An intriguing new review of The Devil’s Road to Kathmandu.
“The Devil’s Road to Kathmandu tells the story of four men during a fateful trip in Asia that culminates 25 years later as each faces the repercussions of their initial trip and choices. Broken up into 6 parts that time jump between the initial trip in 1976 and the current trip in 2000, the novel was an entertaining read. I was immediately struck by the imagery and the vivid descriptions. Vater showed skill and intense knowledge of his setting, so much so that the novel read almost autobiographical in its tone. The essence of the 70′s and the carefree spirit of the characters alongside the violence and barren wonder of the landscape were perfectly juxtaposed. The cacophony of characters were multitudinous but while Vater showed intimate knowledge of the four main characters, the surrounding characters felt superfluous, which I deemed to represent the over-population of the location and not particularly as important to the plot. That said, the crises of existentialism that emerged as the main theme of the novel and the arc for the main characters was more successfully developed and concluded for some more than others.”
Read the full review here.
