Rating: 
Summary: Cool Ideas, Bad Novel
Review: The Calcutta Chromosome suggests an intriguing conspiracy theory regarding the origins of our understanding of malaria. I was so intrigued by the novel's central theme that I investigated the history of malaria and day-dreamed about the unlikely possibility of a personality-imbued chromosome.Unfortunately by the end of the book, I was so irritated by the disjointed plot, the flat character development, the numerous plot tangents that lead NOWHERE, and the sadly flat, bored ending, that I threw the book out in a fury. Fortunately I dug it out and sold it an unsuspecting used book store clerk.
Rating:
Summary: Too complicated for me...
Review: The Calcutta Chromosome tries to marry an engaging plot with IT and medical science and, as such, it compares to Michel Houellebecq’s masterpiece, the ‘Particules élémentaires’. ...the Calcutta Chromosome is a well-written book, with a fascinating premise. The central story line initially follows an obscure 1902 Nobel-prize winner of Medicine, Ronald Ross, who achieved major breakthroughs in malaria research he did in India. However, after reading Ross’s biography ...Amitav Ghosh puts some pertinent question marks behind Ross’s achievements. Ghosh argues that Ronald Ross was a man of rather mediocre abilities. Until he started doing his malaria research, Ross had unsuccessfully pursued a literary career, being an ungifted, uninspired and unsuccessful poet and novelist. In a bizarre career switch, Ross started doing medical research in India. Yet, entirely on his own, he revolutionized our knowledge on malaria – by concluding his solitary research in the ridiculously short time-span of just three years. This tale is told engagingly by Amitav Ghosh. To explain Ross’s success, Ghosh suggests the Ross was unknowingly manipulated by a mysterious gang of Indian beggar thugs, led by an old beggar queen invested with special powers. But when the novel has reached this stage, somewhere halfway, Ghosh has clearly lost control over the storyline. There are sustained, but contorted and far-fetched attempts to link Ross’s adventures with New Yorkers living in a not-too-distant 21st century. To bridge this 100-year or so time gap, the story wildly jumps through space and time, leading the reader, in a haphazard fashion, to Egyptian villages, Finnish spiritists, Indian novelists and endless and utterly boring monologues. I flipped quickly through the last 90 pages to see where the novel would end. Unfortunately, nowhere.
Rating: 
Summary: An fun book with some frustrating flaws
Review: The Calcutta Chromosome was fun, and I don't at all regret buying the book. I enjoyed the twisty, wandering, plot and its labyrinthine internal connections. I enjoyed the scenery, both the futuristic New York and its wonderful evocation of Calcutta. I liked many of the characters and enjoyed their encounters and dilemmas. I enjoyed the bits of medical history. I enjoyed much of the language. I REALLY enjoyed reading a book where, for once, I did not have to wince at words misused or misspelled. However, for all the blurb evocations, this is no Borges, nor Pynchon. I see why the comparisons were drawn, but there are some major plot and even ... call them philosophical... flaws that drag The Calcutta Chromosome back from a really good book to a fun read on the 'plane. Basically, there is a vast and bizarre conspiracy, which, while entertaining, is founded on mushy, ill thought-out motives. There is an attempt to evoke an east/west - mysticism/logic thing, but it collapses under its own inconsistencies to reveal a balding plot device wearing a toupee of picturesque Oriental mystics. Finally, there is quite a bit of pseudo-scientific and technological hand waving. This will bother some more than others. The point that technology can be like magic is relevant, and in places I can forgive the more nonsensical bits as contributing to a good story. There are other incidents, particularly the absurdly retrieved e-mail, which could have been tied into other themes in the story but weren't. Instead, I was left with the impression that Ghosh wrote himself into a bit of a corner and couldn't be bothered to take some more plausible method of getting himself out. Sit back, fit together the edge pieces of the jigsaw puzzle, admire the pretty picture, and try not to be disappointed if you find a few of the middle pieces missing.
Rating: 
Summary: what was that?
Review: The style of writing and the format were impressive. Murugan's character was well etched out and the author style of writing comes across in Murugans lines. The chapter on Phulboni's trip to Renpur was engrossing and eerie. However,the ultimate meaning of the book was incomprehensible and too open ended. It's worth a second read.
Rating:
Summary: Too opaque for my tastes
Review: This appears to be a book you either love or hate. It has all the ingredients of a fine novel and a fun read--intriguing plot, exotic (to the Western eye) locales, some history, some mysticism, a little bit of science blended with some speculation--and a juicy conspiracy to tie it all together. Ghosh is a good writer, there's no doubt about that. Nonetheless, I found this book difficult to like. It had its moments--the ghost train scene among them--but overall the plot was too opaque for me to follow consistently. The twists and turns were fun at the beginning, but by the second half of the book I was totally lost. This book has gotten great reviews, but I just didn't enjoy it.
Rating:
Summary: Too opaque for my tastes
Review: This appears to be a book you either love or hate. It has all the ingredients of a fine novel and a fun read--intriguing plot, exotic (to the Western eye) locales, some history, some mysticism, a little bit of science blended with some speculation--and a juicy conspiracy to tie it all together. Ghosh is a good writer, there's no doubt about that. Nonetheless, I found this book difficult to like. It had its moments--the ghost train scene among them--but overall the plot was too opaque for me to follow consistently. The twists and turns were fun at the beginning, but by the second half of the book I was totally lost. This book has gotten great reviews, but I just didn't enjoy it.
Rating: 
Summary: Excellent book keeps you hooked till the end.
Review: This book is extremely good and fast paced. The author kept me engrossed right till the last page. Critics will argue his choice of style, but those fed with a staple diet of Hollywood should consider experiencing different fare once in a while.
Rating:
Summary: Great Storytelling!
Review: This colorful, literate science thriller ranges from drop-dead funny to drop-dead eerie, juggling 4 timeframes with masterful narrative drive. I defy anyone with half a curiosity to yawn at the p. 60 teaser. Although I like my heroes more heroic and less mystical, they intrigued me, then charmed me, and finally gripped me emotionally, with every twist wrung out at the end. Thank you, Amitav.
Rating:
Summary: A very interesting book
Review: This is one of the most fascinating books that I have read. Although the plot is sometimes abstruse, the story is almost always taut. There is a constant feel of suspense and mystery that surrounds the characters. The concept itself, that personalities can be transferred and, in effect, immortality gained through the malaria parasite is nothing short of spellbinding. When I finished the book, the first word that came to my mind was: wierd. But as I glossed over what I had just read and the emotions I had experienced while reading it, I realised that it was nothing short of a gem of modern science fiction. The story is vast in it's scope. Ghosh simultaneously handles three points in time, but keeps the reader equally engrossed in all three. The characters are real (one in fact is based on an Indian film maker) and totally believable. Having lived in Calcutta all my life, I can tell you that the situations depicted are absolutely authentic and real. Nothing is wasted in the book. Every syllable, every event, however insignificant it may seem, will come back later. The ending is incredible, dealing you a sledgehammer blow in the last couple of lines. All in all, a must read for SF fans, and indeed for fans of good, albeit populist, literature.
Rating:
Summary: Calcutta Chromosome Review
Review: This was a decent book with interesting plot twists. It was very fast paced and kept me interested through the book... until the end. Towards the end of the book, it was as if the author ran out of steam. Many of the plot developments remained underdeveloped and unexplained; I still don't know why some of the stories were included in the book (What was that about the rail station ghost all about anyway?) And the ending was one of the worst I've read in my life, there was no denuement. It simply ended with no feeling of completion. Despite this book's short comings towards the close of the book, I thought it was a good, quick read.
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