17. Review of “A Forgotten Affair” – Kanchana Banerjee

Review of “A Forgotten Affair” – Kanchana Banerjee

A forgotten affair is the story of Sagarika/Rika/Reeks/Cheeni as affectionately called by others. She, having woken up from a six month long coma is told by Rishabh, who calls himself her husband, that she was a victim in the Mumbai bomb blast. She has lost her memory and is totally dependent on him to guide her through her past. However, he is intent on keeping her away from it. Rishabh moves her away from their Mumbai home to an opulent highrise in Gurgaon and she feels lost still with nothing from her old life to remind her about her past. Her servants are under strict orders from her husband to report to him. Little things like the word cheeni and a certain cologne smell makes her ponder more deeply about her past but to no avail. One day she chances upon her old facebook account and strikes up a conversation with Akash who tries to remind him her of her past and their shared intimacy. She is divided as to who to believe. Akash visits her city and they do meet. She realises that her husband is spinning a web of lies and is trying to keep her trapped and away from her past acquaintances. Her dilemma and the quest to find who she is form the essence of the story.

The cover of the book is alluring and impactful. Not the same for the story because it’s quite predictable. However, the end is quite unique. The leading lady loses her memory and now must find what was in her past. A bipolar husband, a passionate lover, a go-to best friend, a dependable nurse/maid and a chummy cousin who is not so believable are some of the main characters. The flow of the story is linear with little surprises except for the ending. The characters are nicely described and well written. There are a few intense exchanges but are short lived and could have been elaborated to give the book a fine form.

My take: The most striking part about the story is that despite having lost her memory, Rika tries her best to regain her lost self and has the bearings to identify between what is good for her and what not. A good read for all those romantics at heart who shall have to read the full book to see if Rika finds true love in the end.

Book courtesy: WritersMelon

16. Review of “False Ceilings” – Amit Sharma

Review of “False Ceilings” – Amit Sharma

‘False ceilings’ is a web of relationships across the generations in a family where a secret is passed down from one to the next. It is believed that the secret is cursed and must not be shared with anyone else. However, it is the only thing that occupies the last conscious thought of the holder before they die. Spanning across 5 generations, a secret is passed along, sometimes knowingly, sometimes as unknown and unclaimed legacy. It is kept as a secret throughout the book and is kept just out of its reach.

The setting of the story is in picturesque Dalhousie overlooking the five rivers and glittering town of Pathankot, and Delhi in all its pre-independence glory. The narrative of the book is done in an innovative way. Each character is randomly picked one at a time and the story of that character is given in such a way that no other name is mentioned in it. After a few chapters, one begins to connect the dots one at a time and the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place.

My take: Half-way through the book, and I was still frustrated. Who are all these people? How are they related? What is the secret? A familiar name here, a similar location there and the pulse would start racing to reach the end. Probably let out a swear-word or two for the author, but still couldn’t put the book down. They say curiosity kills the cat. In my case, I was resisting the temptation to look at the last few pages with all my might. At the end, the author reveals the secret not with a bang but with a whimper and it sounds loud enough for exclamation.

A must read for all because the story grows upon you slowly and goes in deep through your mind and soul.

Spoiler Alert:

I’ve made a family tree of all the characters involved in the book. It is for those who might feel as lost as me.

Note:
Elliptical - Female
Rectangle - Male
Coloured - Secret holder / known