Take Paulo Coelho's 'The Alchemist' and stick it into an Indian setting and you have The Conch Bearer. But, that's not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, unlike the last Chicken House book I read, The Conch Bearer is a tale that I think one day will rival Paulo Coelho's modern classic.It is the tale of Anand, a poor boy in India who dreams of escaping his mundane life. One day his dream comes true when an old man, who Anand takes pity on and feeds, convinces the youngster to go with him on a journey to a secret valley to restore a magical conch shell in its rightful place.
The characters are well thought out. Anand acts like a young boy, unlike the characters in the Craphole on Falling Star Hill. He gets jealous, frightened, upset, angry but he can also be brave. The little girl he befriends is also a welcome addition. Annoying Anand immensely, but also becoming one of the people he cares about the most.
The Conch Bearer can feel a bit loopy in places, but generally, this fantasy tale of trust, love and betrayal pulls the right heartstrings and is thoroughly enjoyable. And Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni is hot! Really, really hot. :)
Rating: 4 out of 5
The Conch Bearer by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
Price: well, I got it for a quid, but £12.99 hardback.
Publisher: The Chicken House
ISBN: 1-904442-11-0
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