Book Review: The Immortal King Rao by Vauhini Vara
When I first encountered The Immortal King Rao, I was immediately drawn by the promise of a narrative entwined with deeply personal and broadly philosophical themes. Vauhini Vara’s debut, now a Pulitzer Prize finalist, intrigued me with its intricate blend of a family saga and dystopian tech speculative fiction. I found myself wondering how the personal histories of a Dalit family might intersect with larger socio-political landscapes—an exploration that both challenged and excited me.
At its core, The Immortal King Rao is a captivating exploration of identity, legacy, and the implications of technological advancement. The eponymous character, King Rao, is the son of coconut farmers in India, who rises to become a tech mogul in America, ultimately steering a company that redefines the fabric of society. Tackling themes of class, race, and the ethics of capitalism, this novel deftly weaves two starkly different narratives: a reverberating family history and a chilling dystopian futuro where the very fabric of humanity is scrutinized through technological lenses.
Vara’s intricate storytelling is marked by a masterful interplay of timelines, revealing King Rao’s evolution from his roots in a Dalit family to his ascent in a capitalist America plagued by surveillance and control. The novel’s structure—narrated in part by Rao’s daughter, Athena, who faces the charge of her father’s murder—allows for a complex layering of memories and emotional struggles. I was moved by the nuances of their relationship, especially as Athena unravels her father’s legacy—a journey filled with both decadence and despair.
What stood out to me, stylistically, was Vara’s ability to balance intimate moments with grand philosophical inquiries. For instance, the concept of "Social Capital" as a currency replaces traditional money, and the omnipresent Algo—a powerful algorithm governing societal norms—was chillingly relevant. One cannot help but draw parallels to our modern world, raising questions about privacy and autonomy. I particularly resonated with the ideas of self-ownership and collective memory, which echo our own struggles with identity in an increasingly digital landscape.
One of the most poignant passages I encountered reflected on the burden of memory itself, a theme that follows Rao and Athena throughout their lives: “Perhaps the hardest thing about love is bearing witness to the unraveling of the one you cherish.” This resonated deeply with me, illustrating how love can simultaneously be a source of profound understanding and unavoidable pain.
In conclusion, The Immortal King Rao is a thought-provoking read for anyone interested in the intersections of technology, culture, and identity. It is beautifully crafted and challenges readers to reflect on our own relationships with technology and power. For fans of Arundhati Roy, Jennifer Egan, or even readers reminiscent of Margaret Atwood’s dystopian envisioning, this novel is a must-read. It left me pondering questions about the future of humanity, even as I wrestled with its deeply personal moments. Overall, I found it to be not just a story about a man, but a moving meditation on the essence of being human in a rapidly evolving world.
Thank you to Atlantic Books and Grove Press for the ARC via NetGalley.