In a fictionalized biography of 19th-century Indian mystic and yogi Sri Ramakrishna, Nicola Barker (The Yips) drops chronology in the blender, rearranging a life's moments into a revelation regarding the nature of faith.
Born in 1836 to a Brahmin family, the young Ramakrishna sought God in many forms and exhibited a particular affinity for Kali, the dark-skinned warrior goddess of destruction, until his death of throat cancer at the age of 50. Barker flings out shards of the mystic's life for the reader's examination, swinging from his birth in 1836 to his last days in 1886. Along the way, she introduces his supporters, including his nephew and attendant Hridayram, who adores Uncle even if he sometimes wants to throttle him; young wife and spiritual protégée, Sarada Devi; faithful but occasionally childish patron Mathur Nath Biswas; and most especially his benefactor and the founder of the Dakshineswar Kali Temple, the wealthy widow Rani Rashmoni.
While matters of religion generally carry an impression of weightiness, Barker deftly juggles reverence and humor. Her zigzagging narrative poses serious questions about religious traditions one moment, then turns around and asks the reader to consider the airspeed velocity of a swift--Indian, not European, and laden with a camera. Haikus dance across the page at random intervals to comment on events or encapsulate bits of wisdom. Script scenes, letters, lists and even a frankly phrased FAQ about Kali round out the unconventional mix of formats. Barker's The Cauliflower is as multi-lobed and densely clustered as the vegetable from which it takes its name. A nutritious treat for the intellect and the funny bone. --Jaclyn Fulwood, blogger at Infinite Reads