Book Review : A Love Story for my Sister #EngagingRead #JaishreeMisra #IndianNovels #IndianAuthors #InterestingFiction

One of my favourite Indian authors happens to be Ms. Jaishree Misra. I have been a fan of her writing ever since I read #Afterwards and #AncientPromises, two heart-touching novels.

Her latest work, "A Love Story for my Sister" is a compelling read from start to finish. Spanning across time zones and generations, it tells the stories of Margaret Wheeler, a 19th century British expat, and Tara, a 20th century Indian teenager, who are curiously alike in their choices. And the connector of both these stories, is the pragmatic to-be novelist Pia, who discovers her sister's choices in the process of unearthing the truth.

If you love historical fiction, you will love this account of India in the pre-1857 stages, where the suppressed anger and resentment of Indians, simmering underneath the seemingly calm societal fabric, suddenly gives way one day to sheer terror and mayhem. A young British girl, Margaret, devoted to her parents and brothers, watches their horrifying massacre at the hands of rebel Indian soldiers, after which she is taken into captivity by one of them.

Image Courtesy: Amazon.com

Her story is unearthed more than a century later by Pia, a dogged journo-traveler-aspiring novelist, who has her own demons to deal with. Scarred in childhood by her elder sister's brutal kidnapping and murder, she seeks some sort of closure by probing into a similar case that happened a century back.

Pia's quest leads her to Margaret's private journal and letters, and opens up a pandora's box. She discovers that Margaret was, in fact, eventually happy in her custody, and subsequently, fell in love with and married her kidnapper. Something tells her that the same thing happened to her sister, who too was strangely reluctant to come back.

Jaishree Misra weaves both the stories skillfully, switching from first person to third person narrative, from 19th century Kanpur to 20th century Delhi. Alternate sections juxtapose the situations and mental states of Margaret, Tara and Pia. The prose is lucid and the images vivid. Tara's little utopia in the hills, and her transition from girl to woman is beautifully shown. Misra shows her skill in sketching believable and relatable characters, who are extremely vulnerable yet resilient. A novel you should give a chance to....A Love Story for my Sister.

Comments

All We Imagine as Light- Lyricism on Celluloid

When an Indian film makes it the prestigious Cannes film festival, the world sits up and takes notice! And the lovely ladies swinging on the stage is a recent memory that brings a sense of pride. I had the good fortune to catch this film on screen recently. A review of such work is unnecessary, but still am bursting to say a few words. Right from the scintillating background score, to the events that unfold like pages fluttering in an open book, to the effortless performances, it's a masterpiece all right! The first half romances Mumbai- in the rains, at night, in the bazaars, in dingy rooms, in the local trains. Image source: Wikipedia The second half shows what light truly is, brilliant sunshine, crashing waves and salty air in a small coastal village in Maharashtra. You can feel the taste of salt, the breeze in your hair and the touch of sand under your feet, the cinematography is so real. Payal Kapadia masters the art of holding back, of showing beauty in the mundane. The hosp...

Guru Dutt - Legacy of an Overlooked Genius

"Yeh Duniya Agar Mil Bhi Jaae to Kya Hai:" This heartfelt anguish was literally personified by film maker and actor extraordinaire - Guru Dutt, whose birth centenary happens to be tomorrow (July 9). Maestro or Failed Genius? All his life, he strove to depict his vision, his dreams on celluloid. Yet, even as he strove for success, for renown, he was a bit of a recluse, a black sheep himself. It was as if he wanted to challenge the language of popular cinema by being within the format, from the inside. His women had brains, taxi drivers and masseurs were philosophers, sex workers pined for spiritual ecstasy, and friendships blossomed between unlikely people. Common people on the street spoke wiser logic than academics or high-nosed editors. The topics of the films may seem dated now, but the eternal truths voiced in them remain relevant. His films were distinctly different from other popular Hindi films. They had all the commercial elements of song, dance, comedy, romanc...

Shiuli in October - Transient Beauty

Image Source - IMDb Have you seen poetry on celluloid? A soft, lilting song playing out in slow motion? A story unpeeling itself, episode by episode? I have revisited Shoojit Sircar's exquisitely beautiful movie, October. The whole film unspools like poetry in motion. Each frame, each movement, each word adds to the lyrical quality of the touching film. And Shantanu Moitra's mellifluous background score brings it to life. I still can't get that haunting music out of my mind. Whoever would have thought a mainstream film - about a sudden, freak accident that sends the lead actress into coma could be so very ephemeral, so lyrical? Most part of the movie unfolds in a hospital room, amidst catheters, ECG machines, drips, and hospital beds. Yet, the way the director has handled this serious theme is spectacular. Celluloid lyricism, economy of expression The director works his magic through poetic frames, expressions, seamless transitions, verbal and non-verbal imagery. His stor...

My Page

Search This Blog