The Ministry of Utmost Happiness

The more I think about this book, the more I like it. I may come back and award it another star later, but right now I'm giving it 3. At first read, it can seem like the book has no central plot—just a huge cast of characters, some of them quirky and lovable, some of them creepy and evil, some of them noble heroes, meandering around and getting caught up in the conflicts of the day. That's not exactly wrong. But I am caught by the realization that the story begins in an abandoned graveyard that is a lonely, desolate place, and ends in that same graveyard that has become a haven, a place of safety for people who were at the end of their ropes.

Also, the meandering between the beginning and the end is so enjoyable to read. The many stories that are told are rich, sad, but hopeful. Some of the strands are about transgender women and their place in India, Muslim/Hindu relations, the disputed region of Kashmir, the caste system, environmental degradation. There's more, and there's even a character on a hunger strike who is adopted as a symbol for almost every protest cause there is, even causes that conflict with each other.

So, it might feel like The Ministry of Utmost Happiness has no plot, but it does. It has many plots that lead to the same place: a place of safety and hope for those who have been through heartbreak and despair and need a place to rest.