~ it was all good, until… ~ 

Black Soil, originally 'Karisal' written in Tamil by Sahitya Akademi Awardee Ponneelan and translated into English by @priyaponneelan 

It follows a school teacher Kannappan, newly posted to a secluded village Perumalpuram in the black soil region of Tamil Nadu. As Kannappan finds his ways to know and settle in the place, he observes the piteous state of Villagers and poverty they live in. He sees that they are being exploited by the mighty landlord, Master. In ways he could, he tries to make the villagers to see a better way of life and fight back for the atrocities they are put through by the Master. 

The book is based on the Kilvenmani/ Keezhvenmani Massacre in which a group of around 44 people, families of striking Dalit Village labourers were murdered by a gang led by their landlords in 1968. This book makes you look at the oppression faced by landless labour and the working class by the hand of those in position of power. Author sets up an atmospheric view of the village for us as readers to feel what the villagers are going through in their daily lives.The story also stands tall on depiction of human relationships. Be it Kannappan's friendship with a local farmer Veerayyan or his his unadulterated love for Ponni. 

I appreciate it's translator for keeping in some Tamil words as is and not some anglicised version of it. I feel that makes the translation more authentic to its source material and even enriches our view for a culture and region we're not aware about much. 

Where everything does seem to go good for this book, the facet I felt it lacked was its writing. I did not find it engaging enough despite my interest in its plot. When I started the book, I had my hopes soaring. By the end, I just wanted to get over with. If not anything else, the book could have used a crisper edit.