The Ground Beneath Her Feet

My first response to Salman Rushdie's "Ground Beneath Her Feet" was definitely mixed. I questioned the ways in which he attempts to link the mythology of diverse civilizations with the catastrophic modern world. He seems to almost make a farce out of classical mythology as he attempts to link characters who are so diverse as to be dynamic opposites. When I thought about it a little more, however, I realized that Rushdie's attempts were not in vain. The very nature of any said myth is supposed to constantly change, as contradictory as this sounds. Myths themselves may stay static, but their application to modern societies gives room for interpretation and manipulation. The brilliant ways in which Rushdie portrays his characters turn them into their own mythical presence. This magical transformation of "extraordinary" beings into mortals who live, suffer and die is truly ingenious on the part of Rushdie. The addition of music into the equation just enhances the "myth" that Rushdie actually creates. I would recommend this book to music and myth lovers alike. Others may find it to be a little too daring...but open to interpretation!

Much like Orpheus, Rushdie gets turned around in his descent into this novel of parallel universes, rock and doomed love. The plot line spurts and stops like the punctuated equilibrium theory and Rushdie's attempt at capturing the essence of rock and roll comes across like one of George Harrison's sitar solos, half-baked mimicry. Nonetheless, Rushdie's lyricism and intelligence still sets The Ground Beneath Her Feet head and shoulders above most of his peers' recent work.

Rushdie's new book is a big complex novel that stretches along cultural lines, comparing the secular to the religious, the ancient with modern, the real and the fantastic. The result is a very complicated affair that is well written, but also uneven. Rushdie takes on a lot in this book, and if he falls short it is only for ambition.

You would be hard pressed to find anyone who would dispute the fact that Salman Rusdie is the greatest writer writing in the english language today. His books are always epics spanning not only time and history, but also worlds both real and not. The book is classic Rushdie; epic in scope and length, filled with humour,satire and carefully concealed social commentary. Based on the Orhpheus myth, the story traces the lives of Vina and Ormus as they exchange Bombay for Manhattan and take the world by storm with their rock group VTO. Both are almagamations of the greatest figures that rock has seen. The story is told by Rai, the enigmatic and poetic photographer who I think is the true hero of the book. In between the sage-like recounting of the lives of our protagonists, is the story of a man in search of a true self. Rai is our "everyday man", the conscience behind the beauty and insanity. My only problem with this book is Rushdie's pedantic use of all things American. American culture is pieced together like an unengaging gigsaw puzzle, cold and academic. Nonetheless, The Ground Beneath her Feet is a book that I will return to time and time again. It's astonishing how much one man can fit into five hundred pages.

I loved this book. It was a real page-turner, i couldn't put it down. recommend it highly!