Molly’s evolution from a devoted daughter-in-law, a dutiful wife, a potential mistress of the estate to a woman capable of making a hard choice that brings her happiness is the main plot of the novel. The novel is set in the period between the 1930s and the 1980s and the author uses important social, political and sporting events to provide the chronological backdrop for the saga. He successfully weaves into the narrative, fascinating customs and ceremonies, unique to the Syrian Catholics of Kerala and uses his expertise in various aspects of processing plantation crops like spices, coffee, tea, arecanut, coconut and rubber, to add an extra dimension to the novel. A Harvest of Ecstasy is the heart-warming story of the prestigious Kollegal family belonging to the picturesque village of Puthupady in Northern Kerala. The novel traces the fortunes of Thomachan and his family who own one of the richest and most successful estates in the region. Thomachan is heartbroken when his son shows no interest in the estate and its functioning, or in his lovely and talented wife Molly. The ageing Thomachan hires Vasudevan, a young Hindu agricultural graduate, to manage the family’s properties. Gradually Vasudevan comes to occupy a very special place in Thomachan’s heart. He takes on the full responsibility of running the estate. When Thomachan decides to bequeath his land and assets to Molly, he is confident that she will have Vasudevan’s unstinted support in handling the affairs of the Kollegal Estate.
Mathew Attokaran, MSc., PhD, was born in 1935 in Kerala, India. He is primarily a scientific researcher in the field of spices and plantation products. In the course of his long and illustrious career he was involved taking the lead for a large number of scientific publications, reviews and presentations in various national and international seminars and conferences. He has been a successful columnist, writing on subjects of popular science and humour in leading Indian magazines. He has also written a book titled Natural Food Flavors and Colorants, in 2011. The book has recently gone into a second edition and also a Chinese edition. Dr Attokaran is a keen reader of fiction and has travelled widely around the globe. At present, he lives in Cochin with his wife. They have two daughters and five grandchildren. This is his first attempt at writing a novel.
