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Quichotte a novel by Salman Rushdie


This is a joyous book, a happy book and while there is plenty of sadness here, it holds it's sadness lightly. It's a classic, in the classic sense, since it deals with the classic themes, of family, love and estrangement.  

Quichotte does not only deal with the obvious romantic loves, but with the love between a brother and sister.  Of how when siblings are estranged, not present, not spoken of, beyond our awareness, shut away in secret compartments in our minds.   Their absence shapes our thoughts in ways we are scarcely aware of.  The love in our lives and the indelible marks it leaves on us, is the theme I found most prominent in this book.

'Life was short and each day of love stolen from it was a crime against life itself.'  

Quichotte is full of the whimsical, full of surrealist motifs.  Occasionally, they  appear a little too conspicuous, but their obviousness only serves to heighten the underlying humour.

This was my first time reading Salman Rushdie.  I expected serious and dour, what I got was fun.  This is a great book.  

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