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