Family Matters by Rohinton Mistry (2002)

Families are always a complicated business, with hidden or not-so-hidden grievances even in the most well ordered and outwardly fortunate ones. When past wrongs and hurts are complicated by outside forces, such as an aging parent and financial difficulties, family ties can break apart. That the family portrayed here lives in India makes little difference; the cultural and political climate may be unique to that setting, but the family stresses are universal.

Nariman Vakeel, the patriarch of Family Matters, lives in Mumbai, India, in a spacious apartment with his two middle-aged unmarried stepchildren, Coomy and Jal. When Nariman, suffering from the shakiness of Parkinson's Disease, breaks his ankle, Coomy's barely concealed resentment of her stepfather's treatment of their mother comes to the fore and she bullies her mild mannered brother into joining her in foisting the care of the ailing man onto the shoulders of Roxana, their half sister, who lives in a two-room apartment with her husband and two young boys. Already struggling with financial worries and cramped quarters, Roxana and her family find their problems compounded as they care for Nariman's physical needs. Interspersed with the narrative are Nariman's memories about his thwarted love for the woman who did not become his wife because of his family's objections on religious grounds. The effects of religious fanaticism on family dynamics becomes a secondary theme.

In addition to the engrossing story, this book also provided me with an informative view of India, particularly regarding one religious group, the Parsi. Thanks to my best friend Wikipedia, I learned even more. For example: The Pari are followers of the prophet Zoroaster (Zarathustra), descendants of Persians (Iranians) who migrated to India between the 8th and 10th century AD to avoid religious persecution when the Muslims conquered their home country. Zoroastrianism is one of the world's oldest monotheistic religions. Freddy Mercury of the legendary rock group Queen was a Parsi whose parents relocated to England. (That last bit is not really very important, but I found it surprising.)

I did not at first realize that the title of the book could be understood in two ways. I read it with "family" as an adjective and "matters" as a noun--the happenings pertaining to a family. As I finished the book I suddenly realized that the title could be understood with "family" as a noun and "matters" as a verb--family counts for more than political or religious differences or the hurts we inflict on each other.

I found Family Matters a bit depressing for my tastes, especially concerning the troubles caused by the elderly Nariman's illness. I think all older people dread the thought of becoming a burden on family. But it is very well done.