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A review by enfelicia
Mother Ocean Father Nation by Nishant Batsha
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
3.75
Nishant Batsha’s debut novel Mother Ocean Father Nation is set in 1985 on an unnamed island in the South Pacific. The government has been overthrown by natives seeking to take back the island which they believe was stolen from them by the Indian community brought there by colonizers. The story follows two siblings, Bhumi and Jaipal, who are separated during the coup. Bhumi is forced into exile, abandoning her university studies and starting anew in California. Jaipal is left on the island, forced to stay while everyday life gets increasingly difficult for the Indian community.
Batsha is a skilled writer who is able to write beautiful descriptions while creating an underlying feeling of constant danger. The tension between individual needs and family expectations is subtly portrayed through the questions the characters ask themselves. The character development is wonderful with Bhumi’s and Jaipal’s perspectives and motivations evolving as the coup unfolds. The characters are likable, despite, or because of, their flaws, and Batsha writes with understanding and compassion for their circumstances.
The book has a few loose ends that I would want to see connected and there is tremendous potential to delve into various layers of racism and colonialism. I look forward to reading more from Batsha, whether it's a sequel or a new standalone novel that continues this narrative.
“We don’t belong here,” Maqbool said with a bitter air. “We’re just some fucked orphan of the Empire, brought here and left behind. We made some money, but you know what really matters? Power. Land. Guns. Our fathers were stupid as shit. They signed that constitution and signed over all land to the natives, thinking we could just count our money in the corner. They got the land, they got the government. Who said we should rock the boat? Things were fine until that election. We fucked it up. We wanted more. It wasn’t ours to take. And now, they’re done with us.” p. 210.
“We don’t belong here,” Maqbool said with a bitter air. “We’re just some fucked orphan of the Empire, brought here and left behind. We made some money, but you know what really matters? Power. Land. Guns. Our fathers were stupid as shit. They signed that constitution and signed over all land to the natives, thinking we could just count our money in the corner. They got the land, they got the government. Who said we should rock the boat? Things were fine until that election. We fucked it up. We wanted more. It wasn’t ours to take. And now, they’re done with us.” p. 210.