Victory City by Salman Rushdie

 

In this epic story, we learn of the life of Pampa Kampana.  As a nine year old girl, she watches her mother burn to death and in her wild grieving, she is visited by a goddess and becomes the goddess's voice on Earth.  The goddess tells her of a city that will grow there, Bisnaga, which translates as 'victory city.'  The girl plants a seed and overnight, the city grows and is populated.

Pampa will live to be over two hundred and fifty years old.  Along the way, she marries three kings and has lovers, almost always red haired travelers.  She has three daughters by one of these lovers.  There are wars, palace machinations and politics and magic.  At one point, Pampa and her daughters move away from the city and into the forest where they live for several generations.  Always, Pampa loves her city and does whatever she can to make it the best and most forward looking with equality for women and everyone involved in arts such as poetry, dance and painting.

I loved this novel.  It was the Rushdie we have come to know and love, reminiscent of some of his earlier books.  There is love, hatred, magic and a story that one is entranced by.  Readers will fall in love with Pampa and follow her enchanted life from start to finish with interest and involvement.  This book is recommended for literary fiction readers.