The Illicit Happiness of Other People
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
 First edition | |
| Author | Manu Joseph |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction Drama |
| Publisher | HarperCollins |
Publication date | 2012 |
| Publication place | India |
| Media type | Print (paperback, hardback) |
| Pages | 352 |
| ISBN | 9781443416375 |
The Illicit Happiness of Other People is a 2012 novel by Manu Joseph.[1][2] Described by the author as semi-autobiographical, the novel explores the interplay of human psychology, existential nihilism and misanthropy, as well as the complexities of adolescence and sexual repression, among other things.[3]
The narrative revolves around a Malayali Christian family living in Madras during the early 1990s. Ousep Chacko is a brooding journalist who routinely wakes the neighbors after drinking sprees and then threatens to hang himself with his lungi. His eccentric wife, Mariamma, talks to walls; Thoma, their son, is smitten with his older, next-door neighbor Mythili. The family, though disintegrating, is united in its grief, for three years ago Thoma's 17-year-old brother, Unni, fell to his death from the balcony. A desperate Ousep sets out to solve the mystery of his son's supposed suicide.[4]
Characters
- Ousep Chacko: an alcoholic journalist who is obsessively pursuing the mystery behind his son Unni's suicide.
- Mariamma Chacko: Ousep's eccentric, self-talking wife and mother of Unni and Thoma.
- Unni Chacko: late son of Ousep and Mariamma who committed suicide.
- Thoma Chacko: Unni's younger brother, who has a simpler approach to life.
- Mythili Balasubramanium: next-door neighbor and friend of both Unni and Thoma.