Girl Made of Gold, the debut novel of Gitanjali Kolanad is an intricately crafted piece of literature. The story is set in the 1920s in Thanjavur, in an era of devadasis, zamindars and priests. The book is written in the third person narrative and the point of view switches between various characters. As the point of view switches from one character to another, we get a deeper insight into the narrative and all this combines into a wondrous plot.
The narrative follows the story of a young girl Kanaka, who one day, mysteriously went missing from the village. That day Kanaka didn't appear at the temple for the morning prayer and offerings. At first, her reluctance and negligence were considered prospective reasons for her absence at the temple. Things begin to complicate when a statue, like Kanaka, appears in the sanctum sanctorum of the Shiva temple. While most people were convinced that it was a miracle of God that Kanaka turned into the statue of Gold, some were of the opinion that Kanaka's disappearance had nothing to do with the statue. As the plot unfolds, we get to know, through the voice of various characters, what course of events exactly happened and led to Kanaka's vanishment.
The writing style of the novel is truly fascinating. The descriptions are extremely detailed and create clear visions in readers' minds. For all those looking to read an Indian author and have insight into the period of devadasis and priests, Girl Made of Gold is highly recommended.
Besides reading as a hardback, you can also read Girl Made of Gold as an e-book on the Juggernaut app.