Indomitable by Yezdi. Published in 2020 by Becomeshakespeare.com, Wordit Content Design & Editing Services Pvt Ltd, Unit - 26, Building A-1, Nr Wadala RTO, Wadala (East), Bombay, 400037. Pp: 358. Price: Rs 450.
Indomitable by Yezdi (Billimoria, pictured) recounts the story of Capt Jamshed Irani and his trials and tribulations; he is ruled by an indomitable spirit which assists him in fighting all odds to achieve his goals.
On a rainy day, unable to venture out and play with his friends, his grandson comes across a book in his grandfather’s room with a letter mentioning that Irani had left him his life story. It is very creditable that the author portrays Jamshed, warts and all, and the book is not a hagiographic account of his life but balanced by his failings and shortcomings.
The novel begins with the thoughts of the dying Jamshed but the scene soon shifts to the Dadar Parsi Colony. The date is August 15, 1947 but Jamshed, a young lad, is more concerned with a hockey match than the fact that India has gained its independence. The reader is made aware early in the novel that Jamshed is a haughty young boy, as he refuses to wear the shoes which are hand-me-downs from his cousin. One also gets the impression that the family is not very well off, yet it is odd that despite this, the parents can afford to send their son to a Panchgani boarding school. The portrayal of Jamshed’s mother Jeroo Mai is very vivid. She is decisive, strong, firm and "a picture of resolution and strength.” There is no doubt that he acquired the quality of being indomitable from her.
Jamshed watches aeroplanes constantly and his decision to become a pilot may have stemmed from the miniature replica of a Tiger Moth aircraft which his father makes for him. The novel deals with the difficulty he faces in the choice of his career. Due to the family’s dire finances, he is forced to give tuitions and apply for scholarships while pursuing the BSc course at Ruparel College.
Life at the Nagpur Flying Club is not easy; Jamshed has to face taunts from students and professors but he does complete his course. He is posted to Calcutta and is blissful in his profession. One sees Jamshed’s immense frustration when, on account of his health problems, he has to take a sabbatical for six months.
Occasionally, the author "tells” us about his characters rather than leaving a situation to speak for itself. He mentions Jamshed is "as tough as nails, dark and vicious,” that he has always believed that "RIGHT was always right, that injustice would be overcome and that honesty was (and is) the best policy.” It would have been far more effective had this aspect of his character been depicted through incidents rather than via mere statements.
Though the subject matter of the novel is fairly engaging, it fails to hold our interest. It is obvious that the author is writing about a beloved member of his family; however, the novel fails to grip the reader. Further, the impression one gets is that it is more of a biography than a novel as it seems to be a mere narration of the events of the life of someone close to him. The book fails as a novel as there is no real plot and hardly any character development. It is all very well to be passionate about a family member, but how far the author manages to communicate the same and create some empathy in his reader is a matter of doubt. This is a pity because Billimoria writes reasonably well and the book has been well edited, not replete with typographical and grammatical errors which occur very frequently in self-published novels.
FIRDAUS GANDAVIA
Gandavia holds a doctorate in English literature and is a retired chartered accountant. He is a compulsive reader of fiction.