Acton reviewed Chef: a novel by Jaspreet Singh
Review of 'Chef' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
Jaspreet Singh's novel Chef is a moving story centered around needless fighting, suffering, and deprivation. Deprivation of more than comfort; the deprivation of love and open expression that comes with violent conflict, in this case, between India and Pakistan.
This is Kirpal Singh's story, which he tells us close to the end of his life, so the narrative jumps around in time to good effect. Kirpal, or Kip, as he is known, was General Kumar's chef, up until some fourteen years ago, and now he is returning to Kashmir after all this time to prepare a wedding banquet for the general's daughter, who he remembers comforting as a child.
Kip remembers for us not just his story, but other people's stories, those of people who were important to him. And there are many mysteries, many questions that will forever remain unasked.
The general's daughter has grown up to be a …
Jaspreet Singh's novel Chef is a moving story centered around needless fighting, suffering, and deprivation. Deprivation of more than comfort; the deprivation of love and open expression that comes with violent conflict, in this case, between India and Pakistan.
This is Kirpal Singh's story, which he tells us close to the end of his life, so the narrative jumps around in time to good effect. Kirpal, or Kip, as he is known, was General Kumar's chef, up until some fourteen years ago, and now he is returning to Kashmir after all this time to prepare a wedding banquet for the general's daughter, who he remembers comforting as a child.
Kip remembers for us not just his story, but other people's stories, those of people who were important to him. And there are many mysteries, many questions that will forever remain unasked.
The general's daughter has grown up to be a writer, a poet. In her, Kip sees a new hope, a way to reveal the thoughts and feelings of so many people, so many sad, scared, lonely, desperate people.
It's a beautiful book.