The Far Field, Reviewed for Writers
One extreme breeds the other and Vijay’s debut novel is a collision of both the extremes, which is a leitmotif in the book. Am I a fan of Madhuri Vijay’s debut novel, The Far Field? Absolutely not. Will I read it again? Definitely yes. The answer to the ‘why’ popping in your head is because it’s a goldmine of unmissable writing lessons. The book, which has garnered several accolades mentioned on author’s official website, is a reflection of a 30 year old protagonist in which she has made many many confessions.
Things to look out for in Vijay’s novel:
1. Chillingly beautiful prose
2. Multilayered complex characters
3. Effortless tying up of so many genres
4. Deliberate slow pace of the story
How did she achieve it?
Story Structure
The story shifts in time and space- Vijay perfectly swings the story in two periods, both of which are reflection of past events of protagonist from different ages. This alternation of time lines not only enhanced reader’s interest but also showcased that how protagonist’s childhood shaped her into the adult which she became. If the reader has not read the blurb, it is surprising to find out that the book is largely based in two different regions of Kashmir.
Character-driven over action-oriented- The protagonist’s naiveté and impulses is the primary feature which keeps leading the plot. The book is character-driven which rendered a pretty action-less first half and it actually takes off after a while.
Characters
An unlikable protagonist- Vijay’s characters are unforgettable, in particular the mother. I can’t think of a book with so many grey shades, morally questionable and in general, complex, characters and there are several in this book. The Far Field is “how to write an unlikable complicated protagonist” 101. The author herself has admitted that she couldn’t listen to the audiobook as she made her say controversial things and if given a chance, she would change them. Author has made huge efforts to ensure that you don’t like the character but also you don’t hate her.
An example is- When Amina said she is leaving the house and Riyaz, Shalini only made half-hearted efforts to stop her and said, “Be careful, all right? I don’t want anything to happen to you.” However, before putting this line, Vijay put a huge paragraph in which Shalini is denouncing her own choices. “Many times over the years, I have wished to have this moment back so I could alter what I said to her next. I would tell her that I was sorry for my part in throwing her life off course. I would sit with her on the mattress, look straight into her face, and say, Ask me anything you want. I would tell her about Bashir Ahmed and his stories, about the apartment with the mattresses, about the party and what came after. I would tell her about my mother and how she’d died. I would tell her that I’d no idea how to have a friend, much less be one, but that, if she would let me, I would try.”
Vijay herself told that it was claustrophobic and suffocated to write Shalini’s first person narrative due to her recurring flawed patterns. She included her childhood sections only to get away from the adult Shalini. She said she left her comfort zone to write the protagonist the way she is and not vary her behavior. In Vijay’s words, “occupying her voice in a first person narrative wasn’t unsavoury but it was like being in a relationship with someone who’s not particularly healthy, and being locked into this intimacy with them and you have to watch them do this. And you can’t stop it.”
Vijay made her from a mix where she is good-intentioned and insensitive. Readers almost hate her for her choices yet appreciate her for her efforts. As a writer, it is challenging to find that balance and then maintain that balance throughout the story. This is where the reflection part come in play as we understand that she regretted all the wrong choices she made in her life.
A show stealer- Getting to the show stealer here, Shalini’s mother, followed closely by Amina. On several occasions I wished the story was told from Shalini’s mother’s perspective. It would have been outrageous as her “tenderness was as devastating as her viciousness”. Writing Shalini’s mother character with such excellence shows Vijay’s writing prowess, it also exhibited that she researched well for writing a less-educated, middle-aged and mentally ill housewife.
Other multilayered characters- Other characters also exhibit complexity. Vijay, very noticeably, made layered characters. From Shalini’s father to Mohammed Din, everyone had a face beneath a face. There are a range of techniques to create multilayered character and Vijay made use of most of them. She used conflicting values (for Bashir Ahmad), rich backstory (Shalini), character motivations (Mohammed Din), playing on fear (Zoya), and psychological troubles (Shalini’s mother).
Vijay gave each character their own reason for being emotionally distant, for Shalini it was her upbringing, for Mohammad Din it was political necessity, for Riyaz it was anger for being born in an unprivileged place, for Zoya it was grief due to world’s injustice and for Shalini’s father it was survival skill.
Narrative
First person narrative- Vijay chose to write in first person narrative, which made huge difference in the story impact. Every event of the story was seen, heard, thought and felt from Shalini’s point of view which left the readers wondering about other character’s thoughts.
As a reader we are unaware or has limited knowledge of other character’s thoughts. With a first person narrative and a likely insensitive and naïve protagonist, Vijay was able to create a sense of intrigue among the readers.
Consistent tension-building actions- Vijay’s protagonist’s actions building the tension on ad hoc basis and makes for a wounded narrative. For example, as a child she tells Bashir Ahmed to go, runs from her home without informing her father, doesn’t stop Amina from going, doesn’t call Zoya after living in her house and being a friend to her, eyes a married man and sleeps with another.
Plot
Genre/theme overload justified through the long length of the book- The book does have a bit of genre overload such as mother-daughter relationship, family drama, a young woman’s quest to find closure of her mother’s death, urban/privileged meets rural/deprived, and political turmoil in a disputed region. It also deals with social issues like underestimation of mental illness, female sexuality and religious conflict. To combine these subplots well, Vijay did not shy away from giving an extended read of 430 pages. It is vital to ensure that the word count is adequate to do justice to each theme included in the story. Each subplot transcended into a theme which should either built or moved the story forward.
For example, when Vijay writes about Shalini’s first sexual encounter with Zain Shafi, it served the purpose of showing that despite both her parents had their own set of problems and could not bear each other, they came together to help their daughter in a difficult situation.
Dragging plot- The story really seemed to not move an inch, at times, in The Far Field, mostly in the Kishtwar phase and occasionally in Riyaz’s village as well. Then why did readers kept on reading it? The personalization of the political turmoil is depicted so well by the author particularly because she paid attention to the details. In the whole ‘Ishfaq’ plot, Vijay ensured to make the readers believe it for real. How? Zoya and her family took their own sweet time in trusting Shalini (which we will assume from people going through difficult times for decades), Zoya’s hope and efforts to help herself and others in situation like hers. Her office, her fellow workers all came to life only because author paid attention to every minute detail from the office space to people’s thoughts.
Prose
A tone-setting first sentence- A book’s first sentence is the promise that the writer makes to the readers.
“I am thirty years old and that is nothing.”
First line of Vijay’s novel, very subtly, sets the tone for the rest of the story.
A prose serving multiple purposes- The complexities of characters’ internal battles, complicated human relationships among them and the conflicted setting of Kashmir are perfectly blended by Vijay to present a prose which is beautiful, atmospheric and keep building the tension.
Long sentences, slow pace- I love long sentences and so does Vijay. She has frequently used long sentences, separated my multiple commas. The downside of it is- it definitely hindered the reading pace but made her writing and beautiful. The book has a slow, at times stalling, pace which again was a technique used by the author to create an atmospheric read and portray slow life pace of rural Kashmir.
Imagery- Vijay’s prose is unveiling of the protagonist’s events and Kashmir’s beautiful landscape. She ensured that readers are able to see both of these things right in front of their eyes.
For example, We made our way down a mud track littered with animal shit and plastic bags, broken shoes and chocolate wrappers, to two thin concrete pillars supporting a bridge. We passed between them, and here I stopped, because below us was the river. I’d learned its name as a child in school, and that it was one of the five mighty rivers of the north, but I had not been prepared for such a vital, living thing. The water was tray in places, slate blue in others, and, farther off, a tawny green. The roar was so loud it seemed to dampen the sun’s glare, so that it felt momentarily as if we were standing in shadow. The bridge itself was of old wood, its green paint flaking, the beams cradled within twisted metal cables as thick as my calves.
The description of the way to Riyaz’s village, Bengaluru’s markets and Kishtwar’s lanes are so graphically explained that one can easily imagine it.
Overall, Vijay’s style of writing is fearlessly confident which makes for a brutal, chilly and atmospheric read which is worth taking many writing lessons from.
