On the Other Side

"On the Other Side" is a beautifully written novel about the life and death of Abdus Salam, an eccentric man who lived in and loved Mumbai. He questions everything he encounters, including his faith, tradition, politics, patriarchy, and the events happening around him. Wonderfully translated by Riyaz Latif, I can say that Rahman Abbas has crafted a very poignant book. The narrative technique is also remarkable, employing a book-within-a-book structure. The climax effectively justifies Salam's eccentric behavior. A must read book.

A novel in translation is always a pleasure to read if the translation is able to capture the spirit of the original۔