'Miss Timmins' School for Girls' by Nayana Currimbhoy
First Novel: Nayana Currimbhoy’s Excellent Adventure
Nayana Currimbhoy, author of 'Miss Timmins' School for Girls'
Yet another writer has made her debut with a first novel and once again you realize that the literary world may have been around forever but every new writer brings her own unique perspective to it, and creates yet another view, another prism of lives lived and loves lost and gained.
Traditional Brahmin values, sex and rock n roll and drugs, caste and class, British missionaries, forbidden love affairs and murder, Indian schoolgirls playing British – all in the same India of the 70’s. ‘Miss Timmins’ School for Girls’ is a lush coming of age story and a murder-mystery rolled into one, set in an all-girls school in the sleepy hill station of Panchgani in India. It also happens to be Nayana Currimbhoy’s first novel – and that is surprising for the writing is seasoned, evocative, taking you into a compelling yet insular universe.
For Currimbhoy, the success of this first novel is particularly sweet because she wrote it after having led another life as a businesswoman and freelance writer. It was five years in the making and wonders of wonders, in this hard new world of recessions and cut-backs, ‘Miss Timmins’ found a topnotch publisher immediately.
It has made quite a splash, with some great reviews, and some mixed ones. ‘Miss Timmins’ has been on best selling book lists in India. Oprah Winfrey’s O magazine wrote about it and several other media reviewed it. There’s been a definite buzz about it and the book readings have been packed.
Really no surprise since Indian women writers who write in English seem to be much in demand and India itself appears to be a favored subject. I find Indian writers bring such an inimitable use of language, of time and place to the worlds they create. For someone who grew up in India, there is a great deal of identification with the colorful universe Currimbhoy constructs and which her protagonist Charulata Apte inhabits.
Nayana Currimbhoy with Aroon and Misha Shivdasani at the book launch organized by IAAC
Currimbhoy has a strong command of language – evocative images are invoked and you become the fly on the wall watching it all. Yet for me, some parts did work better than others – I particularly loved the storyline of Charu and her dysfunctional family, of her home life. Panchgani is beautifully recreated and Charu is absolutely all flesh and blood. You find yourself caring about what happens to her – yet find yourself indifferent to some of the other players who are not etched as strongly.
The murder mystery keeps you on your toes, playing detective and turning the pages – and at the same time thinking of many larger issues, for social commentary is woven seamlessly into the narrative. One looks forward to the next novel from this gifted writer.
