Description
Book SynopsisAn inventive, ambitious interpretation of Don Quixote for our times, Mr Iyer Goes To War is a playful, profound adventure heralding a bold new voice in Indian fictionDispatched to a home in the sacred city of Varanasi, Lalgudi Iyer spends his days immersed in scripture. When an accident leaves him with concussion, he receives a vision of his past incarnation - he was the mythological warrior Bhima, sent from the heavens to destroy evil. Convinced of his need to continue Bhima''s mission and revive the noble principles of the Mahabharata, Iyer embarks on an epic adventure down the sacred Ganges with the help of his trust companion Bencho, the undertaker. His attempts at restoring order to the world - and winning the heart of the half-beautiful but oblivious widow Damayanti - are hampered only by his complete detachment from the reality of contemporary India.
Mr Iyer Goes to War introduces a bold, witty new voice of Indian fiction in this playful and profound
Trade ReviewA clever reworking of
Don Quixote ... Much haphazard hilarity ... Weaves a nifty path between mayhem and genuine emotion. A satisfying and touching ending * Daily Mail *
By reimagining the story of the errant knight Don Quixote in contemporary India, Ryan Lobo has created a touching, hilarious and insightful meditation on the ills of contemporary society * Hannah Rothschild, bestselling author of The Improbability of Love *
A wicked, scuttling jaunt of a book filled with unforgettable characters ... Utterly bonkers * Tishani Doshi, author of The Pleasure Seekers *
A compelling, humane story … Filled with witty characters, easy humour, insightful quotes and most importantly, with a protagonist who’s like a classic Shakespearean fool – wisest of all ... A delightful read. Unputdownable * Asian Age *
An audacious Cervantes-inspired romp across a nation that might just be in need of a concussed hero * Jerry Pinto, author of Em and the Big Hoom *
I finished it in one sitting! It has a great climax and is really well written * Shrabani Basu, author of For King and Another Country *
Transplanting Cervantes’ knight into a new cultural context with its own distinct tradition of honour and holiness is a clever idea, acknowledging the perennial follies of daft old men while commenting on present-day India * Sunday Herald *
In a nod to
Don Quixote, Lobo’s debut plays with imagination and humour as his protagonist embarks on an adventure of a lifetime * Buzzfeed *
Splendid … A picaresque adventure … Lobo’s novel vibrates with more energy than the original, and modern readers will probably more naturally root for the indefatigable Iyer … Manages to combine page-turning adventure with philosophical inquiry about regeneration and courage, all in a world rich with modern India’s beauty and chaos. Lobo may have taken inspiration from the greats, but he has created something brilliant in its own right * Washington Independent Review of Books *
