It is fashionable to say that the Indian novel is taking the place of the Russian. Fire on the Mountain bears a resemblance to Turgenev's First Love. Both are poetic novels. In both at least one of the chief characters is not at all nice, but mysterious, fascinating, and romantic and one of them gradually becomes obsessed with the other. The atmosphere of summer in the summer resorts is similarly strong and pervasive—though the Indian summer with its violent heat and equally violent storms is as different as possible from the white nights of the Baltic. Mrs Desai is marvellous at describing places, weather, atmosphere, sticks, stones, plants, animals, physical movement and physical sensation. Perhaps she does it just a little too much. Her novel is carefully and successfully constructed and although it is so quiet until the final denouement, suspense builds up again and again, particularly throughout the first third when Nanda is quite alone waiting for Raka's arrival.
Mrs Desai is less sure in confronting her characters with one another and in making them speak (or think); surprisingly for such a fastidious writer she sometimes allows them to drift into cliché.
Gabriele Annan, "Flight from Matriarchy," in The Times Literary Supplement (© Times Newspapers Ltd. (London) 1977; reproduced from The Times Literary Supplement by permission), No. 3927, June 17, 1977, p. 721.
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