The Question is why?

Questions of Travel


Examinations of the parallel lives of Ravi and Laura occupy most of the book.

Laura is a motherless child, brought up by her great aunt. Divorced from her older brothers who spurn her presence. She floats in and out of jobs, countries and relationships with no real purpose.

Ravi’s life is thrown into disarray after the murder of his wife and son. This event seems to occur without any context of how, why or by whom? He then takes flight in fear of his life, but who is he being pursued by? There are vague mentions of his wife being affiliated with a political party, but no details.

Ravi and Laura’s lives coincide when they both work in the same publishing firm. There is something about writers writing about being a writer that seems quite insular. The perception given is that it is no picnic.

The themes throughout centre on observational commentary about the lives of others. Travellers, modern life, family schisms and lonely people.

In fact the book could easily have been titled the loneliness of the long distance writer/refugee.

Does the reader feel engaged by these characters? I felt like I was just floating along the top of this.

Because the observations are so apt and close to the bone, one is enthralled while sensing that there is in fact, not a lot of substance to the whole thing.

Ravi and Laura stumble on in various stages of despair and detachment. Detached from a family and country lost in Ravi’s case. Plus for Laura a bleak detachment from family, close relationships and fulfilment.

There is a sense of bleakness to this tale. There is no sugar coating or feel good prose. I am nearing the end of the book and no wiser to what really motivates either of these characters.