http://www.epicindia.com/indianenglish/2005/11/grumbles-in-goa-book-review-of.html
[Indian English spoken here -- a blog about books, movies and music - from a total desi point of view - the ones we loveofy and the ones we'd like to killofy (but won't really)] 07 November, 2005 Grumbles in Goa: Book Review of Guardian of the Dawn by Richard Zimler Guardian of the Dawn Richard Zimler Constable & Robinson Ltd; 372 pgs; L 5.95 Guardian of the Dawn hasn't really raised any hue and cry anywhere. It's not even made any major ripples in literary circles, let alone irked the overlords of organized religion. In contrast, other works that dealt strongly with the Jewish-Christian divide have traditionally attracted great media attention. Palestine, Joe Sacco’s brilliant work of journalism in graphic novel form, was simultaneously hailed as an important expose of Israeli occupation of the West Bank as well as derided for its allegedly one-sided view. Dan Brown’s Da Vinci's Cold--achoo! achoo! excuse me, I mean The Da Vinci Code, of course--was famously the subject of much furious debate in the Vatican and various Christian forums, even as it broke publishing records and sold some 26 million copies (and still counting). But I sincerely doubt you’ll see Guardian of the Dawn embroiled in any such media controversy, even though, by his own admission, the author would like the world to take his book as seriously as any work of journalism or historical expose. Why, you wonder? Well, a bit more about the book itself: Guardians is a work of historical fiction, the third in a trilogy by Portugese-Jewish author Zimler (his description of himself, not mine) about a Portugese-Jewish family (of course) in various time-periods. The previous two books, The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon, and Hunting Midnight were set in the 16th and 19th centuries, and dealt with various branches and generations of the Zarco family in several continents. This third book (but not last, it would seem) is set in 16th century Goa, during the period of Portugese colonialism. The main characters are the first-person narrator Ti (short for Tiago) and his sister Sofia, and their father. The three of them live simple, idyllic lives on a plantation just on the outskirts of the colony of Goa, hewing to their Portugese-Goan faith, while dabbling freely in the Hindu festivals and rituals of their friends, neighbours--and later, lovers. On one hand, it's a more or less typical coming-of-age story about adolescent lust and love, youthful adventures and friendships, and the warm yet sadness-tinged relationship between father and son. The prose is simple and the narrative pleasant without any overly dramatic highs or lows, and there's a great emphasis on emotional states and sometimes oddly nuanced feelings that a Freudian psychiatrist could probably have a field day interpreting. But then comes the event that turns this deceptively simple historical family saga into something more sinister: First the father, then the son, are arrested and imprisoned by the Inquisition. And then begins a tale of torture and suffering, misery and betrayal that would make the Count of Monte Cristo cringe (but without the adventure and high drama of Dumas's classic). The Catholic priests who have been 'informed' of the heresy committed by the Zarcos in intermingling with their Hindu friends--and by simply being Jewish to begin with--are painted as utterly evil sadists, with only a few human characteristics. And the Catholic priest at the helm of this campaign of torture and ethnic cleansing of sorts is none other than Francis Xavier, who was later sainted largely for his achievements during this very campaign. In an Afterword, author Zimler sets forth his outrage and shock at researching this period of Portugese-Jewish history (and Indian history too, of course) and learning of the "tens of thousands" of innocent Hindus and Jews who were tortured and slaughtered by the "fanatical" priest Xavier. And he even dedicates the book itself "To the many thousands of men, women, and children who were imprisoned by the Inquisition in India." This is all very well, and had Zimler authored a scholarly study of the period and events, we might be able to share his outrage and horror as he unfolded research proving said events and acts. But as a work of historical fiction, and by a Jewish author at that, it's difficult to know how seriously to take him, or the book. As a historical novel, it's not really something you'll enjoy much, take it from me, unless reading sadomasochism is high on your literary priorities. It certainly doesn't live up to Zimler's own goal of reinterpreting Othello in the tradition of Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres or Jean Rhys' The Wide Saragossa Sea. And as a religious-social polemic, attempting to expose so-called Catholic "fanaticism" and sadistic excesses against non-believers in 16th century Goa, even if it has its facts right, it still has its heart in the wrong place. But as a novel of outrage over a mini 'holocaust' of sorts, it fails completely. I'd rather reread Schindler's Ark again, or go see the brilliant but harrowing Hotel Rwanda once more, or even just read a good aga-saga than waste time over this mediocre pseudo-historical. At least Da Vinci’s Cold (achoo! Bless you, my son) had some entertainment value while also educating us a bit. Guardian of the Dawn, on the other hand, is less readable than the Mitrokhin Archives and as unworthy of a controversy.