Book Review : "Dawn at Dusk" by Gaurav Sharma

I had a firm belief that contemporary love-stories under the popular fiction genre, come in rigid frames. I thought that there couldn’t be anything beyond a hero, a heroine, a villainous or favourable plot and a happy or tragic ending. With the impact being more on the characters and their development, I believed that these love-stories are destined to have nothing more to offer in terms of script and story development.

And here, I gleefully wonder at this shattered belief of mine after reading “Dawn at Dusk” by Mr. Gaurav Sharma. Not only the characters, but the development of the story itself left me in awe. What more to say about the narration which gives rapturous feelings for those hungry readers who starve for the beauty of words. And as if the book in itself wasn’t charismatic enough, the writer’s profile mind-blowing. Yes, Mr. Sharma is a Mathematics teacher. This book, which is adorned with the beauty of literature, has come from a mind full of integers. Yes, the wizard of numbers creates magic with words.

I wonder how ecstatic it would be to have Mathematics lessons from a teacher who writes. Elaborating theorems and axioms couldn’t have been easier. Sir, if you were my Mathematics teacher, I would never have been that poor in Calculus and Algebra. 

About the Author

Besides everything, a formal introduction of the writer is necessary. After devoting more than twenty years in teaching mathematics, Mr. Gaurav Sharma turned to a long cherished dream of being a published author. Half the day, he plays with numbers and for the other half, he is a puppet in the hands of his stories. A diehard optimist, lively and a lover of life, he wants his stories to stir the consciences.

“Dawn at Dusk” is his third book after “Lova@AirForce” and “Rapescars”. Besides, he writes magnificent prose and poetry in Hindi. His Hindi works can be read at http://gauravkipotlise.blogspot.in/

Storyline and Plot-Structure

“Dawn at Dusk” has a straight and evolving storyline. After losing his parents and being ditched by his wife, Aaradhya’s emotionally disturbed soul finds solace in Sambhavi’s intellectual and balanced company. He wants to take the relationship to another level but Sambhavi wants him to prove himself first. Aradhya takes it as a challenge and embarks himself on a journey which not only changes his views about life but also unleashes his stronger self. The story may not be called unique but the treatment of the storyline and technique is flawless. It is not the curiosity of the fate of their relationship which keeps the readers glued to the book, but the introspective journey of Aradhya which enhances the beauty of reading.

“Dawn at Dusk” is an unusual romance. In spite of having all the general characteristics of a romance fiction, it cannot be termed normal. In a straight plot, it is the intricacy of the story development which appeals. After long time, I have across such beautiful story development. The plot structure is technically straight and well configured. Instead of scene breaks, Mr. Sharma has considered small chapters which is quite a positive change.

However, the book ends sooner than expected. Some more twists and thrills in the plot could make the book more interesting.

Narration and Dialogues

Now, here comes the best feature of the book. Mr. Sharma is, undoubtedly, incredible in terms of narration. I don’t know what words use to describe his narrative skills. Lucid, vivid, beautiful, marvelous, amazing… all words fall short to describe his prowess. His words do not create a book, but paint a picture on the canvas on reader’s mind. The proverb ‘A picture speaks a thousand words’ can prove to be wrong in his condition because his words can subside the finest elegance of a picture. The usage of Scottish and Latin origin words is a feast to literature hungry readers.

Dialogues are relative and just. They are not glossy but articulate enough to go with the story. The blend of narration and dialogues is perfect in the book. Mr. Sharma takes some references of Indian literature studies and uses dialogues to create beautiful scenes which mark the progress of the story and also the characters.

Characterization

Characterization is another feature which makes “Dawn at Dusk” remarkable in treatment. The protagonists Aradhya and Sambhavi complement each other. Aradhya plays the role of an emotionally unstable youth who falls in love with Sambhavi and rises in life. He discovers that true love never harms, instead adds meaning to life. Sambhavi is a mature woman with composed personality. She helps Aradhya in introspecting himself and discover his worthiness.

Mr. Sharma has been quite technical with his characters. In this book, he touches almost every aspect of life and stratum of society through his characters. Through the life story of Sambhavi he depicts the hostility of the society for women. Aradhya represents the enthusiastic youth of India who can do wonders under proper guidance. Meera is the jovial and bubbly girl who, with the deep understanding of life, learns to live it to the fullest. Meera could be a role model for those people for whom intellect and liveliness become simultaneous characteristics. Shekhar represents an ideal friend who stands with his friend in all ups and downs. Devyani represents evilism. All other characters such as Uma, Sudesh, Deda Baba, Ravinder etc. play significant roles in their respective frames.

Treatment of Love and Romance

“Dawn at Dusk” has the elements of an epic love story. The love-story of Aradhya and Sambhavi germinates and proliferates slowly. It takes its own time and grows within its circumference. Love fills Aradhya with internal energy. With the power of love, he breaks open the cocoon of his personality and emerges as a crusader. Mr. Sharma instills sensitive strings of emotions in the guitar of love and plays this melody of a novel a lovelorn heart longs to cherish. “Dawn at Dusk” such a soothing tale of romance that it can inculcate the belief of love even in most rigid heart. Even the passive love of Meera is as vibrant as the notes of Sitaar. “Dawn at Dusk” manifests all the virtues of love – devotion, care, nurture, value and respect.

“Dawn at Dusk” is the novel version of Jagjit Singh’s famous ghazal – ‘Na umr ki seema ho na janm ka ho bandhan…’

If you wish to know what love is, “Dawn at Dusk” by Mr. Gaurav Sharma is your perfect guide.

Book Review : "7 Days" by Stanish Gill

Horror is the least explored genre in Indian fiction. As far as I recall, I haven’t come across a horror book by any Indian author in last few years. In spite of having versatility in themes such as gore, slasher, pure ghost horror, demon, Indian folklore version of vampires and werewolves [Narkitaas and Bhakol respectively], Indian authors seem less interested in creating spine chilling tales of this genre. Indian Film Industry have already come up with a number of blockbuster horror movies. Now, Indian popular fiction sets to explore the dark fantasy world.

“7 Days” by Mr. Stanish Gill marks the beginning of this trend. This psychological horror has much more to offer than just the chilling effect of its cover blurb.

About the Author

Mr. Stanish Gill is a young writer associated with Film Writer Association as an Associate Writer. Apart from writing fictional novels, he also writes Hindi songs. Some of his works have been published in newspapers and on the Film Writer Association portal. He is an Educationist by profession and lives along with his wife and two sons in Mumbai.

Storyline and Plot-Structure

The storyline of “7 Days” is not that intricate. The story opens with a romantic essence and gradually moves towards the haunting elements. After few lovey – dovey meetings, Apurva and Suman decide to marry. They choose the jungles of Nainital for their honeymoon and there strikes the horror. How they cope up with it and how they overcome, is the story the readers would love to explore. The beauty of the story lies in its alliance with psychology.  The author makes his intention quite clear when the impact is laid more on the psychological element than the horror one. With this twist, “7 Days” becomes more of a psychological exploration than a plain horror. That is the beauty if you may call it.

Plot structure is very fine. It is simple with evenly divided chapters. The scene breaks make the book more enjoyable.  One particular mentionable thing is the scene-shifts have been highlighted. It is not indispensable but it certainly makes the story more graspable leaving no room for plot confusion. The technical aspect of plot structure is quite evident in the book.

Narration and Dialogues

“Dracula” by Abraham Stoker is my all time favourite horror. Deep within, the story is not intricate. There is a blood-thirsty vampire against whom few humans stand challenging him and his allies. Quite simple! But it is the intriguing narration and nail-biting thrill in every page which keeps the readers hooked till end. Narration is a very important element in every thriller-horror book. Thankfully, “7 Days” stands up to this requirement. The narration of Mr. Gill is lucid and vivid. The striking feature of his narration is keeping up the readers’ interest without any unnecessary description. Not even a single scene seems dragged. Everything is just. Mr. Gill has kept the script tight perhaps keeping in mind the racy contemporary readers. Today, people don’t like reading a book of 300+ pages. It becomes difficult for dedicated writers to wind everything up in rather lesser pages especially when the story demands wide spectrum. But Mr. Gill manages everything quite well. Narration has not been bombarded with the technical horror elements. That is actually a ‘cool’ feature of the book.

Dialogues are abundant in this book. I firmly believe that abundance of dialogues gives any book a cinematic feel of reading as if everything is happening just in front. “7 Days” stood true to this belief of mine. To be true, the nature of dialogues actually gave me a screenplay type of feeling. Given the author’s profile, the screenplay effect of the dialogues and narration seems so apt. It gives more of a movie feeling than a book.

Characterization

Mr. Gill hasn’t dwelt too deep in characterization in this book which itself has very few characters. Both the protagonists are simple human beings who have different approach towards life. Both approaches are very common in our society. Apurva, who is quite serious about life, represents a majority of men. And Suman, who is very lively, can mingle easily with middle class Indian women. Parents of both individuals represent the typical affluent class. Apurva’s friend Arijit is a gem of a person who stands with his friend in most terrible times. Though, Apurva and Suman have got the credits of being the protagonist in this book, I believe that Dr. Vincent becomes the actual heart-stealer. Again, his character is not that much intricate. But he manages to leave a mark behind, with his philosophies and beliefs. Dr. Vincent represents those people who learn the lessons of life very hard way. And then, there is this mysterious woman Sapna whose seemingly innocuous womanly dreams never cease to torment her soul.

As I said earlier, Mr. Gill has kept the characterization quite simple. But simplicity is the best beauty and “7 Days” stands true to it.

Treatment of Love and Romance

“What do women want?”

It is the common question which almost every man whines about. The irony is they never accept the answer that easily. Leave aside few ambitious ones, then what could women want more than care, love, respect, and a bit of romance in their life? But instead of trying to accept it, men chose to blame the women stating ‘they are never happy’. It is because men have a broader universe which includes their family, career, friends, hobbies and ambitions. Once everything is concluded, a little room is left for their life-partners. Sometimes, they go so low in their priority list that their quality ‘times’ never match. On the contrary, women’s lives revolve around their men. They plan their career, friends, outings and even interaction with their own parents as according to their ‘men’. It is about time, men need to understand that the woman; who left the people who brought her in this world, educated her, taught the meanings of life, the people she grew up and played with; and happily made an unknown person and his dreams and wishes the topmost priority of her life actually deserves abundance of love and care. Since the day, she tied knot with this unknown man, her previous relations got twisted and she may never look upon them as before. She cannot confide in them as earlier. And if in return, she wants his attention and his pampering, is it too much she asking for?

“7 Days” explores this desire of women. I find this treatment of love very unique in this book. Perhaps, the vast experience of Mr. Gill shaped his emotions and views and he poured them in the love sequences. It is one of the strongest reasons I would recommend this book to book-lovers.

If anybody asks for my opinion on what kind of book this is, I would simply say that “7 Days” is an exploration of Love through a woman’s soul…

Book Review: 'Turning Back Time' by Shravya Gunipudi

I guess the purpose of writing is to be read. In whatever genre the write-up [including novels] is, the sole purpose of writing is to be read. But when it comes to publishers, the purpose of publication becomes profit which is as genuine as it could ever be. When a businessman invests money in his products his expectation of profit is quite obvious. That is the reason the sale potential of a book decides its fate of publication. Worldwide, romance books sell more than any other genre [except fantasy fiction] and that is why they are the eye-candy of publishers.

Gargi Publishers is an exception. It is not the first time that I read a lot of books from the same publisher/author. But, the diversity I found is quite an experience. Such a gem from their publishing house “Turning Back Time” by Shravya Gunipudi is a unique kind of book. I haven’t read any such book till date. Writing such kind of book requires exceptional prowess. But publishing such type of book requires quintessential confidence and courage. Such hard-hitting books seldom appeal to people who do not wish to face reality. Investment in such book by a new age publishing house itself speaks of the caliber of the book. I congratulate the publisher for daring to change the course.

“Turning Back Time” marks the new era of books which complete both the aspects of writing – to be read and to be remembered.

About the Author

Shravya Gunipudi is a 23 years old and she has been writing since she was nine. She has won numerous prizes for her articles, short stories and poetry which include ‘Best Writer of the Year, 2013’ by yourstoryclub.com

A CA and CS by profession, Ms. Gunipudi wishes to explore her passion both in Finance and Writing. It is her dream to merge her creative side with her analytical one. Writing, she believes, is the best form of expression that calms the mind and frees the soul. Her favourite quote is ‘Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing about’.

Storyline and Plot Structure

The storyline of “Turning Back Time” is hard-hitting and close to reality. It is really wonderful that a 23 years old girl decides to write about the ignored facet of life. It is the story of Alia who struggles hard to make her ends meet. She juggles herself in two different jobs at a childcare centre and old age home in the mornings and evenings respectively. Financial trouble makes her bitter and hostile. Ms. Gunipudi beautifully implements her philosophy in Alia’s life via several incidents at her work places. In the old age home, Alia acquaints four seniors who share their life-story with her which changes her approach towards life. She learns to live life without regrets.

There is a parallel plot structure in the book. One of the sub-plots is the record of present while the other travels via reveries. These reveries come as diary, notes or normal conversation time to time. The second sub-plot is divided in four stories which belong to the four seniors respectively. So, we can say that there are four stories comprised in this book. I appreciate the way Ms. Gunipudi has configured the plot. She has overcome the biggest challenge of reality social fiction of keeping the readers engrossed in the story. The articulation inculcates the curiosity and keeps up the interest.

Narration and Dialogues

Dialogues are abundant in this book. I personally believe that dialogues keep the story alive. Psychologically, dialogues give the readers an impression of a cinematic view. The book does exactly the same.

Narration of ‘Turning Back Time’ is lucid and fluent. The sub-plots, prologue and epilogue have been written with a flowing rhythm. However, I felt that it could have been better. The writing prowess of Ms. Gunipudi doesn’t match her narration skills. She can do better. At several points in the book, the scenes shift rapidly leaving the readers in confusion. I suggest her to consider scene-breaks in the chapters. Her best is yet to come in narration.

Characterization

Ms. Gunipudi has taken real life characters. There are a lot of girls in our country like Alia who bear the responsibilities of the family and struggle to make the ends meet. The hardships of life make her bitter which is also just and true in several cases. The seniors Hema, Sita, Girish and Raman are like Banyan trees – aged with a number of branches falling around and every branch telling the story of an unseen facet of life and unraveling the chosen-to-be-ignored strata of society.

Among such characters, Mayank is like a soft breeze of fantasy flowing in this otherwise desert of reality. He is romantic, consistent and responsible. Just like a romantic hero. Well, a minute observation depicts Ms. Gunipudi’s explanation on the equation of life. As all of us know that life is a balanced equation, dearth is equated with abundance at certain points of life. Mayank and Alia denote that. The dearth of comfort in Alia’s life is equated by Mayank and Mayank finds true love in Alia.

There aren’t many characters in this book which makes the book more composed with its perspective. All other minor characters play their role significantly in their respective short frames.

Treatment of Love and Romance

In the main sub-plot, love is the prevalent theme. The love-story of Alia and Mayank proliferates with the flow of story. They discover each other’s feelings and views on social concerns. However, in the parallel sub-plot, love has been treated more brutally. The sub-plots take the readers to those times and strata of society where love is unknown and only carnal relations and lust prevail. Ms. Gunipudi has been brutally honest on this aspect. Well, it takes guts to be so honest with the emotion which sells the most in today’s scenario. I congratulate Ms. Gunipudi for that.

“Turning Back Time” is a reality fiction coming from a girl who chose to pen it down when other writers of her age decide to document their failed relationships. It is a reply to such critics who mourn over the lack of depth in new age writers. Such understanding, such articulation, such depth at such a tender age! I wonder what next is coming from her brain!

Book Review: 'DNA... Dad's Not Adopted' by Shikha Kaul

Let us admit that we Indians don’t have that much affinity for paperback thrillers. Love and Romance tops all the genres. Perhaps the oppressed feelings of young Indian souls find solace in their I-wish-it-happened-to-me type of romance fictions.

That has always been a bad sign for other genres including thrillers. It takes guts to be an upstream sailor. And Ms. Shikha Kaul has done that with her stupendous book “DNA… Dad’s Not Adopted”

About the Author

A graduate with Honours in Physics and a P.G. in HR, Ms. Shikha Kaul is a doting mother and wife. She loves books of all genres and writing gives her the peace of mind.

Ms. Kaul has been the winner of “Author of the Year” award by Salis Online Magazine for her debut novel ‘Hidden Husband’.

Storyline and Plot Structure

“DNA…” is basically an investigation and court-room drama. There is an allegation which unfortunately leads to the murder of the plaintiff. And a normal case of legal heir becomes a murder mystery. As the story goes, a Thai national claims to be the daughter of an Indian business tycoon. The man denies and a case is filed. The trial goes on and just when both the parties agree on a settlement, the girl is killed. Her murder leads to the unraveling of series of secrets being hidden for years which question the bond of family and friends. The storyline is riveting and almost every paragraph is connected to its successor leading the story from one stage to another.

The story is full of thrills as per the demand of the genre. A murder mystery in its true sense, almost every second page brings a new phase in the consequences and the turn of events leaves the readers dumbfounded. An insight in the high-profile life of affluent class and the mechanism of media and police is very interesting.

The entire story is divided in four sub-plots as in ‘The Murder’, ‘Thailand’, ‘The Past’ and ‘The Trial’ and the chapters has been allotted accordingly. The division of the plot makes it easier to grasp the story and connect the links. I appreciate Ms. Kaul’s effort in such a meticulous creation of the plot and such a proper configuration. It surely makes the reading more enjoyable.

Narration and Dialogues

Narration of ‘DNA…’ is lucid. It is emphatic and fluent. The shift of narration is diverse and unique simultaneously, which is itself quite an achievement and I congratulate Ms. Kaul for this. Monologues and soliloquies are part of the confessions during the investigations in the story and they often lay foundation for the scenes and dialogues. Half of the story moves in the form of confession and after that the main events follow.

As I stated earlier, there is uniqueness in the diversification of ‘DNA…’ and dialogues form a major part of it. The dialogues are witty, romantic, intricate and amusing. They are fluent and just. The dialogues provide an articulate insight of the lives of the people involved. Another prowess of Ms. Kaul certainly!

Characterization

The main point about any thriller is the power of the story. The story of a thriller is so much powerful in itself that it leaves little room for the development of any particular character. In a thriller, the story itself becomes the protagonist and shadows even the main character. Only exceptions are the spy novels, where the spy characters become equivalent with the story. In such a scenario, it really becomes tough to create and develop such characters which could be remembered once the book is finished. But hats off to Ms. Kaul who successfully created such characters which turn out to be equally prominent with the story! There are more than one central characters in this novel and Rishabh Shenoy is one of them. He is an Indian business tycoon who finds himself dragged into an unwanted legal whirlwind. He is sensitive yet smart and professional both in his personal and business life. After leading a life of a playboy in his youth, he obediently surrenders towards family goals. Nisa Yuen is a Thai national who is innocent and just. People with soft cord may easily develop affection for her. Ghazal is a journalist who alongwith CBI Officer Pranab embarks on the journey of unraveling the murder mystery of Nisa. Ghazal is very smart and commanding in her professional life but very sensitive and lovelorn in her personal life. Pranab plays the role of a commanding authority both in her professional and personal life.

One more thing, which is quite commendable in this murder mystery, is the frame of the characters. Pratibha Shenoy, Krittika Shenoy, Anusha Shenoy and Balbir are the minor characters BUT they play very important roles in this story. Even the character of Mr. Sadashiv Shenoy, who is already dead long ago, plays a pivotal role in the story. The way their roles have been interconnected and configured in the story, marvelous would be simply unjust to comment. Characterization is certainly strong point of Ms. Kaul’s writing.

Treatment of Love and Romance

In this outstanding thriller by Ms. Kaul, love plays a significant role. The love-life of the protagonist Rishabh Shenoy creates all the mysteries. Besides, there is a love story of a cop and a journalist which proliferates simultaneously with the mysteries. Now here comes the point where I beg to differ from Ms. Kaul. The love-story of Ghazal and Pranab germinates and grows like teenagers. There seems a lack of mature concerns. The lady seems confused at first. But later, when she finally discovers her true feelings, she behaves as ecstatic as a sixteen year old. The man, on the other hand, gets smitten by the beauty of the lady. Normally when you attain a certain age you become able to see beyond the outer beauty of any person. That is the age when the intelligence, maturity and inner grace attract more than a lovely face. This facet of love was very new for me. Perhaps, Ms. Kaul tried to do some experiments with love. And the interesting fact of this experiment is it can be both amusing and distasteful depending on the readers’ perspective. I can perceive that this facet of love could prove to be more interesting to a number of readers.

The Climax

It is the climax of any thriller which makes it memorable for any reader. The tension, unpredictability, the consequences and the concluding part are the ingredients which garnish the climax. The writing prowess of Ms. Kaul reaches its epitome in the climax of ‘DNA…’. It is as racy and unpredictable as it could be. I was literally biting my nails while reading the anti climax and when the mystery unfolded in climax, it was equally mind-boggling. I salute Ms. Kaul for such an amazing story and equally amazing climax.

‘DNA… Dad’s not adopted’ can be read and read once again. And it can be read one more time. And even if you read it so many times that you almost by-heart all the scenes and the dialogues, it can be read once again. So, if you love thrillers, ‘DNA…’ is your cup of tea. And even if you don’t love thrillers, ‘DNA…’ can make you go crazy about it. 

Introspection with "The Monk" by Akshay Shroff

Some books can be reviewed. Some cannot… Personally, I feel that few special categories of books go beyond review. They tickle the cord somewhere deep inside your conscience which disarms your ability of judging them. Your thoughts, your philosophies, your beliefs are put at question and you are unable to comprehend the whirlpool of emotions which kick starts a brainstorm. The idea of equality, social justice, religion, faith and almost everything which makes humans a social animal is questioned and evaluated.

“The Monk” by Akshay Shroff is one such book which is beyond review. The blurb of the book clearly indicates writing such a book demands guts and the author’s profile certifies it. Akshay Shroff has been a successful advertising sales consultant of domestic and international media, spanning over three decades, first in New Delhi followed by Mumbai. He has been associated with voluntary organizations like the Lions and the Junior Chamber International in senior positions and also with trade bodies like the Delhi Advertising Club and the Press Club of India.

Akshay Shroff is a family man and a normal family man of India avoids talking about sensitive issues. And this man, let alone talking, has actually written a book on the very most sensitive issue of our country. Why Sir? You decided to play a dance tune to the cobra with the poison glands? Salutations!

It is not the Mulk Raj Anand style of his writing which captures your thoughts but it is the guts displayed in creating such a wonderful plot. A story woven around country, religion, citizens, terrorism, call of duty and love demands immense research and delicate treatment. Akshay Shroff has provided no less than that. The background story of historical incidents which induced terrorism in our country has been given at appropriate junctures. I couldn’t help marveling at the artistic prowess of Mr. Shroff at handling of such delicate stuff. He keeps everything in equilibrium. He creates a shell for himself as a narrator and keeps himself aside from the story. He lets the readers feel the story and live it with the characters. The backdrop of Indian Police is enough to instill the faith back in our Police Department.

Talking about characters, Lakshya, the protagonist, is certainly the gem of a man. He deserves to be the hero of a normal Indian citizen who wants to live with peace and harmony. He has, rightfully, shadowed the whole book. As a kid, as a teenager and as a grown up man, he grabs the attentions naturally. And not only Lakshya, but every character of this book turns out to be as emphatic as they are meant to be.

The dialogues and the sub-scenes of the book convert the readers into spectators and leaves them into that very time-frame to witness all the happenings. What sort of narration could be livelier?

After reading this book, I found myself lost and elated simultaneously. I was lost in the content of the book and elated by the positivity it created. I wonder how we cherish our comfort and play the blame game. There is always a government and their predecessors to put all the offence on. Where do we stand as a citizen? What we are doing on our part for the country? What is the root cause of terrorism? Why has religion reached a level of extreme? What can we do to prevent the man slaughter in the name of religion?

The book leaves a lot of questions to ponder upon.

“The Monk” by Akshay Shroff isn’t a regular book. I believe it is a must read for every person who has slightest of the concerns for the country and our society. Mr. Shroff has provided a lot for the readers given his vast experience.

As I stated earlier, ‘The Monk’ is a book which cannot be reviewed. It helps you to introspect and consider your position as a silent spectator. I expect many more reading experiences from this amazing author.

Book Review: "We will meet again" by Tarang Sinha

It has been a long… very long time since I enjoyed reading any romance. Thanks to “We will meet again” for breaking the monotony of my reading habit. I am profusely thankful to the author “Tarang Sinha” for this wonderful reading experience. As I am here to express my views on the book, I wonder whether I would be able to justify what the book deserves.

Writing a romance is never that easy. And if I include my personal shortcoming of being a disaster at writing an out and out romance, reviewing a romance book becomes equally arduous for me. But, all thanks to ‘We will meet again’, I am here to shatter this belief of mine.

About the Author:

Tarang Sinha is a writer, avid reader and an active Blogger. Her works have been published in magazines like Good Housekeeping India, Child India, Woman’s Era and Alive, and a bestselling anthology “Uff Ye Emotions 2”. A Science Graduate, she holds a Diploma in Creative Writing in English from IGNOU. Originally from Bihar, she lives in New Delhi with her family.

Though it seems hard to believe given her writing prowess, ‘We will meet again’, is her first novel.

Storyline and Plot Structure:

‘We will meet again’ has a very clear storyline and intriguing plot-structure. It is a mature love-story of two mature people Paridhi and Abhigyan. They meet, they fight, they fall in love and then, they face the consequences. In this journey, they introspect and re-discover their real selves.

I always believe that romance fiction comes in strict story frames and despite all of the respective writer’s effort all romance storylines share many things common. The writer’s real talent is showcased in the plot-structure to make it different.

Tarang Sinha is undoubtedly a wonderful writer. In the common story frame of romance, she has woven a riveting plot decorated with wonderful events and scenes. The plot is full of thrills and its eventful structure instills curiosity in the readers. There are lots of twists and turns which make it more interesting. I believe that romance-fictions come with predictable climax. But as they say, it is not the destination but the journey which makes it beautiful. ‘We will meet again’ is one such story. All thanks to the wonderful plot.

Tarang has included a detailed Hindu Marriage Ceremony incident as a sub-plot. It came as a surprise to me. I have a read a number of coming of age romances where the characters not only loathe the Hindu Marriage Ceremonies but also disgust the elderly women [referred as Aunties) who are always enthusiastic to find their prospective life-partners. I never understood the logic behind this sophisticated show-off. Of course, we have some ridiculous customs but tradition has its own beauty unless you are mature enough to understand and enjoy it. And getting married or not is entirely a personal choice. There are ways to avoid nosy relatives but there is no humour in insulting someone who is just pro-active regarding your marriage. Tarang really deserves appreciation for breaking this stereotype and ‘wrting’ out of the box. The sub-plot contains beautiful descriptions of the customs and how they bring the family together. It adds beauty to the novel.

Narration and Dialogues:

Tarang has used first person present tense narration. It is not very common among Indian popular fiction. This type of narration at times proves to be hard to connect with readers. But Tarang has managed it beautifully. It gives the feeling of living the story with the book. Narration is very gripping and fluent. The reveries and general descriptions have been written beautifully and they do not seem boring.

Dialogues are connecting and just. The casual conversations do not seem imposed. Tarang has not used Hindi words frequently. The conversation of the protagonists attracts and the exchange of dialogues between them comes as natural. Not at a single scene, I felt it improvised.

Characterization:

“We will meet again”, has a number of feel good things. But ‘characterization’ is certainly icing on the cake. Let’s get onto it in detail:

PARIDHI – Paridhi is the female protagonist of the novel. She is beautiful, mature, intelligent, self-esteemed and lovable. She represents a middle class Indian girl in true sense. [Chetan Bhagat, you listening?]. She is stubborn yet sweet. And she is confident and egoist. Few of her traits are –

Time Management and studious nature – Paridhi is meticulous in studies and knows the value of time. In the beginning of the book, she is working on her assignment which she succeeds in completing way before the given time.

Presence of mind – Paridhi has amazing presence of mind. She never loses her wits. Even the most critical of the situations manages only to falter her for a moment. She takes hold of everything quite efficiently.

Loving sister and daughter – Paridhi is a loving sister and a doting daughter. She is elder to her sister and her affection is at times filial towards her. She takes good care of her father after her mother’s demise.

Paridhi is certainly a remarkable character created by Tarang.

ABHIGYAN – Abhigyan is the male protagonist of “We will meet again”. He is, in every term, a heart-stealer. Charming, dynamic, dashing, commanding and yes, wealthy, what more could you ask for. Tarang has portrayed him right out of the fantasy of a girl. Abhigyan has almost everything a girl would want in her life-partner and that includes his anger also. It would be injustice if the shades of his personality aren’t discussed –

Commanding Nature – Abhigyan doesn’t take ‘no’ as an answer. There are several instances in the book where his commanding nature rules and he gets everything done as per his will.

Taking control of the situation – A medical emergency and a mischief in wedding are two of such situations where Abhigyan comes forward to straight everything out and control the situation. He manages everything and everyone efficiently and doesn’t let anything slip out of his hand.

Self-dependent, self-confident and a dedicated Businessman – Some hardships of his life make Abhigyan self-dependent which he develops as efficiency rather than engulfing himself in depression. He is very confident and takes every decision of life himself. He doesn’t rely on anybody. He manages his business and personal life very well.

Loving husband – Abhigyan is a loving husband, more importantly he is a husband who is very patient towards his wife’s coldness. He takes good care of her in spite of her ignorance. It is quite surprising that a man who has so much ego manages to handle his wife’s taunts. One can only imagine the abundance of love required to do that!

Evidently, Abhigyan and Paridhi remind of Fitzwilliam Darcy and Elizabeth. I have added Tarang on my favorite authors’ list and I am so glad that I wouldn’t be missing Jane Austen that much.

Other characters like Yashodhara Bua, Mini, Reet etc. are justified in their frame. I would like to specifically mention Pammy Aunty. Congrats to Tarang for recreating a nosy neighbor and giving her such a lovely and adorable appearance. Of course, you can create humour without insult. Ask Tarang for it!

Treatment of Love and Romance:

“We will meet again” is all about love and romance. Tarang creates new horizons of relationships and recreates that magical aura. It is journey through a woman’s heart how she discovers love and accepts her feelings. Normally all love stories end with marriage. But the best thing about this book is a phase of relationship and a new shade of love starts with marriage. However, I was bit disappointed about the book being one sided in love. We do not get to know the feelings of Abhigyan and his approach towards love. That is impossible in a first person book. That is why I believe that it would have been more beautiful had the story been written in third person.

“WE WILL MEET AGAIN” is a wonderful read. It is refreshing and amazing, a must read for everyone who loves to have a romance section in their bookshelf.

Few thoughts on "The God Factor" by Nitin Shrivastava

“The God Factor” is a non-fiction penned by Nitin Srivastava. Nitin is an Asstt. Professor in an Engineering College. His continuous interaction with his students and a lot of other people provided him enough insight of an unhappy and discontented mind which encouraged him to write this book. The book is actually a detailed analysis of different perceptions and their impact on our life.

Author Nitin has taken reference of ‘Maya’ from Hindu mythology and efficiently explained our wishes and desires and sometimes, our ‘greed’ on its basis.

Why we are never happy or contented no matter how much we get? Can’t we learn to live the moment and leave the rest of the life in the hands of ‘God’? Why do we dwell in past and let it ruin our present as well as future? Why we rely more on destiny than ‘karma’?

These are the few questions which find focused answers in this book by Nitin Srivastava. According to the author, there is a permanent melancholy cord in us. Happiness is a choice and even a childless couple can have it if they wish to. Happiness leads to success in life. Nitin Srivastava has chosen some folk stories and anecdotes to elaborate his point and he certainly seems to be successful about it.

“The God Factor” could prove to be useful for such people who prefer pessimism to optimism. The book is short and simple yet powerfully speaks for itself. Proper editing of the book could have made it more appealing. However, Author Nitin Srivastava succeeds in a thoughtful interpretation of one of the most important aspects of life.

Author Nitin Srivastava could be contacted at http://www.nitinsrivastava.net/

Book Review: Her Resurrection by Soumyadeep Koley

“Her Resurrection” is a contemporary Indian women centered dark social fiction penned by Soumyadeep Koley and published by Gargi Publishers. The book narrates the different life-phases of an Indian lady. It also gives an insight of the undercurrent situation of lower-middle class Indian women and their struggles which is often polished by the dazzling glamour of showbiz oriented society.

The book is dedicated to Jyoti Singh [Nirbhaya/Damini] and gratification has been paid to all the violence survivors. It is really unfortunate to mention that the book touches the reality of majority of victimized women in India.

About the Author:

Quite contrary to the trend of popular Indian fictions, the author of this book had a clear motive to pen the story. Given the profile of Soumyadeep Koley, the book does justice to the subject chosen.

Soumyadeep Koley is a writer, poet, women’s rights activist and photographer. After graduating with Honours degree in Chemistry from Scottish Church College, Kolkata, he joined the global fight against violence on women. He has worked with Jason Jayology Jeremias, the Founder and Artistic Director of Price of Silence, New York, which employs performing arts to bring the global struggle for women’s rights to life. Soumyadeep Koley has three years of experience in psychological counseling of domestic violence and rape survivors from India and abroad, through unique mystical and metaphysical techniques.

Plot Structure:

The book has a proper plot structure including prologue, epilogue and main book. The story revolves around Maya Singh and her struggles along the hardship of her life.  Given her surroundings, Maya seems to be an extraordinary child who reasons with life even after being contradicted by her father and society continuously. Maya just doesn’t give up when things do not go her way. She suffers loss of family, loss of social recognition, loss of studies and job. And as if all these were not enough, she survives gang-rape. But her extraordinary will helps her to overcome the trauma of prostitution which she is forced into. Her sufferings do not end even after her escape from prostitution. She is cheated in love and fate snatches her unborn child. Still, Maya, like a phoenix, rises from the ashes of her dreams and stands for herself becoming a role model for such women who believe that crises bring a dead end in life.

Plot of the story is well versed and well-researched. The plot only justifies author’s profile again. The different sequences, description of the circumstances, the protagonist’s journey shown via different phases of society prove to be very apt for the storyline. Right from the start, the author holds the grip of the script and never leaves even a single loose end. There are no fillers in the book and every scene seems quite apt.

Narration and Dialogues:

The book starts with first person narration and soon shifts to third person narration. The Prologue and Epilogue are in first person narration. The main book is in third person narration. The conversation of the Prologue which leads to the main book is referred simultaneously and few dialogues have been inserted in the main book. The main book happens to be a story narrated by one of the characters of the Prologue.

This form of book-writing is very trendy in contemporary Indian popular fiction. Picking up the popular style of narration grows interest and curiosity among the readers. It is really the prowess of the author to tell a serious tale in a light style. Author relies on simple and day-to-day conversation and dialogues. None of the dialogue sequences seem to be imposed upon the mind of the readers forcing them to appreciate the author’s verbal intellect. The author carefully maintains the thin line of grace and even in the grave scenes and succeeds in being methodical instead of glamorizing the pain and tragedy. Soumyadeep Koley deserves a round of applause for maintaining this equilibrium since it is the toughest part of tragedy writing to persuade the reader to empathize with the characters without showcasing their pain. Research and relevant experience in the field could be the reason behind author’s intellectual balance.

Characterization:

Soumyadeep Koley’s “Maya Singh” deserves to be one of the memorable heroine’s of tragic fiction. At several instances, Soumyadeep’s Maya reminded me of Charlotte Bronte's "Jane Eyre". However, 'Jane" was dearer to destiny than ‘Maya’. Luckily, she never went through the trauma which engulfed Maya all throughout her life. Her courage, her innocence, her attitude, her morals are just the reflection of a common Indian girl. Soumyadeep Koley has been very labourious and yet very careful in sketching her. He has been elaborate yet very protective while creating Maya. Maya seems more like a sculpture of the author’s mind than just being the heroine of a book. She is inspirational and she is adorable.

Since Maya is the protagonist of the book, all other characters do not get as much attention as her. Maya’s mother proves to be a doting woman who supports her daughter in whatever way she can. The antagonists of the book appear strongly and impress the reader hatefully in the small roles they are assigned. Maya’s love interest ‘Siddharth” becomes lucky enough to get much more attention than them. Siddharth is probably another remarkable character of the book. He is a common Indian man. There is nothing special about him and that is what makes him extraordinary. In a lot of ways, he represents the backward mentality of majority of Indian men who are indefinite, stubborn, like lots of adventure in life and yet make sure to play everything safe. At times, I wondered, why a strong woman like Maya fell for him in the first place.

Soumyadeep Koley has been reasonable in characterization also. His characters are eloquent without being loud which is equally appreciative. This eloquence of his characters makes even the minor-most characters like Saadia, Audra and Sucharita memorable.

But there is one such character who suffers the injustice of the author and that is Damien. The character of Damien had too much scope and versatility but the author chooses to give him a restricted frame for reasons better known to him. Otherwise, Damien would also have been a memorable character.

Treatment of Love and Romance:

Normally, a social tragedy leaves very little room for romance but Soumyadeep Koley managed to grab few scenes of romance from the love track of Maya and Siddharth. However, the nature of the script makes this romance one-sided and readers are acquainted only with the female feelings. Maya falls head over heels in love with Siddharth and her feelings get surreal description from the author.

However, I personally feel that the love story of Siddharth and Maya was bit exaggerated. Such a long sequence wasn’t required. This length could have been used for Maya and Damien. But it was cut short by the author. Perhaps, that is why the tragedy of Damien fails to stir the emotions of readers.

Overall, this book is an honest attempt by the author and he seems quite successful in his motive.

My Rating: 4/5

STRONG RECOMMENDATION