The Alchemy of Desire

No, not writing a review on this book by Tarun Tejpal. ( Actually din't know that he wrote fiction, thought he was only interested in creating tehelka :) ). Just penning down my thoughts on this book. Anyways, chanced upon this book at my friend's place.Wasn't sure if I would be able to read the book till the end ( can't read a book if the first fifty pages don't interest me), but I did read it and that too quite eagerly.Imagery, the first thing which comes to my mind about this book. The author has done full jsutice to the places he has described be it the lanes of Chandigarh, or the small house in Delhi or the place near Nainital, where a large chunk of the story takes place. While reading the book, you can actually picture every thing and for me if a writer is able to make the reader visualise, he/she has done a great job.
A couple madly in love with each other, share similar interests, not materialistic,are happy in any situation, any condition as long as they have each other.The husband dotes on his wife , the desire still intact even after so many years of courtship and later, marriage. What keeps the relationship going on , rather keeps it alive and sizzling is this desire.
A small inheritance takes the couple to the mountains where they buy a very old house which was built during the British rule. The house , however, needs some renovation. Although the caretaker of the house strongly objects to this, the renovation still takes place. The husband finds a bundle of books when the wall is brought down. The writings in these books make the couplegrow apart.
The reader is taken to the pre-independence era where the rest of the story takes place. Another love story, a white woman falling in love with a homosexual Indian prince and coming with him to his country, and falling in love yet again with his slave. The books are the entries written by this woman. The husband reads this entries and is possessed by the era, is taken over by the desire for the woman, destroying everything which was real in his life. He sees her everywhere, his wife tries hard to win him back, and leaves eventually. His madness takes him to America to find the descendant of this woman, and when he finally does, he is not relieved, he is shaken from his reverie ( nightmare??)and gets back to his country, his place, his house, his wife.
The alchemy of desire,can make you do strange things, things which you don't think you are capable of doing.
If a book tells you many stories at the same time and is still able to retain your attention and not confuse you, then you know , you are reading a good book. Also, the tiniest of details if mentioned, no doubt make it a lengthy book, but it's worth it. :)