Author: Jaishree Misra
Publisher: Penguin
Pages: 276
Price: INR 250
Jaishree Misra’s book takes one through the emotional turmoil and mental agony of a young man who loses the love of his life to fate’s vindictive hands. More than half of the book is consumed by the anguish Rahul undergoes after he loses Maya to a terrible car accident and eventually Maya’s little daughter Anjali to her biological father.
Maya, a married woman with a child, suffers from a loveless marriage, or so it seems to her. She finds solace in the friendship of her next-door neighbor Rahul, a tourist and an NRI from England who comes to Kerala to spend his vacation and take up Mrudangam classes whilst on the job. Rahul, smitten by her looks although she is married with a child, decides to help her get out of the troubled wedlock and takes her along with him to Delhi and eventually to London from there.
The book is told from Rahul’s perspective and, as stated earlier, focuses mostly on his distress after Maya’s death, who he loses to a car accident after spending 3 years with him in London.
Strangely, Jaishree’s book fails to evoke any sense of sympathy or compassion towards the characters, although it elucidates the pain and suffering of loss of human life. Her writing is, however, captivating in most parts. Besides, her technique of beginning and ending the book on a same note is definitely poignant – if not in the beginning, certainly in the end.
Rahul’s journey to India to meet Maya’s parents for performing her death rites remains the highlight of the book.
Bottom Line: Fast Read
6 comments:
my feeling after finishing the book was- a man's feelings can never be so intense as described by the author; it is always superficial and dynamic. It keeps changing and looking for something different and new. Since the author happens to be a woman, she is able to bring out the finer aspects of love and loss.
This book looks very interesting. I might pick this one up soon!
my feelings were the same that of jyotsna. a man can never be so intensely drowned in such turmoil of thought and emotions.the book reveals a womans wish that her man d react in such a way after her death..every woman wishes her man d continue the commitment even `afterwards'.
No I totally disagree. I fell in love with the book the moment I started reading it. the feelings are so deep and intense that you feel like having a man like Rahul in your life. The pain he goes through makes you cry out for him. Simply amazing. Kudos to a man who is capable to such intense feelings for a woman.
it is a highly interesting and beautiful story.....above all,the majestic style of the novelist adds beauty to all...the predicament of maya is universal,and she reamins as a deathless symbol of true love...
this book z realy sth, the reading of which elevates one to a higher level....the way jaisree misra wrote it , i fell in love wid her writing skill, portraying the very scenes before d eyes n assimilitaing one in such a manner as if to create an illusion to be a part of all these....the last pages of the book moved me enough dat i cudn't stop the dew in my eyes ....it covers a range of emotions varying from simple sweet ones to disillusioed , heartbroken,n yet ending on a positive note..Rahul's journey to India and particularly to Maya's mom, though initially motivated by an altagether diferent purpose but ends on sth very significant that is to say.........finding hope in life wen u feel everythig has gone disastrous.........i salute jaisree misra for the brilliant piece of art.......
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