Mithila’s world is bound by a Wall enclosing the city of Sumer—nobody goes out, nothing comes in. The days pass as they have for two thousand years: just enough to eat for just enough people, living by the rules. Within the city, everyone knows their place.
But when Mithila tries to cross the Wall, every power in Sumer comes together to stop her. To break the rules is to risk all of civilization collapsing. But to follow them is to never know: who built the Wall? Why? And what would the world look like if it didn’t exist?
As Mithila and her friends search for the truth, they must risk losing their families, the ones they love, and even their lives. Is a world they can’t imagine worth the only world they have?
I’m a huge fan of the Terry Gilliam movie Brazil. It the simple story of a man ground down by existence, hemmed in at every turn. During his waking hours, he is crippled by insecurity and forced to conform. His life is an endless stream of banality but it is safe and secure. There is no challenge, but also no chance of failure. At night however, he dreams of flying, of escaping the confines of his life and embracing an endless horizon. He is drawn to the idea of there has to be something better. If only he is prepared to take the risk, to make that leap of faith.
This week’s read, The Wall by Gautam Bhatia, explores similar themes. A vast structure surrounds the city of Sumer and no one is permitted to travel outside. The story’s main protagonist, Mithila, is consumed with the idea that humans are driven by the need to be free. She has grown up in a culture where the wall dominates every aspect of life and she sees the inherent wrongness of it all. She has come to realise that when caged we are doomed to turn against one another. Control becomes everything, and the lure of power dooms us to failure and violent acts. There is a sense of tenacity in Mithila’s character that feels palpable. Her wanderlust and yearning is so easy to understand, I think it is something that exists deep within us all.
Bhatia uses The Wall to explore the nature of freedom and what this means to humanity. There is undoubtedly safety staying within the bounds of Sumer, but there is no growth. Generations have passed since the wall was raised and nothing has changed. The reasons behind the wall’s construction and it’s ultimate purpose have become lost in the mists of time. The strict hierarchy of the city remains all but stagnant though the majority are quite accepting of this. Possibility has become an anathema. It is only when people like Mithila rail against that system that there is a chance for real change.
Rather than the mindless bureaucracy evidenced in Brazil, the author uses religion as a backdrop for his fantastical dystopia. Over the years multiple factions have vied for power in Sumer. Each group interpreting ancient stories to fit with their own world view.
I have a lot of time for fiction like this that promotes such a high level of introspection. I’m fortunate enough to live in a society where I can take many of the freedoms I have for granted. I find myself asking, how would I fare faced with a boundary that is so all-encompassing it defined everything? I’d like to think I would be of a similar mind as Mithila, driven to discover what lies beyond, but it may be the bliss of ignorance would be too strong to resist. There is a lot to mull over in this novel. The author has done a genuinely impressive job of picking apart the human condition. Days after I’ve finished reading and I’m still pondering the ideas explored.
This novel happily defies any attempt at categorisation. Part fantasy, part science-fiction, The Wall is speculative fiction with a philosophical heart. The book ends in a suitably climactic fashion and I’ll admit I found myself a little conflicted*. I had a profound desire to know what was going to happen next but there was another part of me that felt ending the narrative in that single perfect moment couldn’t possibly be improved upon.
The Wall is published by HarperCollins India and is available now.
My musical recommendation to accompany this novel is the soundtrack to Maze Runner by John Paesano and Peter Anthony. The triumph of the human spirit captured in musical form dovetails nicely with the tone of the novel.
*in a good way
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