Em and the Big Hoom

by Jerry Pinto

Brilliantly comic and almost unbearably moving, Jerry Pinto's Em and the Big Hoom is one of the most powerful and original fiction debuts of recent years.

'Profoundly moving. I cannot remember when I last read something as touching as this' Amitav Ghosh

'Hilarious, reckless, brilliant' Kiran Desai

In a tiny flat in Bombay Imelda Mendes - Em to her family - is by turns flamboyant, maniacally affectionate and cruelly candid. Her husband - Augustine, the 'Big Hoom' - and two children must endure her 'microweathers': swings from searing joy to brooding malevolence.

And here is the story of how this family of four came to be. Of how Imelda was courted by Augustine - 'Hello, Buttercup' - and of how with the passage of time and the arrival of her children she slowly turned into Em, loving and loathing a world terrified of her extravagant excesses . . .

'A near-perfect account of a psychologically troubled mother. Touching and funny' Irish Times

'Delightful. Pinto is quite a genius with dialogue' Guardian

Jerry Pinto has been a mathematics tutor, school librarian and journalist and is now associated with MelJol, an NGO that works in the sphere of child rights. He has edited several anthologies including, most recently, an anthology on his native city, Mumbai.

• ISBN10: 0241966515
• ISBN13: 9780241966518
• Publish Date: 29 January 2015 (first published April 2012)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: GB
• Imprint: Penguin Books Ltd
• Format: Paperback (B-Format (198x129 mm))
• Pages: 224
• Language: English

Reviews

[lovelybookshelf]

Originally posted on my blog, A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall:

Narrated by Em's son, Em and the Big Hoom offers far more than his perspective alone. As the son informally interviews members of his family about their lives, he gives the reader a panoramic view of a family affected by mental illness.

The emotions involved are so complex, so complicated. I felt sorry for these characters. Not pity, but more of an eye-opening, empathetic learning experience. Handled sensitively and without judgment, a voice is given to secret, uncomfortable things the children hope for as they age and recognize their parents' mortality. There is bitterness, fear, and anger; but also plenty of love and humor. When Em is speaking, the narrative feels scattered, because that's what her mind is like. And you know, sometimes that can come across a little... inauthentic? Gimmicky? But not here. Here it works. Pinto has brilliantly sewn together all of his characters' experiences.

I wanted to pull an all-nighter when I was reading this. You know when a friend comes over unexpectedly, or maybe calls late at night with something important to say, because something is going on in his or her life that must be shared so your friend can move forward? You end up listening for hours and hours, not watching the clock. Before you know it, the sun has come up. That's how this book felt. I was compelled to keep reading, to keep listening to the story. I felt like it was confiding in me.

Em and the Big Hoom has just enough dark humor to keep the reader from feeling overwhelmed. It shines as a captivating and moving portrayal of the impact of mental illness on a family.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for my honest review.