Mira Jacob’s debut novel, The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing, delves into the intricate web of connections that bind us – to people, places, cultures, and ultimately, to ourselves. The Eapen family’s story, set across India, Albuquerque, and Seattle, explores these connections through different eras, revealing the challenges and triumphs of navigating identity and belonging. This exploration makes the novel a compelling read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of family, culture, and the search for self.
The narrative begins in 1979, introducing the Eapens during a visit to their ancestral home in Salem, India. Thomas Eapen, a determined surgeon, had moved his family to America in pursuit of a better future. However, the pull of home remains strong, particularly through his mother, a fellow physician, who passionately urges him to stay. The story subtly reveals the tensions and potential reasons for seeking a life beyond familiar shores. Yet, Kamala, Thomas’s wife, yearns to remain connected to her roots in India.
Eapen family visit to Salem, India
In 1998, we meet Amina Eapen, a photographer in Seattle. Once a successful photojournalist, she now focuses on event photography, possessing a unique ability to capture meaningful moments. Amina becomes our lens into the Eapen family’s history and struggles. Her father, Dr. Thomas Eapen, is grappling with a serious illness, experiencing hallucinations and conversations with the deceased, impacting his professional life. Summoned by her mother, Amina returns to Albuquerque, setting the stage for a deeper examination of the Eapen family’s journey.
Central to the Eapen family’s experience is the strain of immigrating from India and establishing a new life in America, compounded by a profound loss. Early in the narrative, we learn of the untimely death of Amina’s brother, Akhil. The story shifts to the early 1980s, portraying Amina and Akhil as children navigating school, relationships, and the complexities of growing up. Akhil exhibits unusual behaviors, including prolonged sleep, inappropriate sleep patterns, and a conviction that a significant destiny awaits him upon completing a specific task. While Thomas dismisses these behaviors, the narrative subtly hints at a deeper, underlying issue.
The narrative unfolds with a sense of mystery. What exactly happened to Akhil? What is the nature of Thomas’s illness? And what prompted Amina’s departure from photojournalism? The answers lie in uncovering the layers of these stories, revealing the intricate details of each character’s identity. While a touch of romance weaves into the plot, it doesn’t overshadow the core themes of family and identity.
The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing isn’t a comedy, but it offers moments of lightheartedness and joy that bring a smile. Simultaneously, it presents moments of profound sadness, creating a balanced and emotionally resonant reading experience.
The novel emphasizes the significance of attachment to place. Thomas’s decision to relinquish his rights to family property in India mirrors a Native American story of ceding land in exchange for financial hope, highlighting the complex dynamics of land, identity, and belonging. Intimate relationships between family members are also affected by territory.
“To live in the Eapen’s house was to acknowledge the sharpness of invisible borders, the separations that had divided it like two countries since 1983. It had been years since Amina had seen her mother wade into the yellow light of her father’s porch, and as far as she knew, Thomas had never once crossed the gate into Kamala’s garden.”
The novel draws parallels between the old world and the new, connecting generations through shared experiences. Just as Thomas’s mother attempts to keep him in India, Amina’s mother tries to keep her in New Mexico. Similarly, Thomas’s brother converses with unseen individuals in India, mirroring Thomas’s own conversations with the dead in America. Both Thomas and Akhil resist the limitations imposed by their respective conditions. Food becomes a symbolic bridge between the past and the present, a conduit for connection and love.
“Cooking was a talent of her mother’s that Amina often thought of as evolutionary, a way for Kamala to survive herself with friendships intact. Like plumage that expanded to rainbow an otherwise unremarkable bird. Kamala’s ability to transform raw ingredients into sumptuous meals brought her the kind of love her personality on its own might have repelled.”
Food fosters bonds and expresses affection. Secrecy also plays a significant role, with Amina maintaining a private collection of her most meaningful photographs, Thomas concealing his medical condition, and other characters keeping secrets of their own. This secrecy intertwines with the feeling of being an outsider, whether as a native in a land overtaken by invaders or a newcomer in America.
Amina shares a close bond with her cousin, Dimple, and finds support in her cool aunt, Sanji, who bridges the generation gap with understanding and wisdom.
The “sleepwalking” element manifests in various ways. One character literally sleepwalks, with his connection to dancing revealed at the end. Thomas’s visions can be interpreted as a form of sleepwalking, while Akhil struggles with sleep-related issues. The novel touches upon the idea of a sleepwalker’s disregard for their surroundings, potentially suggesting that we all exist as sleepwalkers to some degree or that we should be more mindful of our impact on the world and attuned to our inner visions.
A minor criticism might be the lack of detail regarding the Eapen family’s initial experiences upon moving to the United States. The story mainly focuses on their lives after they are already established.
Overall, Amina is a compelling character, easy to empathize with. The Sleepwalker’s Guide to Dancing explores the universal themes of family, identity, and belonging, making it relatable to a wide audience. The novel beautifully captures the warmth, humor, and inherent struggles within multigenerational family connections. Whether awake or asleep, the music of life plays on, inviting us to step onto the dance floor and embrace the journey.
