Na. Parthasarathy

The genre 'Tamil historical fiction' evokes visions of royal characters, fast moving action, wars and intrigue, thanks to the evergreen works of great masters like Kalki, Sandilyan, Vikraman, Kovi Manisekaran, et al. Manipallavam, true to the author's reputation, is quite different from the others; it doesn't deal with the royalty, there is little action, and there are no wars. This is a social novel set in the times of the Cholas. Though there is some intrigue and action, all of that is overwhelmed by the profusion of philosophical discourse dealing with the purpose and meaning of wealth, valour, love and life itself. The ending also is not a happy one as it involves heartbreak for several characters which underlines the author's focus on the message he wishes to convey rather than the story itself.
The most striking feature of this novel is the author's expressive description of the places, people and their emotions that transport the reader to a different world altogether.
Manipallavam is a novel that is a bit low on story and a lot deeper in meaning than most other works of Tamil historical fiction. I enjoyed the rich prose and the unique rhetorics a lot, though the lead characters started annoying me at some point...… (meer)