review. I should not jump on books that look wonderful.. Chrissie, wait and see what others think first. Maybe it will improve. PLEASE improve.
This book is finally over. Boy, am I glad! I stuck it out all the way through to the last page. The entire time I have asked myself: Am I annoyed b/c the book description promised so much and delivered so little? The answer is yes! Then I went on and asked myself to judge the book as though I had never read the book description. What do I think of it then? The answer – it bored me. The author makes a point to show that what happens in one generation is repeated in following generations. Maybe this is considered a common way of thinking in Nepal, but to me it just seemed as an unbelievable construction by the author. It did not seem as a portrayal of a Nepali belief.
Look at the title –Buddah's Orphans. Why has the author chosen this title? I believe it is b/c life as it is portrayed both in the book and in Buddhism is one of suffering….. Don't expect much humour, although there are a few touches here and there.
The time line is jumbled. At the end of the novel you learn about events that occurred at the beginning. The story never made me curious for this information. You do get history in bits and patches. Neither did this work for me. The history depicted never had much depth.
I learned practically nothing from this book. The plot line never engaged me. Occasionally I did empathize with Nilu, but that was it. The other characters were just people in story that I briefly encountered. Honestly, I kept thinking I might understand all the words of praise for this book if I just kept looking! I never understood: I feel like I have missed out on something that my head just doesn't comprehend. I am very disappointed.
Through page 102:I am NOT entralled. Not at all. Hopefully this book will improve, but for now it is a real disappointment! The language is just plain ordinary. Never, not even once, have I stopped and thought - "Wow, that was beautifully statedThere are many, many foreign words that I do not understand. That is fine, as long as there is a glossary in the back, but there is no glossary in this book. The story takes place in Kathmandu. but the streets, hospitals, gardens, markets, ponds are all named rather than described. You don't see them; they don't come alive. Neither is there a map, so you cannot keep track of where all the different places are located. All this information lacks relevance and just becomes a burden. The same is true for the numerous people mentioned. Each one is named and their occupation stated. You get too much irrelevant information. Supposedly, this is a love story set against the backdrop of Nepal's political upheavals begining in the 60s. So far the historical facts are m-i-n-i-m-a-l! So far it is a coming-of-age story about a girl and a boy, but it all seems rather ordinary. And the parents are utterly despicable. In fact all the adults are despicable. OK, ther is one teacher who is progressive, enlightened. But hey, all I really know about her at this point is her name!
I get terribly annoyed when I read the book description here at GR. I am very disappointed. I will continue. Maybe it has a slow start. There was no Kirkus review. I should not jump on books that look wonderful.. Chrissie, wait and see what others think first. Maybe it will improve. PLEASE improve.
December 22, 2010
The original review is post at Layers of Thought.
A sweet contemporary tale of family love and social changes in Nepal, with a great cover.
About: Set in Nepal during the 1960’s and up until the near present, it’s a love story about two people – Raja and Nilu. Yet it feels like a family saga, with the two main characters telling their life’s tales with all their inevitable ups and downs
With a variety of nationalities living in Nepal, the two main characters are Nepalese and of middle class standing. Having known each other since childhood they fall in love and are linked by their religious belief in past life attachments. It is set during a period when the small country is attempting to move towards a more democratic government, rather than the monarchy which has been in place for centuries, so the backdrop is one of change, ensuing difficulties, complexities, and political and social uprisings.
Thoughts: I enjoyed this sweet novel and liked that it gave me a picture of this special area located at the bottom of the Himalayan mountains. It speaks of the poverty and the racial tensions between the Nepalese and India’s natives – with the lingering and archaic caste system and repression of women; which are still very prevalent. It also covers the complicated political changes which have occurred over the past 60 years.
The two lovers are progressive and have a modern view of life, with Raja actually taking part in some of the political demonstrations. This is not the case with all the characters; many have a very stagnant view of life. We read about the poverty, the lack of amenities which most of us take for granted, and we see that their lives share some similarities with our own in the Western world, although obviously they are very different in so many ways.
I liked that the author has an accessible writing style and enjoyed this literary novel. I would recommend it for anyone interested in a contemporary historical fiction story about the area. I give this novel 3 stars. It was a very readable book, and the cover is so simple, yet elegant, and gives insight into the culture which is not readily apparent.
A sweet contemporary tale of family love and social changes in Nepal, with a great cover.
About: Set in Nepal during the 1960’s and up until the near present, it’s a love story about two people – Raja and Nilu. Yet it feels like a family saga, with the two main characters telling their life’s tales with all their inevitable ups and downs
With a variety of nationalities living in Nepal, the two main characters are Nepalese and of middle class standing. Having known each other since childhood they fall in love and are linked by their religious belief in past life attachments. It is set during a period when the small country is attempting to move towards a more democratic government, rather than the monarchy which has been in place for centuries, so the backdrop is one of change, ensuing difficulties, complexities, and political and social uprisings.
Thoughts: I enjoyed this sweet novel and liked that it gave me a picture of this special area located at the bottom of the Himalayan mountains. It speaks of the poverty and the racial tensions between the Nepalese and India’s natives – with the lingering and archaic caste system and repression of women; which are still very prevalent. It also covers the complicated political changes which have occurred over the past 60 years.
The two lovers are progressive and have a modern view of life, with Raja actually taking part in some of the political demonstrations. This is not the case with all the characters; many have a very stagnant view of life. We read about the poverty, the lack of amenities which most of us take for granted, and we see that their lives share some similarities with our own in the Western world, although obviously they are very different in so many ways.
I liked that the author has an accessible writing style and enjoyed this literary novel. I would recommend it for anyone interested in a contemporary historical fiction story about the area. I give this novel 3 stars. It was a very readable book, and the cover is so simple, yet elegant, and gives insight into the culture which is not readily apparent.
September 6, 2010
I looked forward to reading Samrat Upadhyay's sophomore novel, Buddha's Orphans. His first novel, The Guru of Love was one of my favorite books when it came out in 2003. He has also published two collections of short stories: Arresting God in Kathmandu in 2001 and The Royal Ghosts in 2006 but I am not a fan of that form so I passed on those and complained that they were not novels.
Buddha's Orphans follows a pair of lovers through four generations of unsettling, chaotic Nepalese history. Abandoned as a baby, Raja's young life is a pillar to post affair taking him in short time through 3 separate families each in desperate straits from either economic or psychological disturbances. Early in his life Raja meets his one true love, Nilu. Despite an alcoholic parent, Nilu's life is idyllic compared to Raja's struggles for security. Nilu's family is stable and comfortable enough to assure her a measure of happiness in life. It's not giving anything away to let you know that the two marry. After that? Read it and find out for yourself.
There is no doubt that Upadhyay is a gifted novelist. In Orphans he takes you from the simplest tranquil moments to heartbreaking personal and political upheaval in a few quick words. There are a couple plot coincidences that make the story move along neatly but those are minor quibbles. The exotic locations and culture (for this American reader) have an effulgence even when they are hostile to the characters that makes me want to read more of Upadhyay's writing---but still not his short stories, sorry. However this novel isn't just a mishmash of it happens everywhere story line inserted into a unique location. Buddaha's Orphans is a life and family affirming story beautifully told.
Buddha's Orphans follows a pair of lovers through four generations of unsettling, chaotic Nepalese history. Abandoned as a baby, Raja's young life is a pillar to post affair taking him in short time through 3 separate families each in desperate straits from either economic or psychological disturbances. Early in his life Raja meets his one true love, Nilu. Despite an alcoholic parent, Nilu's life is idyllic compared to Raja's struggles for security. Nilu's family is stable and comfortable enough to assure her a measure of happiness in life. It's not giving anything away to let you know that the two marry. After that? Read it and find out for yourself.
There is no doubt that Upadhyay is a gifted novelist. In Orphans he takes you from the simplest tranquil moments to heartbreaking personal and political upheaval in a few quick words. There are a couple plot coincidences that make the story move along neatly but those are minor quibbles. The exotic locations and culture (for this American reader) have an effulgence even when they are hostile to the characters that makes me want to read more of Upadhyay's writing---but still not his short stories, sorry. However this novel isn't just a mishmash of it happens everywhere story line inserted into a unique location. Buddaha's Orphans is a life and family affirming story beautifully told.
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