Return to the Enchanted Island – Book Review

By Sneha Jaiswal (Twitter | Instagram)

Dubbed ‘Mad Monarch of Madagascar’, Ranavalonoa I was the queen of the island country for over three decades and it’s said that the population halved from 5 million to 2.5 million during her oppressive rule due to a combination of disease, difficult working conditions and constant wars. Some believe she was a cruel tyrant; others think the strict reign was a way to protect her nation from Christianization and colonizers. I learnt of this from the internet after she is mentioned in passing as a crazy ruler in Johary Ravaloson’s novel ‘Return to the Enchanted Island’. I do appreciate a book that leads to learning.

Wrapped with historical references, rituals, beliefs, legacies, and legends, ‘Return to the Enchanted Island’ follows the story of Iesty Razak who’s named after the first Malagasy man but is nothing like his venerated ancestors. Translated to English by Allison M Charette, the novel however is an awkward combination of modern realities and mystical myths.

Readers get to meet Iesty Razak as a comfortably married man living in his palatial ancestral home, without financial worries or need of a job, however sleep eludes him. How he came to be a restless insomniac despite sleeping in the lap of luxury forms the crux of the story. Honestly, it was difficult to care about a rich brat who thinks he owns the world. In flashbacks, we meet Iesty as a popular schoolboy in a private institution, doing drugs, pulling pranks, and having fun. Due to an accident, his father sends him away from Madagascar and once again – life isn’t very different abroad for the rich boy, just with lesser privilege, since he isn’t a local prince of sorts in France.

Johary Ravaloson mixes Madagascar’s mythical stories without clear demarcations between Ietsy’s modern life of sex, booze, and parties so the novel also gets a little confusing in parts. Luckily, ‘Return to the Enchanted Island’ is almost novella sized and gets over quickly, offering an interesting slice of Madagascar.  

It’s a 3/5 from me.