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
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