When I started reading the first chapter where a young girl was shown to be involved in a violent act of freedom struggle, I was thrilled as I thought it to be a freedom struggle related thriller (it is one of my most favorite genre) but as the novel proceeded I got a little disheartened, the novel completely changed the path.
As the novel proceeded and the author started to portray the miserable condition of women, the thought which came to my mind was “Come on Debajani…..It doesn’t happens” but when I realized that the story was rolling in eight decade old era I realized my mistake. The condition of women was even worse in those days.
The story nicely cruises around a girl named Renuka from her teenage to eighth decade of her life. The life of protagonist largely sailed smooth as her husband was too nice to an extent that I would not mind saying that it is rare to get such cooperative husbands even today!!. The author has tried to show the misery of women through the relatives of the protagonist Renuka, particularly her sister in Laws. I found it to be a different and unique concept otherwise all books and movies shows the tragedies to be incurring to the main character. Has the author done it with a predetermined purpose or was it just accidental? - will be my query from the author!! But I found this concept to be very successful due to the following reasons.
1. It brought the uniqueness to book
2. The story appears more authentic
3. It gives a good respite to reader otherwise most often the tragic stories becomes tragic to an extent that the reader start to feel nauseated.
4. It proves that good and bad people have always existed in society.
On the flip side-
1. The biggest flaw I found is that the book does not justify the title. The author could not justify whether the protagonist believed in curse or not because the protagonist who was preaching everyone against the curse started to believe in the same curse when she met the tragedy of abortion (the only tragedy she met).
2. At the flow of story and sequence of events I would like to give 2-2.5/ 5 to the author because at times the story becomes too simple to generate interest while at times it start to take the shape of movie where every events appears to create a hero. (In facts these are the junctures where story start to appear a bit artificial losing the main essence of this book).
3. Relation of Mandira and Renuka and their debate on “social norms” is confusing. It deflects the typical human psychology “The social norm which I follow is the ideal for society”. The decision of Mandira to adopt “live in relation” being shown as evil in the society is one of such example. (which author has tried to prove by showing Mandira regretting her decision).
4. “Rapes can be completely eliminated from society” by taking some precautions the author mentions. They can be definitely reduced but completely eliminated… I think, is not only unrealistic but a little immature expectation of author.
5. Being a doctor I felt it to be my moral responsibility to surface a major technical error. You need not undergo hysterectomy (removal of uterus) for family planning {and no doctor on earth would agree for it!!}. It is the tubectomy (closure of the fallopian tubes) which is very simple procedure done for family planning.
To conclude, the book is good for one read. Overall my rating would be 3/5.
My best wishes to the author for her future projects and piece of advice- to work a little more on flow on her future stories.
Regards