MY BLUE SKIN LOVER

A woman finds a connection to Shiva that has the potential to destroy and re-create her life in Wali’s debut novel.

Anjali Worthington, nee Mehta, is working on her doctoral thesis in literature and religion. Her adviser at the university has her working on Sanskrit translations, while her thesis adviser keeps hounding her to finish her research into 12th-century South Indian saints. While walking home from the grocery store one night, she comes upon a woman having a heart attack, and even as Anjali helps, she knows she needs more assistance. Then a blue-clad man appears who reminds her of the god Shiva—not necessarily in his looks, but in his bearing—and together they keep the woman stable until the ambulance arrives. After this encounter, Anjali begins to see the same man everywhere—even in her dreams—but every time she tries to follow him or speak to him, he’s too far away. Soon, Anjali’s research moves firmly toward the study of those who worship Shiva, and in her dreams, she takes the god as a lover. However, her waking life is slowly unraveling—especially her marriage to a stockbroker she calls Zoo. Her dream lover, who taunts and teases her with glimpses during the day, may be her undoing, but he may also provide her with the motivation to take her research to new realms. Wali delves into the history of Shiva worship in this offbeat romance, which has a lyrical, poetic quality to it, aided by the frequent inclusion of poems by Akka Mahadevi, a real-life 12th-century mystic poet who left her own marriage to devote herself to Shiva. The novel shows its research throughout, and the author does a solid job giving Shiva a believable, tangible human form. The scenes in which Anjali starts to feel lost are particularly well written, and some readers are sure to find them relatable.

An unusual and engaging take on the Hindu pantheon.