Song of the Cuckoo Bird

Song of the Cuckoo Bird

  - Amulya Malladi

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This is one of the books I picked on Goodreads recommendation (where the system generates suggestion on the basis of your past history). My opinion about this book is ambivalent - it was a decent read, but I am not certain if I liked it very much.

The main protagonist of the story is Kokila, who comes to an ashram at a young age, expected to spend a short time, but ends up staying forever, for reasons of her choice, as well as those beyond her control. The ashram is headed by a female guru and managed by her father, and becomes a haven for the rejected of the world. The book relates the stories of several characters – Kokila, other residents, and people involved in their lives – spanning many decades.

The narrative flows smooth, and each story is interesting in itself, exploring the questions of human nature and faith. Each of the characters has a unique tale, and their relationships and dynamics build up quite a tension. The initial setting with it’s different threads held a lot of potential, but these did not come together to create a single whole. The stories start with a promise, but then either fizzle out, or settle into the regular humdrum. Take for example, the lead character Kokila – at the young age of 11, she takes an exceptional decision to stay in the Ashram, but her later life is quite ordinary, even selfish.

To me, the problem seemed that none of the story is extraordinary, and none of the characters is very captivating. In fact, I did not find much that was redeemable in any of the characters. With all the build-up, I kept expecting something remarkable to happen, and was disappointed to reach the end without