Book Review: The Mystic Masseur

Its title seemed exotic and sensual
But the book led only to boredom eventual

Book: The Mystic Masseur, by V.S. Naipaul

*1/2 (out of five stars)

This is quite possibly the most boring book in the history of ever. Trust me. I've started many a boring book, but let me tell you, this one takes the cake. The author is a Nobel laureate for literature, and that's what drew me to the book but believe me when I say that every comment on the back cover of the book is a LIE. It's a bad, bad book.

I don't even want to do a synopsis because it might put you to sleep. But...whatever...so it's about this guy Ganesh who lives in Trinidad who fails as a schoolteacher, masseur, and husband, but for some reason unbeknowst to me, he somehow scores a "career" as a mystic, then writer, then politician. There are apparently some funny antics along his journey, but I failed to find anything about this book funny since there's really nothing humourous about trying to force your way through a boring book. Anyways, the book is about his career.

Writing sucked. All dialogue was presented in creole, and the book started out with a guy who sets out to tell the story of Ganesh. What this guy has to do with the actual story beats me...because he played a role which would have been cut out of any tv pilot.

Sucky book + sucky author + sucky writing + boring story = 1.5 stars.

I would have given it one star, but the cover looked nice. And apparently there's been a "major motion picture" made on this book, so at least someone was able to find a plot. It wasn't me, let me tell you.