The Lives of Others

Express News Service

Three lives intersect in this sweeping saga, and the trials and tribulations of those lives are mirrored in India’s struggle for independence. The main characters, Peter, Indraneel and Olivia, sharply drawn in this historical drama, are shown to be very different people. Peter, who is an Anglo-Indian orphan, is trying to escape the terrible privations and abuse of a missionary school. His path crosses that of Indraneel,a passionate revolutionary, completely immersed in the wave of nationalism sweeping the country. The two men go on to form an unlikely friendship. Olivia, the hapless daughter of a British officer, also forms a tenuous bond with the two men.

Circumstances dictate the course of their lives. Considered an outsider by both the British and Indians, Peter is confused about his identity and strives to belong. The struggle makes him something of an opportunist. He seizes whatever chances he gets to make a living; if this means working for the British, he is game. He feels no loyalty to any cause save his. It is only when he is able to settle into a career he loves and start a family that he becomes rooted. The opportunist then turns into a patriot.

Peter’s choices may be governed by a lack of options, but that is not the case for Indraneel. He is clear from a young age that he wants to free India from the yoke of British rule. As an activist, he takes up arms, which results in him being on the run from the British. It eventually leads to imprisonment and torture in the Andaman’s Cellular Jail. There is still more adventure and suffering in store for him, including an unpleasant stint in the INA and a daring escape from them. His life experiences are hard, and all of this changes him radically. Later on, joining a political party gives him a chance to reinvent himself. Of course, the passion and fire in believing and fighting for a cause is doused, and Indraneel, the revolutionary, is transformed into a self-serving politician.

Olivia is marked internally by the loss of her mother and brother, and externally, by a pockmarked face. Her life is determined by decisions made by her father. She attempts to break free of his shackles and carve something out for herself that leads to a friendship and a relationship. But, unlike Peter and Indraneel, she is unable to shape the course of her life. It is a dreary, lonely existence with little solace.

There is a neat meld of the political events and the personal lives of the protagonists in the book, which is divided into four parts. The author gives a historical overview before each segment. Podder’s sound research pays rich dividends in how she describes the different places as well as the keen period details. The pace is kept brisk, and though this makes for absorbing reading, a little breathing space in some stretches would have served it better.

Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp

<br /> Three lives intersect in this sweeping saga, and the trials and tribulations of those lives are mirrored in India’s struggle for independence. The main characters, Peter, Indraneel and Olivia, sharply drawn in this historical drama, are shown to be very different people. Peter, who is an Anglo-Indian orphan, is trying to escape the terrible privations and abuse of a missionary school. His path crosses that of Indraneel,a passionate revolutionary, completely immersed in the wave of nationalism sweeping the country. The two men go on to form an unlikely friendship. Olivia, the hapless daughter of a British officer, also forms a tenuous bond with the two men.</p> <p>Circumstances dictate the course of their lives. Considered an outsider by both the British and Indians, Peter is confused about his identity and strives to belong. The struggle makes him something of an opportunist. He seizes whatever chances he gets to make a living; if this means working for the British, he is game. He feels no loyalty to any cause save his. It is only when he is able to settle into a career he loves and start a family that he becomes rooted. The opportunist then turns into a patriot.</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.81 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad200503 " id="quads-ad200503" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.81 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="1823845571"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Peter’s choices may be governed by a lack of options, but that is not the case for Indraneel. He is clear from a young age that he wants to free India from the yoke of British rule. As an activist, he takes up arms, which results in him being on the run from the British. It eventually leads to imprisonment and torture in the Andaman’s Cellular Jail. There is still more adventure and suffering in store for him, including an unpleasant stint in the INA and a daring escape from them. His life experiences are hard, and all of this changes him radically. Later on, joining a political party gives him a chance to reinvent himself. Of course, the passion and fire in believing and fighting for a cause is doused, and Indraneel, the revolutionary, is transformed into a self-serving politician.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });</p> <p>Olivia is marked internally by the loss of her mother and brother, and externally, by a pockmarked face. Her life is determined by decisions made by her father. She attempts to break free of his shackles and carve something out for herself that leads to a friendship and a relationship. But, unlike Peter and Indraneel, she is unable to shape the course of her life. It is a dreary, lonely existence with little solace.</p> <p>There is a neat meld of the political events and the personal lives of the protagonists in the book, which is divided into four parts. The author gives a historical overview before each segment. Podder’s sound research pays rich dividends in how she describes the different places as well as the keen period details. The pace is kept brisk, and though this makes for absorbing reading, a little breathing space in some stretches would have served it better. Follow The New Indian Express channel on WhatsApp<br />