“Evening Is the Whole Day” is a novel by Preeta Samarasan that delves into the intricacies of family relationships and societal issues in Malaysia. It follows the story of the Rajasekharan family, who are Tamil Malaysians living in Ipoh, a small town in Malaysia. The novel is a poignant portrayal of the struggles faced by the family members, particularly the children, as they grapple with their identity and place in a society that is increasingly stratified along racial and economic lines.
One of the most striking aspects of the novel is its exploration of the complexities of family relationships. The Rajasekharan family is deeply dysfunctional, and the tensions between the family members are often palpable. The parents, Chellam and Raju, are deeply unhappy in their marriage, and their constant bickering and arguments have a profound effect on their children. The children themselves are struggling to come to terms with their own identities, and their relationships with each other are fraught with jealousy and resentment.
At the heart of the novel is the character of Aasha, the youngest daughter of the Rajasekharan family. Aasha is a sensitive and intelligent child who is struggling to make sense of the world around her. She is acutely aware of the inequalities and injustices that exist in Malaysian society, and she is often frustrated by her parents’ inability to see them. Aasha‘s journey of self-discovery is the central theme of the novel, and Samarasan does an excellent job of capturing the confusion and uncertainty of adolescence.
Another theme that runs throughout the novel is the issue of race and identity in Malaysia. The Rajasekharan family is Tamil Malaysian, a minority group in a country where the majority Malay population has traditionally held the balance of power. The novel explores the ways in which this power imbalance affects the lives of the Tamil community, particularly in terms of access to education and economic opportunities. Samarasan‘s portrayal of this issue is nuanced and thought-provoking, and she does an excellent job of highlighting the complexities of race relations in Malaysia.
One of the strengths of the novel is its rich and evocative portrayal of the setting. Samarasan paints a vivid picture of Ipoh, a town that is both familiar and exotic to the Western reader. She captures the sights, sounds, and smells of the town with a keen eye for detail, and her descriptions are both lyrical and atmospheric. The setting plays an important role in the novel, serving as a backdrop to the family’s struggles and providing a sense of context for the larger societal issues that are explored.
Despite its many strengths, “Evening Is the Whole Day” is not without its flaws. The novel is slow-paced, and the plot can meander at times. Some readers may find the family’s dysfunction overwhelming, and the characters can be difficult to relate to. Additionally, the novel’s exploration of race and identity may be too complex for some readers, particularly those who are unfamiliar with the Malaysian context.
Overall, however, “Evening Is the Whole Day” is a powerful and moving novel that explores important themes in a nuanced and thought-provoking way. Samarasan‘s prose is lyrical and evocative, and her characters are deeply human and flawed. The novel is a testament to the power of storytelling to illuminate the complexities of the human experience, and it is a must-read for anyone interested in the issues of family, race, and identity in contemporary Malaysia.
