Book 185: Sikkim (English) – The Fragile Thread of Hope (Pankaj GIRI)

The sight of the landscape was breathtaking. It seemed as if they had gained the highest peak of Gangtok. the range of mountains visible towards the west felt insignificant. The farther away the mountains were, the more their colour seemed to drop from green to blue and then lighter shades of blue. Dark clouds looming above the hilly horizon were on the verge of swallowing the setting sun. Droopy branches of cherry blossom trees hung over the narrow pathway like a natural roof. A small Tibetan-style shed stood overlooking the string of cowering hills. She found herself walking towards it. She clung to the cemented railing and took in the spectacular panorama. A chilly gust flirted with her hair.

This is a novel with a series of disasters and romances in two families, linked by a fragile thread of hope. From childhood, Soham blames himself for his brother’s death. Fiona has survived a horrible childhood to find her lover. But both are hit by tragedy (the story begins with a dramatic car crash) and it is an immense struggle for both of them to recover and love again..

Although it is set in Gangtok, Sikkim (and in Bangalore), it is a novel of the Nepalese community there and I could have wished to learn a bit more about Sikkim. (The majority of people in Sikkim are now Nepalis). Maybe Sikkimese culture is not so prominent since the Indian takeover? The characters are generally addressed by their Nepali kinship terms rather than their names, which was a bit hard for me to remember. The skipping back and forth through time was initially a little confusing (as it often is for me).

The novel explores the themes of coincidence, love, guilt, dealing with trauma, alcoholism, religion, and above all, hope. Hope is what makes us survive, but optimism is what makes us humans progress. While I wouldn’t call it a “literary masterpiece” (as does one of the quotes in the back cover blurb), it was an enjoyable read.

Giri, Pankaj, The Fragile Thread of Hope, New Delhi, Fingerprint Passion, 2019, ISBN 978 93 8956 720 5