The Covenant of Water/ Abraham Verghese

โ€‹Please scroll down for an English review.

ื”ื—ืœื˜ืชื™ ืœืงืจื•ื ืืช ื”ืกืคืจ ืœืื—ืจ ืฉื ื‘ื—ืจ ื›ื–ื•ื›ื” ื‘ืงื˜ื’ื•ืจื™ื™ืช ืกืคืจื™ื ื”ื™ืกื˜ื•ืจื™ื™ื ืœืฉื ืช 2023 ื‘ืืชืจ GoodReads. ืœื ืื›ื—ื“, 775 ืขืžื•ื“ื™ื ื”ืจืชื™ืขื• ืื•ืชื™, ืื‘ืœ ื—ืฉื‘ืชื™ ืขืœ โ€œื—ืœืฃ ืขื ื”ืจื•ื—โ€ ื”ืžืฆื•ื™ื™ืŸ ื•ืขืœ โ€œืื ื” ืงืจื ื™ื ื”โ€ ื•ื”ื—ืœื˜ืชื™ ืœื ืœื•ื•ืชืจ ื•ืœืงืจื•ื ืืช ื”ืกืคืจ ืฉื–ื›ื” ืœื“ื™ืจื•ื’ ืฉืœ ื›ืžืขื˜ 4.5 ื›ื•ื›ื‘ื™ื ื•ืœืžืขืœ 236 ืืœืฃ ืžื“ืจื’ื™ื.

ื”ืกืคืจ ืกืื’ื” ืืคื™ืช ื”ื™ืกื˜ื•ืจื™ืช ื”ืขื•ืงื‘ืช ืื—ืจ ืฉืœื•ืฉื” ื“ื•ืจื•ืช ื‘ืžืฉืคื—ื” ื”ื•ื“ื™ืช ืžืฉื ืช 1900 ืขื“ ืฉื ื•ืช ื”-70.

ื‘ืฆื™ืจ ื”ืžืจื›ื–ื™ ื”ืขืœื™ืœื” ืขื•ืงื‘ืช ืื—ืจื™ ืžืฉืคื—ื” ื”ื•ื“ื™ืช ืื—ืช, ืฉืžืจื›ื–ื” ื‘ืื ื”ืžืฉืคื—ื” ืžืจื™ืืžื”, ืื• ื›ืคื™ ืฉืชื™ืงืจื ื‘ื”ืžืฉืš ื‘ื™ื’ ืžืืžืืฆโ€™ื™. ื”ืงื•ืจื ืคื•ื’ืฉ ืืช ืžืจื™ืืžื”, ื›ืืฉืจ ื”ื™ื ื‘ืช 12 ื•ืขื•ืžื“ืช ืœื”ื™ื ืฉื ืœื‘ืขืœื” ื”ืžื™ื•ืขื“ ืฉื”ื•ื ืืœืžืŸ ื‘ืŸ 40 ืขื ื™ืœื“ ืฆืขื™ืจ. ื”ื—ืชืŸ ื”ืžื™ื•ืขื“ ื”ื•ื ื‘ืขืœื™ื ืฉืœ ืฉื˜ื—ื™ ืื“ืžื” ื ืจื—ื‘ื™ื ื‘ืคืจืžื‘ื™ืœ ื•ื”ื•ื ืœื•ืงื— ืืช ื›ืœืชื• ื”ืฆืขื™ืจ ืืœ ืื—ื•ื–ืชื•.

ืœืื—ืจ ื ื™ืฉื•ืื™ื”ื, ืžืจื™ืืžื” ืžื’ืœื” ื›ื™ ืขืœ ืžืฉืคื—ืชื” ืฉืœ ื‘ืขืœื” ืจื•ื‘ืฆืช ืงืœืœื” ืฉื’ื•ืจืžืช ืœื’ื‘ืจ ืื—ื“ ื‘ื“ื•ืจ ืœืื‘ื“ ืืช ื—ื™ื™ื• ื‘ื˜ื‘ื™ืขื”. ื”ืคื—ื“ ืžื”ืงืœืœื” ืžืขืฆื‘ ืืช ื—ื™ื™ื”ื ืฉืœ ื‘ื ื™ ื”ืžืฉืคื—ื” ื•ืžื›ืชื™ื‘ ืืช ืื•ืคืŸ ื”ืชืžื•ื“ื“ื•ืชื ืขื ื”ืกื›ื ื•ืช ื”ื˜ืžื•ื ื•ืช ื‘ืžื™ ื”ื ื”ืจ ืฉืขื•ื‘ืจ ื‘ืฉื˜ื—ื.

ื‘ืžืงื‘ื™ืœ ื”ืขืœื™ืœื” ืขื•ืงื‘ืช ืื—ืจ ื“ืžื•ืช ื‘ืฉื ื“ื™ื’ื‘ื™ ืงื™ืœื’ื•ืจ, ืจื•ืคื ืกืงื•ื˜ื™ ืฉืžืฆื˜ืจืฃ ืœืฉื™ืจื•ืชื™ ื”ืจืคื•ืื” ื”ื”ื•ื“ื™ื™ื ื‘ื”ื•ื“ื• ื”ื‘ืจื™ื˜ื™ืช ื•ื›ืŸ ื“โ€ืจ ืจื•ืŸ ืื•ืจืงื•ื•ื™ืกื˜, ืฉื ื™ื”ื ืžืงื“ื™ืฉื™ื ืืช ื—ื™ื™ื”ื ืœื˜ื™ืคื•ืœ ื‘ื—ื•ืœื™ ืฆืจืขืช.

ืฉื ื™ ื”ืฆื™ืจื™ื ื™ืชืื—ื“ื• ืœืื—ืจ ืขืžื•ื“ื™ื ื•ืชื”ืคื•ื›ื•ืช ื”ื™ืกื˜ื•ืจื™ื•ืช ืจื‘ื•ืช, ื‘ื—ืœืงื• ื”ืื—ืจื•ืŸ ืฉืœ ื”ืจื•ืžืŸ.

ื”ืจื•ืžืŸ ื ืข ื‘ื™ืŸ ื“ืžื•ื™ื•ืช ืฉื•ื ื•ืช, ื‘ื–ืžื ื™ื ืฉื•ื ื™ื. ื”ื•ื ืœื ืชืžื™ื“ ืœื™ื ื™ืืจื™, ืื ื›ื™ ื‘ื—ื˜ื™ื‘ื•ืช ื”ืžืจื›ื–ื™ื•ืช ืฉืœื• ื”ื•ื ืฉื•ืžืจ ืขืœ ืœื™ื ื™ืืจื™ื•ืช ืžืกื•ื™ื™ืžืช.

ื”ื•ื ื ืข ื‘ืชื ื•ืขื•ืช ืžื“ื•ื“ื•ืช ืžื”ืคืจื˜ ืืœ ื”ื›ืœืœ, ืžื”ืขื™ืกื•ืง ื‘ืžืขื’ืœ ื”ืžืฉืคื—ืชื™ ืืœ ื”ืขื™ืกื•ืง ื‘ื—ื‘ืจื” ื”ื”ื•ื“ื™ืช ื”ืžืจื•ื‘ื“ืช ื‘ืงืืกื˜ื•ืช ื•ื‘ืฉื™ื˜ืช ื”ืฉื™ื“ื•ื›ื™ื. ื”ื•ื ืขื•ืกืง ื‘ืคื•ืœื™ื˜ื™ืงื” ื•ื‘ื”ื™ืกื˜ื•ืจื™ื” ื”ืคื•ืœื™ื˜ื™ืช ืฉืœ ื”ื•ื“ื•, ื”ื—ืœ ืžืคื™ืจื•ืง ืฉื™ื˜ืช ื”ืฆืžื™ืชื™ื ื•ื›ืœื” ื‘ืฉื™ื—ืจื•ืจ ื”ื”ื•ื“ื™ื ืžื”ืฉืœื˜ื•ืŸ ื”ื‘ืจื™ื˜ื™.

ืžืื—ืจ ืฉื”ืกื•ืคืจ ื”ื•ื ื’ื ืจื•ืคื, ื”ื—ืœืงื™ื ืฉืขื•ืกืงื™ื ื‘ืจืคื•ืื” ืขืžื•ืกื™ื ืคืจื˜ื™ื ืจืคื•ืื™ื™ื ืœืžื›ื‘ื™ืจ.

ืœื”ื‘ื ืชื™, ื”ืžื—ื‘ืจ ืฉืื‘ ื”ืฉืจืื” ืžืืžื•, ืฉื›ืชื‘ื” ืžืขื™ืŸ ื™ื•ืžืŸ ืฉื‘ื• ืชื™ืขื“ื” ืืช ื—ื™ื™ื” ื•ื”ื”ื™ืกื˜ื•ืจื™ื” ื”ืžืฉืคื—ืชื™ืช.

ื”ืกื•ืคืจ ืžืงืฉื” ืขืœ ื”ืงื•ืจื, ื›ืฉื”ื•ื ื ืข ื‘ื™ืŸ ื“ืžื•ื™ื•ืช ืฉื•ื ื•ืช ืœื–ืžื ื™ื ืฉื•ื ื™ื ื•ืื™ื ื• ืฉื•ืžืจ ืขืœ ืงื• ืขืœื™ืœื” ืื—ื“. ื”ื•ื ืขื•ืกืง ื‘ืจื™ื‘ื•ื™ ื ื•ืฉืื™ื ืฉื—ืœืงื ืœื ืžื˜ื•ืคืœื™ื ื‘ืื•ืคืŸ ืžืงื™ืฃ. ื‘ื ื•ืกืฃ, ื™ืฉ ืœื• ื ื˜ื™ื™ื” ืœื™ื™ืฆืจ ืขืœื™ืœื•ืช ืžืฉื ื” ืฉืขื•ืœื•ืช ื›ืคื˜ืจื™ื•ืช ืœืื—ืจ ื”ื’ืฉื. ืขื•ื“ ื‘ืขื™ื” ื›ืฉื”ื•ื ืžืจื—ื™ื‘ ื‘ื—ืœืงื™ื ื”ืจืคื•ืื™ื™ื ื™ืชืจ ืขืœ ื”ืžื™ื“ื” ื•ื‘ืคื™ืจื•ื˜ ืœืคืจื˜ื™ ืคืจื˜ื™ื ื•ืœืœื ื”ืฆื•ืจืš ื•ืžืื™ื“ืš ื‘ื—ืœืงื™ื ื”ื™ืกื˜ื•ืจื™ื™ื ื”ืžืฉืžืขื•ืชื™ื™ื ื”ื•ื ืžืงืฆืจ ื•ืื™ื ื• ืงื•ืฉืจ ืื•ืชื ื”ื™ื˜ื‘ ืœื“ืžื•ื™ื•ืช ื‘ืขืœื™ืœื” ื”ืžืจื›ื–ื™ืช.

ืžืขื‘ืจ ืœื›ืœ ืืœื”, ื–ื• ื”ื•ื“ื•. ื›ื•ืœื ืกื•ื‘ืœื™ื. ื›ื•ืœื ืื•ืžืœืœื™ื. ื›ื•ืœื ืขื ื™ื™ื. ื•ืืฃ ืื—ื“ ืื™ื ื• ืžืื•ืฉืจ ื‘ืžื™ื•ื—ื“. ืžืื•ื“ ืงืฉื” ืœืžืฆื•ื ื‘ืฉืœืœ ื”ื“ืžื•ื™ื•ืช ืฉืœ ื•ื•ืจื’ื–ื” ืื™ื–ื• ื“ืžื•ืช ืฉื ื™ืชืŸ ืœื”ืชื—ื‘ืจ ืืœื™ื”.

ืœื ื”ื™ื™ืชื™ ื‘ื•ื—ืจืช ื‘ืกืคืจ ื”ื–ื” ืœืกืคืจ ื”ืฉื ื”. ื‘ื•ื•ื“ืื™ ืฉืœื ืžื‘ื™ื ื” ืžื“ื•ืข ืื•ืคืจื” ื•ื•ื™ื ืคืจื™ ื”ื—ืœื™ื˜ื” ืฉื”ื•ื ืื—ื“ ืžืฉืœื•ืฉืช ื”ืกืคืจื™ื ื”ื˜ื•ื‘ื™ื ืฉืงืจืื”. ืœืกืคืจ ืœื ื”ื™ื” ืžื–ื™ืง ืขื•ืจืš ืฉื™ืงืฆืฅ ื‘ื™ืŸ 30 ืœ- 40 ืื—ื•ื– ืžืžื ื•, ื•ืื•ืœื™ ื’ื ืžื”ื“ืง ืืช ื”ืขืœื™ืœื” ื•ื’ื•ื–ื ืืช ื›ืœ ื”ื“ืžื•ื™ื•ืช ื•ื”ืขืœื™ืœื•ืช ื”ืžื™ื•ืชืจื•ืช.


I decided to read the book after it was chosen as the 2023 Historical Books category winner on the Goodreads website. Although the length of 775 pages was initially discouraging, I thought of other great novels like โ€œGone with the Windโ€ and โ€œAnna Karenina,โ€ which encouraged me to persevere. The book boasts an impressive rating of almost 4.5 stars based on over 236,000 ratings.

The story unfolds as an epic historical saga that spans three generations of an Indian family, from the turn of the 20th century to the tumultuous 1970s. At the heart of the narrative is Mariam, who later becomes known as Big Mamachi. We first meet Mariam at 12, when she is on the brink of marrying a 40-year-old widower with a young child. The groom, a landowner from Parambil, takes his young bride to his sprawling estate, setting the stage for a complex and multi-layered tale.

After their marriage, Mariam discovers that her husbandโ€™s family is cursed, with one man in each generation doomed to die by drowning. This curse profoundly influences the familyโ€™s lives and shapes their interactions with the dangerous waters of the river that flows through their territory.
Simultaneously, the plot follows Digby Kilgour, a Scottish doctor who joins the Indian Medical Services in British India along with Dr. Ron Urquist. Both dedicate their lives to treating leprosy patients.
In the novelโ€™s final part, these two plot lines reunite after experiencing many historical upheavals and twists.
The narrative shifts between different characters and periods. While not always linear, its principal divisions maintain a specific structure.

Set against the backdrop of Indian societyโ€”a complex web of caste stratification and intricate matchmakingโ€”the novel also explores the political history of India, from the abolition of serfdom to the countryโ€™s liberation from British rule.

Given that the author is also a doctor, the sections dealing with medicine contain abundant medical details.

The author was inspired by his mother, who wrote a diary documenting her life and family history. However, the author often challenges the reader by shifting between various characters and times and failing to maintain a single plot line. He addresses topics that have not been explored and creates numerous subplots that spring up unexpectedly. The excessive detail in the medical sections sometimes overshadows significant historical moments, which are not always well tied to the main characters.

Throughout the novel, a pervasive tone emerges: This is India. Everyone suffers, is miserable, and struggles with poverty. Itโ€™s challenging to connect with any of Vargheseโ€™s many characters.

I wouldnโ€™t choose this book as the book of the year. I genuinely do not understand why Oprah Winfrey selected it as one of the three best books she has read. The book could greatly benefit from an editor who cuts 30 to 40 percent of the content, tightens the plot, and eliminates unnecessary characters and subplots.

๐Ÿคž ืงื‘ืœื• ืžื™ื™ืœ ืžืจื•ื›ื– ืื—ืช ืœืฉื‘ื•ืข!

ืื ื—ื ื• ืœื ืฉื•ืœื—ื™ื ืกืคืื! ืœืžื™ื“ืข ื ื•ืกืฃ ื ื™ืชืŸ ืœืงืจื•ื ืืช ืžื“ื™ื ื™ื•ืช ื”ืคืจื˜ื™ื•ืช ืฉืœื ื•.


ืœื’ืœื•ืช ืขื•ื“ ืžื”ืืชืจ Sivi's Books

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ืืžื ื‘ืžืฉืจื” ืžืœืื” ื•ืืฉืช ืงืจื™ื™ืจื”, ืชื•ืœืขืช ืกืคืจื™ื ื”ื™ืกื˜ืจื™ืช ื•ืฆืœืžืช ื‘ืฆื•ืง ื”ืขื™ืชื™ื. ื“ืขืชื ื™ืช ื•ื—ื•ื‘ื‘ืช ืคื•ืœื™ื˜ื™ืงื” ื•ืคื™ืœื•ืกื•ืคื™ื”. ืฉื•ืืคืช ืœื”ื’ื™ืข ืœื™ืจื— ื•ืžืงื•ื•ื” ืฉื–ื” ื™ืงืจื” ืœืคื ื™ ืฉื”ื™ืจื— ื™ื’ื™ืข ืืœื™ื ื•. ืื ื™ ืžืื—ืœืช ืœืงื•ืจืื™ ื”ื‘ืœื•ื’ ื ืกื™ืขื” ื ืขื™ืžื”!

ื”ืฉืืจ ืชื’ื•ื‘ื”

ืืชืจ ื–ื• ืขื•ืฉื” ืฉื™ืžื•ืฉ ื‘-Akismet ื›ื“ื™ ืœืกื ืŸ ืชื’ื•ื‘ื•ืช ื–ื‘ืœ. ืคืจื˜ื™ื ื ื•ืกืคื™ื ืื•ื“ื•ืช ืื™ืš ื”ืžื™ื“ืข ืžื”ืชื’ื•ื‘ื” ืฉืœืš ื™ืขื•ื‘ื“.

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ืœื’ืœื•ืช ืขื•ื“ ืžื”ืืชืจ Sivi's Books

ื›ื“ื™ ืœื”ืžืฉื™ืš ืœืงืจื•ื ื•ืœืงื‘ืœ ื’ื™ืฉื” ืœืืจื›ื™ื•ืŸ ื”ืžืœื ื™ืฉ ืœื”ื™ืจืฉื ืขื›ืฉื™ื•.

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