The Solitude of a Shadow

When the nameless protagonist of The Solitude of a Shadow unexpectedly encounters Karunakaran after nearly three decades he is overwhelmed by a hitherto-dormant urge to wreak vengeance upon this man who had molested his sister and abused him all those years ago.Devibharathi's novel - his first to be translated into English describes with painful clarity the poverty and isolation of obsession while life flourishes all around the protagonist. Written in his trademark sharp clear-eyed style it is also an astutely observed narrative of our society and its overlapping hierarchies of caste wealth and power.Superbly translated by N. Kalyan Raman The Solitude of a Shadow shows us how treacherous and illusory the hunger for revenge can become - with unavoidable tragic consequences.