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annalovesbooks's review against another edition
5.0
I usually don't assign value to books in stars, but seeing this one have such a low rating broke my heart, so I'm making an exception.
It's not often that I encounter a book with storytelling this masterful, prose so vivid and science! God, I loved this story so much, beautifully done.
It's not often that I encounter a book with storytelling this masterful, prose so vivid and science! God, I loved this story so much, beautifully done.
shrutizunje's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
informative
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
angryeditor's review against another edition
3.0
I don't even know how to rate this. It is like a fever dream. Which is exactly what it promises.
paigehf's review against another edition
dark
informative
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gore, Fire/Fire injury, and Pandemic/Epidemic
Minor: Sexual content and Colonisation
lucybreit's review against another edition
3.5
Fascinated at this book’s ability to swing wildly between chapters of absolute nothing and chapters in which entire medical textbooks are being crammed in my head. Can someone PLEASE explain the ending to me does he live in the computer now why did we spend so long talking about mosquitoes when they weren’t even the point …..
skinnylatte's review against another edition
Amitav Ghosh's surprising take on a science thriller: reasonably good, quick read, engaging. Intertwines present day New York with present day Kolkata and imperial British Calcutta, at the time of furious races in imperial scientific discovery. Only Amitav Ghosh could so skillfully maneuver between these disparate periods, characters and places. It's bacteriology on one page and secret cults and deities on the same page.
cseibs's review against another edition
2.0
There's something good in there but it is lost in a bizarre story structure.
lavoiture's review against another edition
4.0
I learned that syphillis can kill malaria. Who knew? Now, I don't know if that's actually a true fact, but I believe what I read. Pretty cool book--it makes malaria and science and stuff interesting.
vigneswara_prabhu's review against another edition
4.0
In most Colonial era fiction which I’ve read, Indians are usually portrayed as belonging to one of two categories. Either the heroic freedom fighters who engage the British in a symbolic but futile struggle, and martyr themselves. Or, the subservient serfs, who excel in cronyism and would sell their own mother for praise from their White masters. Sort of pigeon holed both.
Hence it was a breath of fresh air to see a tale, where the snooty, bigoted overlords are being led by the nose by those whom they consider virtually nonexistent. The Calcutta Chromosome follows a narrative across multiple time periods and characters; all of whom have brushes with a mysterious secretive cult centered around a seemingly immortal demigod Mangala didi.
A tale bordering on convoluted, science fiction mystery, with a pervasive colonial presence and smudges of the supernatural. And like any good mystery novel, it has peppered throughout its narrative, clues and insight which become relevant on the second or third reading, and give you that ‘AHA’ moment.
The first half of the novel builds up a fascinating world stopped in superstition and intrigue; not in some dark alley in New England or Romania, but among the old cityscape of Calcutta where everything is vintage, unique and probably has been standing since the times of the British. Perhaps that is why the all too fast wrap up in the climax was a let down. Ghosh tries to do some things where he gives up bits and pieces and leaves us with an ambiguous ending. It’s daring in itself, telling the reader to figure out what might’ve transpired. But also unsatisfying.
But credit where it’s due; Amitav Ghosh has constructed an engaging narrative spanning around multiple time periods and characters and has managed to keep readers in anticipation as to what will come next. I could barely contain myself as I ran through one narrative to the next, trying to pick up breadcrumbs and forming conjectures of my own. Which again, was undone by the ambiguous ending.
Synopsis:
Narrative 1: In an indeterminate pre-dystopian future, post 1995, Antar, a New York based Systems analyst working on cataloguing ‘old world’ artifacts with the help of his AI computer AVA, stumbles across an old ID. It belonged to his former colleague Murughan, who while visiting Calcutta in 1995 was reported missing. Intrigued, Antar attempts to follow the trail of the artifact, as well as reminisce of their brief acquaintance to determine the circumstances around his disappearance.
Narrative 2: 1995 Calcutta; L. Murughan, a self proclaimed authority on the life of Malaria researcher and Nobel laureate Ronald ross, is on a personal quest. His purpose, to visit the site of Ross’s research, and investigate some discrepancies he found in regards to the research surrounding the discovery of the Malaria parasite, which earned Ross his Nobel.
Joining him are Sonali Das & Urmila Roy, two journalists following their own investigations and whose paths get crossed.
Narrative 3: Close of the 19th Century, precisely 1894-1898, the period when Ross’s Malaria research took place. We learn of what happened around this time, with several British researchers, colleagues of Ross, all of whom had some brushes with a secretive shadow organization which had some related agenda surrounding their research. Most of this narrative is told as anecdotes, journal entries, letters of correspondence, and some good ol conjecture.
Murughan, who is obsessed with Ronald Ross and discovery of the Malaria parasite, notes some discrepancies surrounding how Ross came to his acclaimed accomplishment. Pouring over historical records and communications between Ross and his contemporaries, he comes to the conclusion that Ronald was in fact guided to his great breakthrough, like a donkey with a carrot, by a shadowy cult. Their aim was to use Ross to make public knowledge of the disease, and through it further their own agenda.
Once in Calcutta, Murughan meets Sonali & Urmila, who in time give insights from their own research. From these as well as other clues he finds over the course of his investigation, Murughan inches closer to the true nature of the cult and what they intend to do with their knowledge of the Malaria disease.
Meanwhile in an undated future, Murughan has gone missing, and his former colleague Antar, thorough a freak circumstance is in a position to investigate the circumstances around his disappearance.
In 19th century colonial India, a few British nationals chance upon something which doesn’t quite fit in regards to some of their Indian servants. And their curiosity oftentimes leads them to mortal harm.
Whichever the Narrative, the overreaching presence of the Cult is felt to all those involved. In the form of the seemingly immortal Lutchman/ Lakhaan, who pops up across time in different places, under different personas. In the absence of concrete proof, one is left to ponder as to what nefarious endgame they are prepping towards.
Narrative and themes explored
Taking back power from the colonial Overlords
One third of the narrative, anecdotal in style, occurs at the end of the 19th century, British India, at the height of their power. Mr. Gandhi was still dabbling in Civil rights protests in S. Africa, the failed Indian Mutiny of 1857 was long past and done with. Britishers were the uncrowned royalty to about 240 million people.
So it is mirthful to read about how, a bunch of lowly Indian cult members, dabbling in counter scientific methods were able to lead around the British researchers and civil servants involved quite magnificently that, no one even knew there was anything wrong. The Britishers, bigoted and blind in their superiority felt themselves the masters of their own life, and barely took notice of the crowds of servants who busied around them. Making themselves prime subjects to be exploited.
In many ways, Ghosh is casting a narrative where the oppressed hold power over their oppressors. Mangala and Lakhaan, the central figures of the Cult of Silence are assigned to the lower castes, and are generally looked down upon. But in fact, Mangala was one who possessed a genius level intellect, and despite being born into less than optimal surroundings, managed to exploit her masters to become a demigod-like entity to the cult.
The Cult of Silence/ Society of Counter-science
The cult, as it would come to be called, was formed at around the time of Ross’s acclaimed discovery. Mangala, a genius level intellect & Lakhaan, who Ross’s predecessor Cunningham had picked up from the streets and trained to become his assistant soon took over the research behind his back. She came to the discovery as to the nature of the disease much before the Britishers.
She also devised a version of the Wagner-Jauregg method, using Malaria to cure Syphilis paresis. Now, any normal researcher, upon such discovery would rush to get published. But Mangala, untrained in the methodology of western science, saw an all different endgame.
In how the Malaria parasite rewired the brains of the patient to match the donor, she found a method of transferring consciousness. Rather one for reincarnation and eventually Immortality.
This is what Mangala and her followers have been working towards, for over a century from the shadows. But, in order to achieve this they have to play the long game. For one of the tenets of the Cult of Silence is in its name. They believe in the doctrine ‘To know something is to change it’. If enough people know of something, that thing’s nature will change, and you cease to know it, only its history.
Which forces them to forego direct action and leave clues and eventualities, which in time can bloom into the results that they wish for. These eventualities are what led to Murughan’ s crusade, Sonali & Urmila’s investigations and even Antar’s enquiry into Murughan’ s disappearance.
Long game indeed. The cult’s machinations stretch from the 19th century to future New York, and in some cases is still going on. After all, for beings who have virtually all the time in the world, schemes which span across a few centuries are at most inconveniences.
The Cult’s doctrine
The cult of Silence or the Society of Counter-science, with Mangala-Didi as its demigod leader, believe in the doctrine of ‘To know something is to change it’. Where modern science believes in transparency and sharing all new knowledge, the cult tries to compartmentalize and conceal knowledge, preferring to direct the course of events from the shadows to lead to certain eventualities. Being virtually immortal, they can afford to keep trying over time periods where normal humans cannot.
They perform their experiments, by choosing certain individuals who satisfy some unknown criteria. They then presumably influence the progression of that individual’s life and direct it to a course of their choosing. By giving them clues and half knowledge they made these people, who know nothing of their puppet masters to lead to certain eventualities.
Phulboni & the Ghost train
There is a subplot, towards the end of the novel, involving the writer Phulboni and his run-in with the cult at its presumed home base in Renupur. In 1933, a young Phulboni was assigned to the rural village of Renupur by his company to do some fieldwork.
Renupur is as deserted as a place as they come, barely paved clearing and an unused signal room, with one bow legged stationmaster. He doesn’t even get to the village, forced to spend the night in the signal room, due to the roads flooded during the monsoon. During the night, he presumably has a run in with Lakhaan, at least the 1933 incarnation of him, which almost leads to his death.
There is an unclear part in the scene where he is chasing a Red Lantern in a pouring night and is almost run over by a train that shouldn’t have been running at that time. When he wakes up in the morning, being knocked unconscious, he is again almost run over by a train, this one real, and the one that had brought him to Renupur.
Many readers had complained as to what was the need for inserting this subplot which had no bearing on the main story. And the conflicting narrative where he is almost run over by two trains. Compounded by how the train guard informs Phulboni that the station had no master for over 30 years.
This can all be explained, with some lateral thinking if one were to follow the narrative. Phulboni arrives and meets the Station master (presumably). Famished, he gups down the food prepared for him by the man. It could’ve been that Phulboni was drugged at this instance, and placed on the railway track. His midnight run-in with the train, might’ve been a hallucination in his drugged state.
When he woke, like dejavu, he was again almost run over by a train, this time real. The parallels of the visions and events might have caused some confusion in his mind, in regards to what had actually happened.
The interconnectivity across time and geography
Towards the end of the novel, even though the ending is left to your own interpretation, one thing is clear. Most, if not all the characters introduced didn’t just stumble across the mystery of the Calcutta chromosome. They were pieces in a narrative which had been forming for over 100 years.
Antar, Murughan, Sonali, Urmila, all the main characters have had direct or indirect run-ins with the cults or their machinations. For e.g. Antar and Murughan are survivors of malaria & Syphilis, two central diseases which form part of the plot. And the circumstances which lead to them being afflicted might not have been an entire coincidence.
Reincarnation and Para kaya Pravesha (transfer of consciousness across bodies)
Another theme explored is the influence of religion, culture and superstition on science. Mangala, as mentioned, discovered the method for curing Syphilis using malaria much earlier than the western world. And she used this as means of gaining cult members and consolidating her status as a demigod.
Moreover, when she first formulated the method, using blood from Malaria patients, stored in Pigeons (living test tubes) and infecting Syphilic patients with it, she noticed some unexpected side effects. The personality of the patient was altered to resemble that of the donor.
Now, a western researcher would’ve come to the conclusion that, infecting the brain with the Malaria parasite causes alterations in the cerebral circuits and this can contribute to personality changes. They might even make a research paper out of it.
However Mangala, who likely grew up influenced by the Hindu religious practices and knew of its lore, saw this and attributed it to the ancient Vedic Siddhi popularly known in folklore as Para kaya Pravesha, literally taking over the body of another.
For Mangala who believed in the eternal soul and reincarnation, who learned quotes from scriptures such as ‘soul is eternal’ & ‘Your soul discards the mortal flesh for a new one, much like one discards clothes’ this was an opportunity to rediscover what the sages had prescribed.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय: |
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || 20||
Bhagavath gita, Chapter 2.20
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि |
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा
न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही || 22||
Bhagavath Gita, Chapter 2.22
In this method she saw a means by which the personality of one person can be made to transfer and take over that of another. More clearly, she saw a method by which a person’s consciousness can pass onto another body and continue to live there, a form of pseudo immortality. So her end goal was to perfect this method of long life.
This again paints the divide between the Western methodology of medicine and scientific research, and the traditional Indian sciences which run hand in hand to the religious practices.
Hence it was a breath of fresh air to see a tale, where the snooty, bigoted overlords are being led by the nose by those whom they consider virtually nonexistent. The Calcutta Chromosome follows a narrative across multiple time periods and characters; all of whom have brushes with a mysterious secretive cult centered around a seemingly immortal demigod Mangala didi.
A tale bordering on convoluted, science fiction mystery, with a pervasive colonial presence and smudges of the supernatural. And like any good mystery novel, it has peppered throughout its narrative, clues and insight which become relevant on the second or third reading, and give you that ‘AHA’ moment.
The first half of the novel builds up a fascinating world stopped in superstition and intrigue; not in some dark alley in New England or Romania, but among the old cityscape of Calcutta where everything is vintage, unique and probably has been standing since the times of the British. Perhaps that is why the all too fast wrap up in the climax was a let down. Ghosh tries to do some things where he gives up bits and pieces and leaves us with an ambiguous ending. It’s daring in itself, telling the reader to figure out what might’ve transpired. But also unsatisfying.
But credit where it’s due; Amitav Ghosh has constructed an engaging narrative spanning around multiple time periods and characters and has managed to keep readers in anticipation as to what will come next. I could barely contain myself as I ran through one narrative to the next, trying to pick up breadcrumbs and forming conjectures of my own. Which again, was undone by the ambiguous ending.
Synopsis:
Narrative 1: In an indeterminate pre-dystopian future, post 1995, Antar, a New York based Systems analyst working on cataloguing ‘old world’ artifacts with the help of his AI computer AVA, stumbles across an old ID. It belonged to his former colleague Murughan, who while visiting Calcutta in 1995 was reported missing. Intrigued, Antar attempts to follow the trail of the artifact, as well as reminisce of their brief acquaintance to determine the circumstances around his disappearance.
Narrative 2: 1995 Calcutta; L. Murughan, a self proclaimed authority on the life of Malaria researcher and Nobel laureate Ronald ross, is on a personal quest. His purpose, to visit the site of Ross’s research, and investigate some discrepancies he found in regards to the research surrounding the discovery of the Malaria parasite, which earned Ross his Nobel.
Joining him are Sonali Das & Urmila Roy, two journalists following their own investigations and whose paths get crossed.
Narrative 3: Close of the 19th Century, precisely 1894-1898, the period when Ross’s Malaria research took place. We learn of what happened around this time, with several British researchers, colleagues of Ross, all of whom had some brushes with a secretive shadow organization which had some related agenda surrounding their research. Most of this narrative is told as anecdotes, journal entries, letters of correspondence, and some good ol conjecture.
Murughan, who is obsessed with Ronald Ross and discovery of the Malaria parasite, notes some discrepancies surrounding how Ross came to his acclaimed accomplishment. Pouring over historical records and communications between Ross and his contemporaries, he comes to the conclusion that Ronald was in fact guided to his great breakthrough, like a donkey with a carrot, by a shadowy cult. Their aim was to use Ross to make public knowledge of the disease, and through it further their own agenda.
Once in Calcutta, Murughan meets Sonali & Urmila, who in time give insights from their own research. From these as well as other clues he finds over the course of his investigation, Murughan inches closer to the true nature of the cult and what they intend to do with their knowledge of the Malaria disease.
Meanwhile in an undated future, Murughan has gone missing, and his former colleague Antar, thorough a freak circumstance is in a position to investigate the circumstances around his disappearance.
In 19th century colonial India, a few British nationals chance upon something which doesn’t quite fit in regards to some of their Indian servants. And their curiosity oftentimes leads them to mortal harm.
Whichever the Narrative, the overreaching presence of the Cult is felt to all those involved. In the form of the seemingly immortal Lutchman/ Lakhaan, who pops up across time in different places, under different personas. In the absence of concrete proof, one is left to ponder as to what nefarious endgame they are prepping towards.
Narrative and themes explored
Taking back power from the colonial Overlords
One third of the narrative, anecdotal in style, occurs at the end of the 19th century, British India, at the height of their power. Mr. Gandhi was still dabbling in Civil rights protests in S. Africa, the failed Indian Mutiny of 1857 was long past and done with. Britishers were the uncrowned royalty to about 240 million people.
So it is mirthful to read about how, a bunch of lowly Indian cult members, dabbling in counter scientific methods were able to lead around the British researchers and civil servants involved quite magnificently that, no one even knew there was anything wrong. The Britishers, bigoted and blind in their superiority felt themselves the masters of their own life, and barely took notice of the crowds of servants who busied around them. Making themselves prime subjects to be exploited.
In many ways, Ghosh is casting a narrative where the oppressed hold power over their oppressors. Mangala and Lakhaan, the central figures of the Cult of Silence are assigned to the lower castes, and are generally looked down upon. But in fact, Mangala was one who possessed a genius level intellect, and despite being born into less than optimal surroundings, managed to exploit her masters to become a demigod-like entity to the cult.
The Cult of Silence/ Society of Counter-science
The cult, as it would come to be called, was formed at around the time of Ross’s acclaimed discovery. Mangala, a genius level intellect & Lakhaan, who Ross’s predecessor Cunningham had picked up from the streets and trained to become his assistant soon took over the research behind his back. She came to the discovery as to the nature of the disease much before the Britishers.
She also devised a version of the Wagner-Jauregg method, using Malaria to cure Syphilis paresis. Now, any normal researcher, upon such discovery would rush to get published. But Mangala, untrained in the methodology of western science, saw an all different endgame.
In how the Malaria parasite rewired the brains of the patient to match the donor, she found a method of transferring consciousness. Rather one for reincarnation and eventually Immortality.
This is what Mangala and her followers have been working towards, for over a century from the shadows. But, in order to achieve this they have to play the long game. For one of the tenets of the Cult of Silence is in its name. They believe in the doctrine ‘To know something is to change it’. If enough people know of something, that thing’s nature will change, and you cease to know it, only its history.
Which forces them to forego direct action and leave clues and eventualities, which in time can bloom into the results that they wish for. These eventualities are what led to Murughan’ s crusade, Sonali & Urmila’s investigations and even Antar’s enquiry into Murughan’ s disappearance.
Long game indeed. The cult’s machinations stretch from the 19th century to future New York, and in some cases is still going on. After all, for beings who have virtually all the time in the world, schemes which span across a few centuries are at most inconveniences.
The Cult’s doctrine
The cult of Silence or the Society of Counter-science, with Mangala-Didi as its demigod leader, believe in the doctrine of ‘To know something is to change it’. Where modern science believes in transparency and sharing all new knowledge, the cult tries to compartmentalize and conceal knowledge, preferring to direct the course of events from the shadows to lead to certain eventualities. Being virtually immortal, they can afford to keep trying over time periods where normal humans cannot.
They perform their experiments, by choosing certain individuals who satisfy some unknown criteria. They then presumably influence the progression of that individual’s life and direct it to a course of their choosing. By giving them clues and half knowledge they made these people, who know nothing of their puppet masters to lead to certain eventualities.
Phulboni & the Ghost train
There is a subplot, towards the end of the novel, involving the writer Phulboni and his run-in with the cult at its presumed home base in Renupur. In 1933, a young Phulboni was assigned to the rural village of Renupur by his company to do some fieldwork.
Renupur is as deserted as a place as they come, barely paved clearing and an unused signal room, with one bow legged stationmaster. He doesn’t even get to the village, forced to spend the night in the signal room, due to the roads flooded during the monsoon. During the night, he presumably has a run in with Lakhaan, at least the 1933 incarnation of him, which almost leads to his death.
There is an unclear part in the scene where he is chasing a Red Lantern in a pouring night and is almost run over by a train that shouldn’t have been running at that time. When he wakes up in the morning, being knocked unconscious, he is again almost run over by a train, this one real, and the one that had brought him to Renupur.
Many readers had complained as to what was the need for inserting this subplot which had no bearing on the main story. And the conflicting narrative where he is almost run over by two trains. Compounded by how the train guard informs Phulboni that the station had no master for over 30 years.
This can all be explained, with some lateral thinking if one were to follow the narrative. Phulboni arrives and meets the Station master (presumably). Famished, he gups down the food prepared for him by the man. It could’ve been that Phulboni was drugged at this instance, and placed on the railway track. His midnight run-in with the train, might’ve been a hallucination in his drugged state.
When he woke, like dejavu, he was again almost run over by a train, this time real. The parallels of the visions and events might have caused some confusion in his mind, in regards to what had actually happened.
The interconnectivity across time and geography
Towards the end of the novel, even though the ending is left to your own interpretation, one thing is clear. Most, if not all the characters introduced didn’t just stumble across the mystery of the Calcutta chromosome. They were pieces in a narrative which had been forming for over 100 years.
Antar, Murughan, Sonali, Urmila, all the main characters have had direct or indirect run-ins with the cults or their machinations. For e.g. Antar and Murughan are survivors of malaria & Syphilis, two central diseases which form part of the plot. And the circumstances which lead to them being afflicted might not have been an entire coincidence.
Reincarnation and Para kaya Pravesha (transfer of consciousness across bodies)
Another theme explored is the influence of religion, culture and superstition on science. Mangala, as mentioned, discovered the method for curing Syphilis using malaria much earlier than the western world. And she used this as means of gaining cult members and consolidating her status as a demigod.
Moreover, when she first formulated the method, using blood from Malaria patients, stored in Pigeons (living test tubes) and infecting Syphilic patients with it, she noticed some unexpected side effects. The personality of the patient was altered to resemble that of the donor.
Now, a western researcher would’ve come to the conclusion that, infecting the brain with the Malaria parasite causes alterations in the cerebral circuits and this can contribute to personality changes. They might even make a research paper out of it.
However Mangala, who likely grew up influenced by the Hindu religious practices and knew of its lore, saw this and attributed it to the ancient Vedic Siddhi popularly known in folklore as Para kaya Pravesha, literally taking over the body of another.
For Mangala who believed in the eternal soul and reincarnation, who learned quotes from scriptures such as ‘soul is eternal’ & ‘Your soul discards the mortal flesh for a new one, much like one discards clothes’ this was an opportunity to rediscover what the sages had prescribed.
न जायते म्रियते वा कदाचि
नायं भूत्वा भविता वा न भूय: |
अजो नित्य: शाश्वतोऽयं पुराणो
न हन्यते हन्यमाने शरीरे || 20||
Bhagavath gita, Chapter 2.20
वासांसि जीर्णानि यथा विहाय
नवानि गृह्णाति नरोऽपराणि |
तथा शरीराणि विहाय जीर्णा
न्यन्यानि संयाति नवानि देही || 22||
Bhagavath Gita, Chapter 2.22
In this method she saw a means by which the personality of one person can be made to transfer and take over that of another. More clearly, she saw a method by which a person’s consciousness can pass onto another body and continue to live there, a form of pseudo immortality. So her end goal was to perfect this method of long life.
This again paints the divide between the Western methodology of medicine and scientific research, and the traditional Indian sciences which run hand in hand to the religious practices.
_askthebookbug's review against another edition
3.0
The Calcutta Chromosome :) .
.
“Hold a bottle by the neck and a woman by the waist. Never the other way round.” - Amitav Ghosh .
.
The Calcutta Chromosome tells the story of Murugan who is obsessed with Ronald Ross and his discovery of the Malarial Parasites’ life cycle. The author offers a blend of science fiction, speculation and occult in this novel. There are many characters to keep a track of and it might get confusing and overwhelming to handle. For those who are really intrigued by biology, will truly enjoy this book. For me, it was chaotic but I managed to keep my interest piqued till the last page. As for its vagueness, it never goes off even after you turn the final page of the book. I’d rate it 3.5/5. .
.
.
P.S. Despite the hiccups, I might have learned a good deal about Malaria :D
.
“Hold a bottle by the neck and a woman by the waist. Never the other way round.” - Amitav Ghosh .
.
The Calcutta Chromosome tells the story of Murugan who is obsessed with Ronald Ross and his discovery of the Malarial Parasites’ life cycle. The author offers a blend of science fiction, speculation and occult in this novel. There are many characters to keep a track of and it might get confusing and overwhelming to handle. For those who are really intrigued by biology, will truly enjoy this book. For me, it was chaotic but I managed to keep my interest piqued till the last page. As for its vagueness, it never goes off even after you turn the final page of the book. I’d rate it 3.5/5. .
.
.
P.S. Despite the hiccups, I might have learned a good deal about Malaria :D