Bhagawati reviews S D Anugyan’s latest book, now available as paperback and Kindle.
I am a fan of Anugyan’s literary works. Since reading Secrets, An Oxford Tale, I have been hooked on reading every new tome; he always surprises and never dissatisfies. In the realm of books, he has carved out a really unique space that I picture as borderless and richly embellished with white and purple crystals.
His recent novella, Sesonsfin, a perilous mystical voyage set in a distant time, evoked in me a profound resonance with haunting, ancient memories.
This, his latest masterpiece, immersed me deeply in fifth-kind interactions as I followed the development of events between two, or possibly multiple, worlds. My imagination was given free rein, and I particularly appreciated the wordplay and the usage of archaic, hardly used English phrases that are sprinkled throughout the text.
An idle reader will first not give three unremarkable-looking people meeting in a Hampstead tea room much thought. However, when referred to as The Stoner, The Taoist, and The Mother, they are rebellious and inquisitive beings who are on a mission to learn about other worlds and life forms after realizing that they are living among a collapsing society in a dying world that most people are unable to recognize.
An Unknown Observer, who remarks on an airlock party he infiltrates covertly, does a fantastic job of describing the decaying civilization. I had the impression that I was peering into a Hieronymus Bosch picture, minus the torture and blood splatters.
In another timeline, The Mother is the responsible adult who tries to keep watch over The Daughter and The Son, both of whom are teenagers, while simultaneously quietly pursuing her goal. In yet another parallel universe, the father of those two moves in and out of the picture while maintaining contact with his prior family.
One evening while The Mother unwinds at home, she notices minute details of little anomalies. Suddenly, she hears a sound that causes her to make a dash to the front door, from where she sees a tantalizing circular object over the Heath with white lights rotating around its rim facing her. Realizing it is starting to move, she grabs her bike and pedals frantically, following the object…
The Stoner, The Taoist, and The Mother continue to meet in secret throughout the following weeks, observed by The Unknown Observer, exchanging ideas and insights but failing to come to a decisive conclusion. The Mother is the one who boldly moves forward and makes the decision to seek out The Unknown. She explains her unexplainable decision to take a trip to York to her baffled family and takes off by herself.
Her final destination is Mewton, where allegedly there’s the possibility to pass through to The Unknown…
I won’t give away any more spoilers, but I have to say that this is a terrific, extremely unique novel that I couldn’t put down.
Alien Humanity
by S D Anugyan – sdanugyan.com
Independently published
Available as paperback and Kindle
128 pages
ISBN-13 : 979-8393626433
ASIN : B0C47TBMHY
Amazon
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