A character study through various perspectives

Most of the readers would have a designated genre to read when they are in a sensitive mood. But Janice Pariat, author of The Nine Chambered Heart, categorises her erratic reading list through writers. In fact, she had taken a resolution last year to read only books that are translated into English from other languages. She considers Story of your life by Ted Chiang as her all-time favourite — the book forms the basis of the movie Arrival. 

Janice Pariat’s third novel, The Nine Chambered Heart, narrates the story of a girl through the eyes of nine people. The nine characters are very different — who come to her, desire her, love her or even being fond of her because of the various types of reasons they bring into the relationship. 

When asked about the inspiration behind writing this novel, she says, “It was prompted by a very personal incident. I was seeing someone for a while and thought we would be in a relationship for the long term, but it didn’t work out. If I look back at my life, it reads almost like a biography of love. It gives us an idea of how our life has been like.”

So Pariat decided to imagine the lead character to whom, we as readers and even as a writer, has access to only through other people. She (the character) never speaks and we get to know her only through the nine people who have been connected to her. 

Questioning about the confusing portrayal of the girl in nine different aspects, Janice says, “I think we make friends or become lovers with someone because of contrary reasons. For the nine people in the book, there are different reasons for why they are attached to her, in whatever way they are.” 

Janice chooses to portray the ‘poetic and melancholy’ style of writing in her books though she claims to have it changed throughout her three books. 

“With Seahorse I was very aware as it was my first novel and I was very nervous too because I wanted to write a novel that sounds like a novel. But it is not a book I stylistically connect to very much anymore,” the author explains, adding, “The lyricism I poured into Seahorse has really been toned down in The Nine Chambered Heart. Poetry and lyricism must come through at points where it needs to be, not heavily slathered throughout.” 

Talking about her initial days as a writer, Pariat reminisces, “I was trying to make a living only through writing. Every word was translating into money or no money. It was a horrible relationship I ended up having with writing. It took a while for me to realise that I need to stop this and look into something else.