The Calcutta Chromosome by Amitav Ghosh leapt to my attention because I knew it had won a science fiction award, which seems rare for an Indian book. The book is absolutely riveting, with its fine interweaving of three worlds: a futuristic one, one in the mid-90s & right back to turn of the last century. Cleverly adding a mystical touch to the discovery of malaria & Ronald Ross, it leapt back and forth in time to set up a climax. Then I turned a page and poof! the story was over. I actually checked to see if the last page was missing. It ends abruptly like if I were to leave this sentence unfi

What a pity! Guess he just didn't know what to do with it. Still, the imaginative plot except for its denouement (aah! finally, I can use that word!) is worth the last piece in the jigsaw. The buzzing mosquitoes around me (strange times have embraced Pune: cold to very warm and swarms of mosquitoes) lent the ambient score.