Review: Amitav Ghosh's 'Ghost-Eye' Criticized for Clichéd Prose Despite Ambitious Climate Themes
This review critiques Amitav Ghosh’s eleventh novel, Ghost-Eye, arguing that its ambitious exploration of climate crisis and spiritual interconnectedness is undermined by clichéd and uninspired prose. The narrative follows Dinu, a semi-retired antiquarian in Brooklyn, who recounts his childhood in Calcutta during the 1960s and 70s. Central to the plot is a reincarnation mystery involving Varsha, a young girl who remembers a past life as a fisher in the Sundarbans, challenging her wealthy Jain family’s traditions. Ghosh uses reincarnation as a metaphor for global ecological interconnectedness, positing an eternal hive mind linking humans, animals, and nature. While the intricate plot and urgent subject matter regarding corporate pollution and climate change are acknowledged as important, the reviewer contends that the writing relies heavily on tired phrases and unnatural dialogue, particularly for younger characters. Despite Ghosh’s significant previous contributions to climate fiction discourse, such as The Great Derangement, this novel is described as a missed opportunity where message overshadows literary quality.
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Review: Amitav Ghosh's 'Ghost-Eye' Criticized for Clichéd Prose Despite Ambitious Climate Themes
This review critiques Amitav Ghosh’s eleventh novel, Ghost-Eye, arguing that its ambitious exploration of climate crisis and spiritual interconnectedness is undermined by clichéd and uninspired prose. The narrative follows Dinu, a semi-retired antiquarian in Brooklyn, who recounts his childhood in Calcutta during the 1960s and 70s. Central to the plot is a reincarnation mystery involving Varsha, a young girl who remembers a past life as a fisher in the Sundarbans, challenging her wealthy Jain family’s traditions. Ghosh uses reincarnation as a metaphor for global ecological interconnectedness, positing an eternal hive mind linking humans, animals, and nature. While the intricate plot and urgent subject matter regarding corporate pollution and climate change are acknowledged as important, the reviewer contends that the writing relies heavily on tired phrases and unnatural dialogue, particularly for younger characters. Despite Ghosh’s significant previous contributions to climate fiction discourse, such as The Great Derangement, this novel is described as a missed opportunity where message overshadows literary quality.
The Guardian