A review by medha66
The Painter of Signs by R.K. Narayan

4.0

I'm not sure how to feel about this book. It was difficult to read because of its disturbing portrayal of the extremely misogynistic main character. But this was also effectively countered by the female character's ruthlessness and independence. The author never overtly passes any judgement but I suppose the moral ambiguity is what makes the book interesting (but also painful). He paints an unbiased picture of Indian society in the 1970s and allows us to glimpse into the lives of two complex characters. As we observe the clash between their opposing ideologies, and the eventual outcome, he leaves the task of interpreting the message of the story to us. Although it takes some effort to read this book without judgement, it can be quite thought provoking.