Tab Article

Ratings: ★★★★★ (4.6/5)
Genre: Literary Fiction / South Asian Literature / Tragicomic Novel

Review:
The Vendor of Sweets is a tragicomic masterpiece by R.K. Narayan. Jagan, a prosperous sweet-vendor who combines Gandhian principles with handsome profits, is deeply confused when his son Mali abandons school to become a writer in America. Two years later, Mali returns with a half-Korean, half-American wife and a grandiose scheme to market a novel-writing machine. The clash of generations – tradition versus modernity – deepens with every chapter. Jagan's final escape from the galling chains of paternal love comes as unexpectedly as every other twist in this delicious story. This Centenary Edition (2006) commemorates Narayan's 100th birth anniversary.