Silent Winds, Dry Seas

A Novel

By: Vinod Busjeet

Narrated by: Mahesh Jadu

One of NPR's Best Books of the Year

A sweeping debut novel that explores the intimate struggle for independence and success of a young descendant of Indian indentured laborers in Mauritius, a small multiracial island in the Indian Ocean.

"The beauty of Busjeet's splendid, often breathtaking book is, like the best stories of journeys to young adulthood, the precious and well-observed and heartbreaking details of day-to-day life." (Edward P. Jones, Pulitzer Prize winning author of The Known World)

In the 1950s, Vishnu Bhushan is a young boy yet to learn the truth beyond the rumors of his family's fractured histories - an alliance, as his mother says, of two bankrupt families. In evocative chapters, the first two decades of Vishnu's life in Mauritius unfolds with heart wrenching closeness as he battles to experience the world beyond, and the cultural, political, and familial turmoil that hold on to him.

Through gorgeous and precise language, Silent Winds, Dry Seas conjures the spirit and rich life of Mauritius, even as its diverse peoples live under colonial rule. Weaving the soaring hopes, fierce love, and heart-breaking tragedies of Vishnu's proud Mauritian family together with his country's turbulent path to gain independence, Busjeet masterfully evokes the epic sweep of history in the intimate moments of a boy's life.

Silent Winds, Dry Seas is a poetic, powerful, and universal novel of identity and place, of the legacies of colonialism, of tradition, modernity, and emigration, and of what a family will sacrifice for its children to thrive.

©2021 Vinod Busjeet (P)2021 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

One of NPR'S Best Books of the Year

One of the Most Anticipated Books of the Summer by: The Millions, Paperback Paris, SheReads, and Book Culture

"Busjeet excels in vivid, tactile experiences and unforgettable Mauritian characters.... Certainly, Silent Winds doesn't shy away from typical polarities: young versus old; tradition versus modernity; freedom versus repression; community versus individual. Yet, through the archetypal Vishnu, Busjeet charts the entire evolution of Mauritian society, grounded in its historical context, with sharp wit, poetic charm, and graceful insights...it is a much-needed addition to the small body of contemporary Mauritian literature.” (NPR.com)

"Migration and its opportunities are at the heart of Vinod Busjeet’s debut.... The novel takes us through natural disasters, political upheaval, bureaucratic corruption and economic instability. For readers unfamiliar with Mauritius, this history is illuminating, the richness of detail showcasing some of the best writing in the book.... A vivid rendering of a world unfamiliar to many." (The New York Times)

“The beauty of Busjeet’s splendid, often breathtaking book is, like the best stories of journeys to young adulthood, the precious and well-observed and heartbreaking details of day-to-day life.” (Edward P. Jones, best-selling author of The Known World, winner of the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction)

Reminiscent of VS Naipaul

This story totally immersed me in a unique place, the island of Mauritius, a multi-cultural, multiracial, multiethnic and multi-lingual former colony in the Indian Ocean. It is a coming -of- age story for the young male protagonist, who confronts dramas within his large, emotional family, political corruption, racial and ethnic tensions and financial insecurity in his persistent quest for education, which eventually leads him to the US for university. It is almost a "coming of age" story of the country as well, as it moves fitfully towards independence. The writing is lyrical and evocative, and the cast of characters, both male and female, are vividly drawn. I absorbed the story through the Audible recording, which was very well performed by the narrator--in particular, his use of different accents and voices for the many characters enriched the story. I understand that the text contains sections of actual poetry but in the narration that isn't obvious, as the text flowed naturally as it was read (a compliment to the writer's general style). Overall, the story reminded me of VS Naipaul's tales about the Indian diaspora to far-flung, lesser-known worlds. A very enjoyable book.