Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges

I read Bombay Balchao this week. Well, heard it actually on #audible. I guess I picked it because I was missing my home city. For those of us who have lived in Bombay, we understand the difference between Bombay and Mumbai. This book, was a glimpse into Bombay.

Bombay Balchao is written very well, it has the right amount of emotions to be engaging and not overpowering, an interesting mix of characters and a nostalgic trip down memory lane. The history of Bombay is lightly woven into the narrative, with a little bit of social and political commentary thrown in. Just enough to give context, and not distract from the story.

My GoodReads review of Bombay Balchao

Bombay Balchao by Jane Borges
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I enjoyed the characters of this book – each stands out with their own quirks, whims and strengths. The writing is fine, very fine. I liked that the book travels across time, revealing layers about the characters and their relationships. Recently, I also read the Thursday Murder Club and could not help comparing the characters from both books. None of them give up on life, some even after death 🙂

The stories are of a community I’ve had little interaction with, and I found the revelations delightful. My only grouse with the story is that it ended with loose threads. What happens to Mario? Annette? Bosco mansion? How did Peru become Meher? Is there a sequel coming up? I hope so.

I didn’t read the book, I heard an audible narration. And that, was what went south for me. I usually try to separate the narration from the writing in my reviews. In this one, the book deserved a much better narration. I was more disappointed because the narration is done by an experienced actor. For one, it was too slow, for the other, the opportunity to do voices was totally wasted. I felt that the use of Goan and Konkani accents was brought out more in humor than to make the narration better.

It is a light book, doesn’t prompt you to ponder much or experience deep emotions. You step into Bosco mansion, into the lives of people across generations, laugh a little, feel the impact of they heartbreak and move on.

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Have you read the book? What did you think about it?

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There are so many aspects of Bombay, and one of them from my childhood is the inability to see the vastness of the sky. I once wrote a poem about it. You can read it here.