Comedy and Sorrow Merge in 'Hot Butter Cuttlefish' by Ashok Ferrey
Ashok Ferrey's latest novel, Hot Butter Cuttlefish, published by Penguin Random House, unfolds as a wry and affectionate portrait of Kalabola, a fictional Sri Lankan village situated between Colombo and Kalutara. In this 240-page book priced at Rs 499, eccentricity is not an exception but a way of life, setting the stage for a narrative that masterfully blends humor with deep emotional undercurrents.
A Village of Eccentric Characters
The story centers on Malik, a personal trainer and recent survivor of a failed marriage, who settles into a quiet routine in Kalabola with only his dog for company. Though he works in the village, Malik remains oddly detached, more an observer than a participant, watching the villagers' passions, quarrels, and dramas with curiosity. What initially appears as a light, whimsical look at village life gradually reveals deeper layers, exposing the sadness beneath daily habits, the confusion behind people's choices, and the moral muddle under the colorful surface.
Central Figures and Their Complexities
At the heart of the narrative is Arthur Reginald de Fonseca, the last member of a once-powerful family. Arthur is a wonderfully contradictory figure—eccentric, confused, yet somehow still dignified. His attachment to Chanchala, a woman 30 years younger, brings gentle chaos into his fading aristocratic world. Holding Arthur's crumbling household together is Kamala, who arrived years ago as a potential bride and never left. Over time, she has transformed her old disappointment into a sort of dramatic authority, delivering imaginative scoldings like "terpsichorean termite" with such flair that they feel like performances. Yet, beneath her sharp words lie frustration, loyalty, and deep devotion to Arthur.
Wider Village Dynamics and the Impact of Covid
Surrounding this trio is a wider group of characters, including Biju, Kamala's cousin and a local MP whose opportunism thrives in Kalabola's fertile soil. For all its squabbles and gossip, the village moves in a familiar rhythm—until the arrival of Covid-19 changes everything. Curfews, quarantines, and fever scares sweep through daily life, revealing tensions that had long been hidden behind the village's theatrics. Ferrey handles this phase with gentle satire, where superstition meets denial and rumors move faster than truth.
Depth Through Humor and Melancholy
What gives the novel its profound depth is the seamless way humor sits comfortably next to melancholy. Characters who first appear exaggerated slowly reveal their inner lives—selfishness softened by kindness, resignation lifted by humor, and moral uncertainty everywhere. As the pandemic intensifies, the tone of the story shifts almost imperceptibly. The humor remains but becomes sharper, and the narrative begins to move towards an inevitable point, culminating in Malik's final reflection that life in Sri Lanka is just a "bad romcom."
Final Reflections and Themes
By the final pages, Kalabola emerges as a miniature version of the wider world, with karma operating not as strict moral judgment but as a refrain that loops and returns, imperfect yet fitting. The book ultimately reveals how people navigate uncertain times with a mix of grace, confusion, humor, and stubborn resilience. Ferrey shapes these twists of fate into a narrative that moves lightly but carries significant emotional force, allowing comedy and sorrow to coexist side by side in a poignant exploration of human nature.
