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In Hari
Kunzru's third novel, mysterious enemies are chasing the hero,
and he must solve the mystery before they catch him. Kunzru
used this simple, energetic premise before, in his second
novel, Transmission, which followed a young Indian
man as he immigrated to America, accidentally unleashed a
devastating computer virus, and fled from the authorities.
The hero of My Revolutions has committed a similar
act of terror, almost by accident: in the '60s and '70s, he
believed the corrupt British state had to be abolished, and
he organized a series of deadly anti-war protests in London.
Now in
his 50s, Chris Carver (alias Mike Frame) has settled down
with a wife and daughter who know nothing about his past.
But an old acquaintance blackmails him into revealing his
true identity. Here, a hero with good intentions is transformed
into a violent enemy of the state—but that's only half
the fun. Chris/Mike also reflects on his own fears and mistakes
before he confronts the blackmailer, and this double pursuit—of
a fugitive hero and his dubious past—makes My Revolutions
both literary and thrilling.
Clearly,
a good deal of research went into Kunzru's portrayal of young
British radicals who agitate for social reform and an end
to the war in Vietnam. Their story is full of political screeds,
betrayals, dramatic explosions, and tangled sexual encounters.
But Kunzru never allows the action and excitement to overwhelm
his novel. (The title, which sounds like it should refer to
a violent social uprising, actually refers to the way Buddhist
monks and prison inmates walk in circles when they meditate.)
My Revolutions brings the reader on a step-by-step
descent from college education and political activism to armed
robbery and murder. It's a convincing psychological exploration,
and it almost makes the radical agenda of these British freedom
fighters sound like a noble cause.
All three
of Kunzru's novels revolve around outsiders who question the
necessity of belonging to a state. Kunzru is a fair authority
on such matters, being a British citizen with roots in Kashmir.
In 2003 he refused a prestigious literary award for his first
novel because it was given by the Mail on Sunday, a
newspaper that he accused of "hostility towards black and
Asian British people." Along with other young and talented
authors like Zadie Smith and Colson Whitehead, Kunzru has
always tried to demonstrate that social politics can have
a dramatic impact on individual lives. With My Revolutions,
he succeeds like never before.
(February,
2008)
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