The Hotel at the End of the World

I have the rare opportunity of picking up this book, perhaps out of my great interest for Indian authors. 'The Hotel at the End of the World' happens to be Parismita Singh's debut novel, and she brings in a variety of styles into this book. I believe that this happens because of her background as a writer, artist, and even a film maker.

This may seem to be a comic book or even a graphic novel, but I believe that the author wants to utilize art as a tool for narrating a story. She brings in a diverse range of traditions, politics, as well as history to construct this novel using a variety of art forms. The writer also impresses with her graphic detailing and sketches that make the characters in the book come alive.

I really liked the writer's initiative to take up the North East of India as a setting for this book. It's a fantastic tale about a sort of hotel somewhere in the North East that serves food and alcohol to weary travelers. Run by Pema along with her husband, not many travelers visit this place to enjoy the pork curry and rice that is served here, due to its remote location.

I enjoyed reading the book and also the portrayal of the weary and home sick Japanese soldiers in the north eastern hills of Manipur and Nagaland during WW II.

The description of the almost blind man and a legless man Kona and Kuja on their journey to China and stumbling on the trail of the floating island is really an out of the ordinary read.

Also, the writer's upbringing in the North East, actually in Assam, has seen its influence in writing this book. As a debut author, her narrative is fresh and flowing. However, it would have been really good it this book would have been a full-blown graphic novel rather than its present avatar.

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