Like Heaven

(Paperback)

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Description

Like Heaven surges with life, humour and a sense of hope. Niala Maharaj is an exciting new voice. Like Heaven is a vivid and evocative portrait of an Indian family in Port of Spain, Trinidad. Ved Saran is forced to leave his childhood behind when he takes on the family business, sacrificing his own personal desires to make it a success. As he prospers, he is pulled further away from the ramshackle carnival culture that has sustained him and thrown instead into a world of politics and corruption which finally threatens his personal happiness and the happiness of the people around him. Creating a cast of richly drawn characters, Niala Maharaj in this debut novel reveals the humour and pathos in life - the unpredictability of its course and the complexity of human relationships. It celebrates the fun and pleasure to be found in friendship and social occasions and shows the devastation that can be wrought by a split-second decision. Ultimately uplifting, Like Heaven pulsates with life, and is vibrant with the sounds, smells, colours and texture of the Caribbean.

Reviews

The heat and vitality of the Caribbean burn off the page in this beguiling novel * Guardian *
A big, life-enhancing book, fast-paced, both funny and sad. * Caribbean Beat *
Maharaj's writing pulses with the vibrant colours and smells of the Caribbean * Sunday Telegraph *

Author Bio

Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, Niala Maharaj was a leading figure in the local print media. She went on to co-produce and co-present the country's most successful weekly television series. She left Trinidad in 1987 to edit an international women's magazine based in Rome, endured a short stint with an Asian non-governmental organisation based in Hong Kong, then returned to Europe where she settled in Amsterdam. She has travelled extremely widely, working as a freelance journalist, editor and communications consultant to international organisations, universities and publishers. She has written one non-fiction book- The Game of the Rose- The Third World in the International Flower Trade and is currently working on her second novel.