The Guide by R.K. Narayan

I am about halfway through The Guide by R.K. Narayan, one of my considerations for next year's IB class.  I really like Narayan's writing style and I like the structure of the story.  The book starts in the present, and that story continues chronologically.  At the same time, we learn the protagonist's background in a series of flashbacks, written in first person.  In addition, there are smaller flashbacks written in third person that provide additional background to the present tense narrative.  There is a subtle difference in the diction of the first person flashbacks and the third person narrative, but not as distinct as in many books that I've read.

The structure of the novel would present a challenge to some of my students, but would also provide them with plenty to discuss in essays and in the oral exam. The development of Raju, the child, and Raju, the spiritual leader contrasts active decision making with simply allowing things to happen.  The flashbacks provide the reader with an insight to Raju's character, pre-prison, that the villagers of Mangal lack. I find myself asking how long Raju the charlatan will be able to fool the villagers.   Of course, I also want to know what happened to Rosie, the woman with whom all of Raju's troubles began, according to the start of his flashback in chapter one.

There are enough questions to make me want to keep reading.  The book is not as compelling as The Handmaid's Tale, but so far it doesn't contain any scenes which could potentially upset parents.