Quichotte by Salman Rushdie -- A review of a tale of journey, love and end

‘Quichotte’ is a sprawling work consisting of two stories, that of an author and that of a character of his fabrication, which swirl and churn and tango around one another to the simultaneously sweet and cacophonous music of Rushdie’s prose, until they meet in a breathtaking climax which left me dazed for days after I finished the novel. In a backdrop coloured with drug abuse, strained family relationships, racism in America, a chronic addiction to television and impending apocalypse, Mr Ismail Smile’s (alias Quichotte) grand quest for love at such a late age strikes one as both completely lunatic and touchingly beautiful. Sancho, Quichotte’s son born from the heavens, appears initially to be a voice of reason compared to his father’s overly romantic worldview, but as the story descends slowly into chaos, so does Sancho’s reality and own love story, presenting to the reader the sombre possibility that love may not be the default purpose, the holy grail, of the journey of life.

The defining characteristic that sets the novel apart from anything I have read before is the inclusion of the parallel storyline, that of the author himself, simply called ‘Brother’, a b-list writer of detective stories who writes Quichotte, intending it to be his magnum opus. He draws from deep within his own life and regrets and caricaturizes them in Quichotte. As both stories progress, more and more similarities are revealed between Brother’s life and the story he writes. In the story, Brother gives the characters desires and grudges, and resolves them with a simplicity he wishes was how they are resolved in his own life (most importantly, Quichotte’s desire and receival of a son, and Brother’s corresponding need for reconciliation with his own long-separated son; a big quarrel and subsequent separation from a sister and the eventual reconciliation, in both Brother’s and Quichotte’s stories). In both fiction and reality, these resolutions are not easy or smooth sailing; they are accompanied by giant messes and complications. This truly makes me wonder whether absolutely idealising a peaceful life and eternal compromise in relationships (as I always attempt to do) is simply impossible and only a cause of anguish, pain and regret; maybe one should learn to sometimes live with these complications, even regard them as what make life worth living, imparting it with richer flavour and deeper appreciation for the moments of beauty and peace.

The end of the universe and crumbling of reality furthers the state of instability underlying Quichotte’s world. To me, it almost feels like the chaos in Quichotte’s mind caused by years of obsessive TV-watching spills into the real world and slowly destroys it. The exacerbation and culmination of the apocalypse coincides beautifully with Quichotte meeting Salma (TV show host and the destination of Quichotte’s grand/eccentric love-quest) and the two of them fleeing their crumbling universe into another unknown, respectively. It truly is an impeccably crafted story, chaotic and delicately interconnected.

I believe I truly experienced what is popularly called a ‘book-hangover’ for the first time in my life after reading this book. The ending struck deeper than other authors’ do, and left me hollow, brooding and yearning for something I cannot put in words. I will surely be reading more works by Rushdie, for his equally mesmerising storylines and prose.

PS. I have always written reviews almost immediately after finishing a book, but for this one, I waited almost two weeks after finishing reading before writing the review. It has given me time to collect my thoughts about it, look at the story from afar and let my opinions and takeaways solidify, and has altogether resulted in a better review in my opinion.