The In-between World of Vikram Lall

by M.G. Vissanji

This is the second book I have read by this author, the first being The Magic of Saida, which I found very captivating.

This book is the story of an Indian man whose family emigrated to Zambia and who has become engaged in unethical financial activities and is being villified for his behaviour.

The book tells the story of the boy's family life as he and his sister make friends with an African boy and two white children.  There is racism in Africa, whites are considered top of the heap, then the Asians and lastly of course the blacks.  The young man's sister develops affection, which develops into love for the African boy.  The young boy really liked the white girl, and is devastated when she and all her family are murdered by black independence rebels.

As the boy grows into adulthood he has an Uncle who it turns out is in favour of the African rebels and is supporting their efforts.  The uncles actions likely contribute to the African boys grandfather being imprisoned and dying in prison and the death of the white girl and her family.  He doesn't tell anyone about this but it ruins his relationship with his uncle.  The boys sister wants to marry the African boy but her parents won't allow it so the young black man tells her he must leave her and eventually goes off to marry another woman.  She then marries a man of her parent's choice but carries her love for the black man with her into the future when she and the African man meet again.

While this is going on the young man gets an education and through the help of his African friend lands a good job in the transportation department.  Life is good for him but then he is offered a job as the assistant to a key government official.  His african friend warns him not to take it but he doesn't listen and eventually gets involved in money laundering for the state.

The story is structured with the main character living in a cottage in nothern Ontario and reviewing his life while he tries to decide if he should return to face his accusers.  While many of the people around him, his father, his uncle, his sister, his African friend seem to be very ethical, principaled people, the main characters does not appear to be principled.  He seems to present his activities as almost naive, inadvertent.

He does decide to return to admit to guilt in some areas and make restitution but that stirs up concern from the politicians and officials whom his efforts benefitted and his life is endangered.

This was another very complex story, which asks very important questions and where not everything is clearly black and white or good and bad.

Another wonderful story that will stay with me for a long time.