ஃ பிரான்சிஸ் இட்டிகோரா(Francis Ittycora) - ட்டி.டி.ராமகிருஷ்ணன்

This book was originally written in Malayalam and was translated into Tamil by Kurinjivelan. The first thing I did after I read was googled Francis Ittycora. But Google returned me only review and news about this book. Was Francis Ittycora a real man lived in 15th centry? The author did not answer this question.

Francis Ittycora was a 15th century pepper merchant who travelled to different parts of the world. Majority of the story was about his expeditions and his friendship with elite friends in Florence . He was schooled at Hypatian schools. He was thought to be a mathematician. The story is revealed here and there by different characters at different time periods. One of his descendant Francis Xavier Ittycora decided to come to India in search of his ancestors and freedom. The first chapter sets the tone. Xavier reveals his past - his time at Fallujah and how he raped women there.He is a Iraq war veteran. Xavier's description about various events happened during training and later about the detailed description of cannibalism are not for faint-heart .

"The School" - sort of sex salon  run by the three main female characters - Rekha, Reshma and Bindu. Xavier through internet found about 'The School' and started chatting with Rekha telling his exploits in Iraq and later in Peru.  The activities of school are questionable. They provides sexual services to clients specially from high society and other countries. The architecture of the 'The school' is unique.Throughout this story women were subjugated by men.The members of the school are not exception to that. More than four love making scenes are there in this book , each described to the minute details.

Then there is "pathinettam koottukar" , the descendants of Ittycora. They are sort of secret society , to outsiders they are just normal Christians. These families follows  "Gospel of Ittycora" written by Ittycora himself. The gospel proclaims Ittycora himself as a god and sets rules for others to follow. "Corakku kodukkal"  a ritual which was described in detail was really unimaginable.  This gospel is gory , really, author needs to be super creative to come up with this.The books talks about lot of historical characters and events  like Hyaptia of Alexandria, Medici family of Florence , Kerala School of Mathematics  etc . . But the stories around these historical characters and events are fabricated by the author.The story travels across the world from Kerala to Florence, Australia to Peru, Japan to US .

One cannot put this book under any category easily - it has history and an alternate history, suspense and thrill ,a documentary feel and in some places fantasy too - covers wide range , may be we can call it a  popular fiction. It has all the elements for a blockbuster movie. The conspiracy theory narrative makes the book unstoppable reading. The author also questions the Euro -centric world history.

Good read .!!