The book cover features a beach scene with a collage of various newspaper cuttings, a handprint and a coffee cup stain. After I read the book, it seemed fitting.
Name: The Dead Know Nothing
Author: Kishore Ram
Format: Hardcopy
Number of pages: 247
Availability: Amazon (Buy the paperback here)
Rating: 4/5
A good title for a story of dead people floating around. The dead people cannot help their community members in any way.
The English language was simple and easy to understand, though the book had several Malayalam words in it, like mairan, mashinottam, pattayam, etc. A person with knowledge of this language would probably enjoy this book better. I only knew the word poda as it was used a lot by my Keralite classmates in Kuwait.😀
Nevertheless, the new English word that fascinated me was enervated.
It was an unpretentious story of a community on Fathima Island in the Ashtamudi archipelago, where everyone knew each other. The inhabitants had no legal documents, and the ‘rich people’ were trying to get them evicted. The protagonist, Thankachan saw plenty of things happening around him. There were dead people, missing people, and his living presence hardly made a difference. Despite having big dreams in life, Thankachan was given the feeling that he was destined to be a fisherman all his life, just like his father.
*It was a simple and quick read.
*It showed how the Holy Word is misinterpreted by us when we WANT to give in to our unholy desires.
*It shows the raw reality of a close-knit community.
*There were too many difficult names to remember.
*It would be great to have a glossary. There were too many non-English words that I had to look up the meanings of.
*It would have been helpful to have a map of the Ashtamudi archipelago to understand where everyone travelled and how.
*At times, it was unclear as to who was talking to whom.
*I wasn’t very fascinated with the unexpected ending, though the murder mystery was solved.
It was quite a casual read. While dead people were floating around, the book didn’t have the intensity that a thriller does. Instead, it had a very homely feel to it as several random people were thrown into it. The circumstances surrounding the deaths had a humourous ring to them. The book surely gives rise to some forgotten memories of childhood when everyone was in each other’s faces and lives. I read a few chapters every night before hitting the sack. You can surely pick it up if you’re looking for a light read.
Have you read this book?
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8 Comments
I like the premise of the book and your review. But it’s still a maybe from my end!
Oh I’m terrible with unfamiliar names, and when a bunch of them are involved, I feel lost. That said, I love the setting.
Oooo I think I will like this one! Perfect for a rainy day! Thanks for the recommendation.
Your review beautifully captures how the intimate island world of Fathima and its layered characters to life, blending mystery, social tension, and unexpected twists. Good one, Cindy and thanks for bringing the book to my notice.
Ashtamudi lake has always enchanted me. I wonder if this novel will do too. Your review is not particularly enticing.
Maaaaaaaybe you could enjoy it due to it’s location and local jargon! I would love to hear your views on it, Tomichan.
The book has 247 pages and is a light read but it took you more than a few nights to complete , that seems like an indicator of how compelling it wasn’t. A murder mystery needs to be taut and thrilling to captivate the reader. Also, I’m not a fan of books that have too many vernacular or foreign words with no glossary given to help the reader make sense of the writing.
Sounds like a cosy read. Perhaps, suited for those cosy afternoons with chai and biscuits. I have seen movies along the plot though.