Status Updates From La cité de la victoire

I was surprised to learn that Bisnaga is based on the real nearly forgotten Vijayanagara empire which existed against the odds during the time Victory City is taking place. There were real kings behind the fictitious kings in the novel. This is historical magical fantasy fiction realism.

A fairy tale of juxtapositions, morals and lists.
- Religious zealots vs. non-believers, women vs. men, prudery vs. sensuality, warriors vs. peace.
- Golden times come with a united tolerant society, egoisms divide and lead the way down.
- Lists of revolutionaries, of the traits of a good ruler, of ways to approach a foe, of ways history has happened.

A storyteller passing on a tale for adults about an empire in South India in the 14th century. The colourful descriptions are the star of Victory City. How a 9 yr old girl becomes the voice of a goddess to put a stop to wifes following their dead men on the pyre and to get men to listen to women.

But where is power, there is corruption. Fear of loss and selfishness are the seeds of decline.

Again got the German translation by mistake. Like recently Franzen's Crossroads. Like Quichotte, the last Rushdie I read. I have to be more careful with my purchases, especially when the title stays the same in the German translation.