PVLF 2025

A Dalliance with Destiny by Aman Singh Maharaj

on Aug 01, 2022

Spanning a century, and set in South Africa and India, the novel captures the odyssey of a seemingly brash man in his thirties, who fights to remain lucid in what appears to be an irrational world. Whilst everyone around him is still celebrating the euphoric entry of his country into the rest of the democratic world, he is at odds with it. After a series of distressing experiences, he attempts to extinguish the raison d’etre of his angst by embarking on an increasingly mystical journey to India with an unconventional best friend.

“A literary masterpiece, transcending the local and the global, with extraordinary attention to detail. A protagonist who scales the boundaries of sanity and material depravity in his higher spiritual quest.”

“The human condition is dissected in all its complexities with a sharp scalpel, where we sometimes feel a sense of discomfort because nothing is quite safe. And, then, just as rapidly, it suddenly points us towards our own soulful compasses. The intertwinement of humor and pathos cuts close to the bone, but leaves us with a blush in its wake.”

“The narrative reminds one of Chaucer’s ‘The Canterbury Tales’ – the bawdy unraveling of the archetype’s sex life juxtaposed against his quest for spiritual enlightenment as a pilgrim.”

“A commentary on the life of a young man in search of his epic life story, one root for the main character, yet hates him in equal parts. This intrepid piece of writing brings to the surface a litany of oscillating emotions, for there is nothing ordinary about the lead character’s journey. There is no moment of blandness here.”