The Edge of Another World by Pepita Seth - A Review

A perfect delicacy results not only from its ingredients, but there are multiple other components required for it to come out really well and be liked by everyone - like the quality and the quantity of ingredients and the time for which it must be cooked. Pepita Seth presents her delicacy 'The Edge of Another World' with such a perfection. She claims that this novel was conceived in 1989 while on her trip to Portugal. And, the author details mentioned in the book says that she was inspired by her great grandfather's diary to visit India, settle here at Thrissur and research on Keralite culture, festivals and rituals like Theyyam. And, how beautiful the result is when Seth connected and weaved all these things together! Splendid!

The Edge of Another World by Pepita Seth - Front Cover

If I summarize this book, it will be "Three women, Two countries, One common destination". The stories of Sophie, Inês & Thattakutty and the association with Malabar is presented in an exemplary manner that will take you through a rollercoaster of emotions. Sophie in order to free her mind from her mother's demise visits Portugal and spends time in Évora, Portugal where she finds a friend in Satishan from Malabar. The time they spend in the Cromeleque exploring the frescoes bring them closer when Satishan invites her to Malabar. Sophie's mother leaves her a letter with a question that makes her travel all the way to Malabar to find her origins. Inês who was born during an earthquake in Portugal grows up in Joaquina's house. When Leonor, Joaquina's daughter is sent to convent, Inês also finds herself in the convent and suddenly everything changes in her life. She also yearns to find her roots. And lastly, Thattakutty's story, where Sophie's and Inês' life gets connected and completed in Malabar, gives the novel a beautiful finish.

I might have simplified the whole novel in less than five sentences, the reason being I do not want to leave spoilers! Instead, I want to inspire you more by taking this opportunity in my review to rather focus on the peculiar stuff that adds beauty and shines as gems, in this novel.

Those who had the opportunity to enjoy the Tamil classic novel "Ponniyin Selvan" by Kalki will be able to appreciate the minute details he sprinkled throughout the book while explaining the nature, the flow of the river Cauvery, the palaces etc., In Sophie's story, Seth brings the beauty of the frescoes & murals at the Cromeleque similarly in a splendiferous manner. I felt helpless and found myself inside the Cromeleque seeing the murals and frescoes and The Virgin through Sophie's eyes. Seth makes us 'wow' in almost every page in this book. For example, how many of us really know 'Sophie' is the Goddess of Wisdom in Greece? When Seth reveals this fact and connects it with Saraswathi, the Indian Goddess through Satishan, it only gets more interesting as to how in different ways a beautiful connection can be made in a classic like this one. When Sophie comes to India, the Bhagavati and the festival is presented in a delightful way that you will feel yourself walking on the streets of Malabar and attending the festivals and the Theyyam rituals. Such is the effect of the book that my dreams that night when I read this was full of Theyyam. When you finish Sophie's story, you will also be able to relate the front and back cover pictures that the author has herself photographed.

Through Inês' story, Seth presents us with the technicalities of the convent life. The reader will be left amazed with the explanation of each hour in the convent and its relation to what they do in the convent - Lauds, Prime, Terce, Grace, Vespers etc. I was really awed by the way the author presents how the painter paints Inês as the Virgin. As Inês embark on a journey that will altogether change her life and find her roots, our mind joins her in her journey.

And finally, Thattakutty's story though short one, brings out strong emotions. It brings out the climax and connects with the core of Malabar and the other two, Sophie & Inês. There is more than just Malabar that connects these three women. Is it the spiritual, or spectral? I think here is where finding one's root or discovering self helps.

This book was unputdownable from the moment the courier boy delivered it to me. When I finished the book, I kvelled. I am from Tamil Nadu, living in Bangalore, and I know my grandparents lived for a brief time in Kerala. I am sure my great grandparents or ancestors would have been from Malabar and hence this book became close to my heart.

The reader will certainly be able to appreciate the research that Seth has put in, that has resulted in a classic called 'The Edge of Another World'.

You can order this book from:

• http://www.flipkart.com/edge-another-world-english/p/itme9zregtmtvrb4?pid=9789385288371
• http://www.amazon.in/The-Edge-Another-World-Novel/dp/9385288377
• http://speakingtigerbooks.com/books/the-edge-of-another-world/

There is a ritual in India where you take your kids to temples to feed for the first time, and for my two kids, we went to Guruvayur which is close to our heart and we make sure we visit this temple at least once every year. Inspired by this novel and the way Seth has presented, I hope before I visit the next time, I will read Seth's "Heaven on Earth: The Universe of Kerala's Guruvayur Temple".