Bengaluru blues of a retired man

Dattathri writes with a focus that is bound to charm his readers. It sucks you in right from the first page and makes one fly through the novel. In the very first page, he writes, ‘It was not just the interview; nothing went his way that day.’ This already sets the tone of what is to come in the novel. The writer wastes no time and gets straight to Shivaswamy’s story. Even when he spends words on building the city and the world that Shivaswamy inhabits, the reader still feels a part of the narrative, which can sometimes be daunting. One is reminded of Tanuj Solanki’s Bombay in Manjhi’s Mayhem—in the way the city came alive through its characters.

Shivaswamy’s character is spectacular. The reader delves into his mind and gets a sense of his thought process. On every page, you find the words beating with Shivaswamy’s soul. His burgeoning anxieties regarding his health, the pressure of a new job, the trepidation and mystery around the house, to his increasing loneliness, the author gives to his reader a convincing and memorable character in the guise of Shivaswamy. Of course, certain elements from his thoughts can seem archaic and deeply problematic.

What truly stands out in Dattathri’s novel is his attention to Bengaluru’s urban problem. He manages to write about the ongoing housing crisis in Indian cities post-liberalisation with brilliance.