THE PARISIAN INTERLUDE

A novel focuses on an Indian man’s eclectic experiences in 1980s Paris.

As Verma’s (The Fine Print and Other Yarns, 2017) story begins, a civil servant named Sanjay is seated at his desk in 1984. Sanjay lives in New Delhi and, though his job has perks, it is not exactly a dream come true. When the opportunity materializes for Sanjay to apply for a one-year training assignment in Paris, he seizes it. Perhaps after the training, he could work for the United Nations or somewhere abroad. Sanjay is eventually accepted into the program and, along with some fellow Indians who will also participate, he embarks for Paris. Sanjay and his compatriots soon learn that the differences between their home country and France are numerous. They might as well be on another planet. Almost immediately, there is a sense of homesickness. The men have a limited knowledge of French and there is much to learn about this strange city. But what would people think of Sanjay if he turned around and went back to India? Sanjay slowly but surely learns to treasure all that is around him. The Luxembourg Gardens, Château de Fontainebleau, and the Eiffel Tower are majestic sights the likes of which he has never experienced before. He learns to love merely walking the city streets and seeing the many captivating neighborhoods. Later on, he even falls for a girl from Lebanon. But as he knows from the start, his time in Paris is limited. When all is said and done, will he ever go home again? This intriguing tale often progresses at a slow, calculated pace. Based purely on the book’s title, readers will likely surmise that Sanjay will get to Paris one way or another. Yet it still takes a while for the protagonist to do so. Readers must then learn of Sanjay and his countrymen arriving at the airport, getting checked into their hostel, and finding out that the restaurant there serves only dinner and is quite expensive. While readers will get the message that these Indian visitors find themselves in a peculiar place, the information does not always dazzle. The dialogue also tends to fizzle as characters often state the obvious. One player points out, as if reading from a language instruction book, “I wanted to go to Madrid, but I’ve heard they are sending me to Bayonne in the Basque region.” What provide greater, lasting substance are Sanjay’s more intricate feelings. While he learns to love Paris, he still experiences periods of immense loneliness. Even as his French improves and his appreciation of things like the country’s television shows increases, he can often feel lost in this new world. While a brief trip to Provence introduces him to the nuances of the Provençal accent, he remains an outsider. As he reflects on his future options, readers may long to know what exactly will become of him. Although many of the details of his time in France are predictable, Sanjay’s evolving inner self keeps the story alive.

While this tale moves slowly, the determined hero remains a complex fish out of water.