Sister India

When writers set their novels in exotic places, there is always the risk that the background will outshine the characters and plot. Such is the case with travel writer Payne's debut. At first, the novel's setting--the violence-ridden holy city of Varanasi, India--seems well matched by its formidable protagonist--400-pound, middle-aged hostess of the Saraswati Guest House, Natraja, formerly Estelle Wilson of Neavis, N.C. One by one, her guests arrive--shy businesswoman Jill Thornton; environmentalist T.J. Clayton, who's having marital problems back home; and adventurous, elderly widow Marie Jasper, who has come in search of healing and enlightenment--and Natraja goes out of her way to intimidate all of them. Her behavior is so contrary to what one would expect of an innkeeper that one is curious about the tragic past that has made her so bitter. Natraja lets her guard down only with Ramesh, the guest house's elderly cook and her sole friend. When her long-time astrologer predicts that a guest will disrupt the peace of the inn, Natraja has yet another reason to be sour. Tensions rise as outbreaks of violence lead to the imposition of a curfew upon Varanasi. Flashbacks of the ill-fated, adolescent love affair in North Carolina, which was the source of Natraja's unhappiness, intersperse with scenes of the city of Varanasi, which steals and retains the spotlight. Sensuous descriptions of its people, urban wildlife and landmarks--especially its legendary holy river, the Ganges--testify to the author's love for this sacred locale. Her sensitive depiction of the friction between the Hindu and Muslim populations, as experienced by both residents and outsiders, lends the age-old battle an urgency that far outshines the somewhat tedious subplots involving Natraja's lackluster guests. Travelers interested in absorbing India's cultural background and atmospheric ambience will enjoy this novel. (Jan.)