Jacob Hills by Ismita Tandon Dhankher Before Ismita Tandon Dharkher took up prose and poetry she studied sociology, history and economics at Sophia College, Ajmer. She also obtained an MBA and worked briefly for the Thomas Cook foreign exchange division in Mumbai. At the time of writing, she is working on a book that will contain poems and photographs, titled – The Song of the Sufi Masroof.
We talk here of Ismita’s latest novel Jacob Hills. A stark portrayal of life at an army station in 1980’s India, Jacob Hills holds a mirror to shocking events that unfold at the place that serves as a War College to aspirants. It is only indicated that Jacob Hills is located somewhere in Himachal Pradesh, somewhere in proximity to Shimla. In the introductory note, the writer clarifies that though the book features the Indian army it is, “Not about a particular organization, but about people and the choices they make.”
The prologue makes for a disturbing start, as we get a firsthand account of an army officer’s battered wife. We see that the nameless woman is contemplating escape of a different kind as she writes with finality: I ran from home to be with him, and then from him, exhausted in mind and spirit, I ran deep within. But this time I must go further, someplace my voice can’t reach me. From her the narrative is handed over to Eva Chandy, and Anglo-Indian married to the moody George Chandy. We come across her on a train journey as the couple looks to settle down in Jacob Hills, knowing little of what is in store for them. We then meet Saryu, the helpless, ‘ugly’ wife who is treated as meat by her demonic, blind with ambition husband Vikram. Captain Rana is a young officer at the War College who is embroiled in a life-altering consequence of his own making. The dark clouds of mystery, menace, lust and murder refuse to move away as the book plunges head on with its tale of murder, exploitation and unearthing unpleasant secrets.
The baton of narrating the story keeps passing, and in retrospect it is Col. Tehlan’s side of the story that stands out for the implications it spools at the end of the book. Also, a short note by the six year-old Bunny is as shocking a revelation. The shades are similar to the writing style of Agatha Christie and words are put to good effect.
This is a good novel, sheathed in bitter truths, revealing a perverse society still stagnant, wildly in pursuit in matters pertaining to the matters of the flesh.
We talk here of Ismita’s latest novel Jacob Hills. A stark portrayal of life at an army station in 1980’s India, Jacob Hills holds a mirror to shocking events that unfold at the place that serves as a War College to aspirants. It is only indicated that Jacob Hills is located somewhere in Himachal Pradesh, somewhere in proximity to Shimla. In the introductory note, the writer clarifies that though the book features the Indian army it is, “Not about a particular organization, but about people and the choices they make.”
The prologue makes for a disturbing start, as we get a firsthand account of an army officer’s battered wife. We see that the nameless woman is contemplating escape of a different kind as she writes with finality: I ran from home to be with him, and then from him, exhausted in mind and spirit, I ran deep within. But this time I must go further, someplace my voice can’t reach me. From her the narrative is handed over to Eva Chandy, and Anglo-Indian married to the moody George Chandy. We come across her on a train journey as the couple looks to settle down in Jacob Hills, knowing little of what is in store for them. We then meet Saryu, the helpless, ‘ugly’ wife who is treated as meat by her demonic, blind with ambition husband Vikram. Captain Rana is a young officer at the War College who is embroiled in a life-altering consequence of his own making. The dark clouds of mystery, menace, lust and murder refuse to move away as the book plunges head on with its tale of murder, exploitation and unearthing unpleasant secrets.
The baton of narrating the story keeps passing, and in retrospect it is Col. Tehlan’s side of the story that stands out for the implications it spools at the end of the book. Also, a short note by the six year-old Bunny is as shocking a revelation. The shades are similar to the writing style of Agatha Christie and words are put to good effect.
This is a good novel, sheathed in bitter truths, revealing a perverse society still stagnant, wildly in pursuit in matters pertaining to the matters of the flesh.