A lesser sequel. If's funny but lacks the introspection, the self-discovery and the process of coping that made English, August special.

The identity of the book lies in its growth; Eight years in the service, beloved August, has grown into a well rounded Sri Augustya Sen saab; the confusion has given way to charming cynicism which helps him to keep his nose just above the waters and take one day at a time , literally. Unlike English, August, the narrative voice isn’t primarily singular, but fragmented making Augustya an obscure cog in a massive juggernaut of a fleet that is the Indian bureaucracy.

It is easy to see why the book has been unpopular, or rather, not as popular as its prequel; it lacks a centre, the narration is diffuse while the characters conveniently drift in and out. But still, the book is absolutely brilliant for Chatterjee remains faithful to one of the most complicated subjects that can ever hoped to be captured in any language, let alone English ie the behemoth of governance in India. If English, August was a delicate outside-in peep into the Indian bureaucracy through the august eyes of English , Mammaries is a vast chronicle of the functioning of Indian bureaucracy and its hilarious yet inevitable association with the Indian politics. All of course captured in Chatterjee’s brilliant prose alternating between slapstick and satire.

Had I read this book a bit earlier or even later, I would have missed the grand joke that runs through page after page in the book. Clearly one should have a useless drain for a mind to appreciate the beauty of this book, well, thankfully I have. ( )