While scrolling through Instagram stories, I came across a book review posted by a friend. The book in question was ‘The Illicit Happiness of Other People’. Her brief review hinted at the book covering the complexities of life and consciousness. Intrigued, I began reading the book and was engrossed in it for the next three days.

Authored by Manu Joseph, a writer from Madras, the award-winning book vividly captures the nuances of 1980s Madras. The story begins with a foreboding sentence, tinged with dark narrative, where a wife expresses a desire for her husband’s demise.

The narrative revolves around the suicide of Unni Chacko, the son of the husband and wife in question. Unni, a talented cartoonist, tragically ends his life by jumping from his balcony. This prompts his father, Ousep Chacko, to investigate the circumstances surrounding his son’s death. Although Unni isn’t present physically, we get insight into his character through stories recounted by his friends and his brother, Thoma.

Each character in the book possesses unique traits. Thoma, who is a typical teenager, grapples with the demons of low self-esteem, making his character relatable to those who constantly compare themselves to the world around them. On the other hand, Mariamma is haunted by the traumas of her childhood, which intensify following the death of her beloved son, Unni. The book introduces these characters within a compelling narrative.

In essence, the book encompasses a spectrum of human emotions. It covers psychological concepts like Folie à deux (the folly of two) and Cotard’s syndrome (corpse syndrome), which might initially appear dubious. However, the author’s interviews with experts before tackling these subjects lend credibility to the narrative, making it a trustworthy read. Beyond this, the book addresses truth, language, delusions, god and an individual’s perspective on the world.

For example, in ancient times, visions were often seen as enlightenment, but contemporary society tends to label such experiences as hallucinations or symptoms of schizophrenia, creating a distinct division between perceptions of god and mental health. This prompts readers to reflect on the reality that surrounds them.

The author also contends that language serves to confine human thoughts, supporting this idea through the perspectives of different characters. Equally noteworthy is the author’s satirical portrayal of Tamil society, exploring issues like the conservative attitudes of a family towards their daughter and the challenges within India’s educational system. A passage from the novel encapsulates this, illustrating a mother perpetuating stereotypes about her daughter’s choices: “Mythili’s mother, like the mothers of all daughters, has the same pornographic eye as men. They see sexual omens in anklets and skirts and flowing hair and long earrings that nod in the wind."

In his quest to solve the mystery of his son’s suicide, Ousep concludes that the pursuit of happiness is a deceptive burden. He realises that happiness is an “inescapable fate” and advocates for balancing happiness and sadness on the same scale.

Every rose has its thorn; this book also has its fair share of discrepancies. The author ambitiously weaves numerous themes into a single narrative, leaving readers feeling confused and disoriented. The characters’ naive perspectives on the world occupy a substantial part of the book, failing to establish a meaningful connection with the evolving storyline or provide clarity.

While reading ‘The Illicit Happiness of Other People’, I realised how our brains are conditioned by societal norms and expectations. We often operate in reverse, labelling those who think outside the box as “defiant” while unquestioning conformity is deemed “normal”. Through characters with similar traits, the author prompts us to reconsider our tendency to view non-conformists as individuals suffering from mental illness.

The Illicit Happiness of Other People

Author: Manu Joseph

Year: 2012

Publisher: HarperCollins