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![Estuary by பெருமாள் முருகன் [Perumal Murugan]](https://cdn.thestorygraph.com/hjvq46cv7htajo6yipxejng0ufpv)
3.99 AVERAGE
3.99 AVERAGE
slow-paced
Disclaimer: A Physical Copy was provided via the Publisher as part of the Bookstagram Tour. The Thoughts, opinions & feelings expressed in the review are therefore, my own.
Peremul Murugan is one of the most celebrated Indian authors on #bookstagram – and so many of bookstagrammers whose opinions and recommendations I follow blindly have always loved his books – but somehow somewhere, an internal apprehension of not liking his books enough made me reticent to picking up his books.
But I am honestly glad that I waited, for his current offering, Estuary, was waiting to be the fiorst of his works I read – a beautiful, poignant, chaotic yet simplistic in it’s form; follows the life of a simple common man, Kumarasurar and his relationship with his wife, his son and the world and the society he inhabits.
Stating the love or rather the need for a son over a daughter; Perumal Murugan simply states the patriarchal attitude of the Indian Society within the first chapter itself. Kumarasurar and his wife, Mangasuri dote on their only son, Meghas – everything they have ever done has been to make sure that Meghas gets the best of the education they can provide. Jealous of the closeness that his wife and son share, Kumarasurar, a lowly government employee pinches pennies and manages his finances in a way or rather the faith that his son Meghas will get admission into a prestigious college and land a job that will, hopefully end their financial woes in the future.
Estuary is more of a collection of observations and musings on part of Kumarasurar , who is stumped and anxious when his son asks for a mobile phone with a steep price almost nonchalantly! It brings forth the anxiety, the regret and the dlilemma of parents that most teenagers would rarely understand – the wish that they could provide the whole world as desired by their beloved offspring; yet being restricted by the realities of the world, resulting in resentment by their child.
While, this might seem a dreary concept for anyone to read; what stands out is Mr. Murugan’s writing style – it is the way he humorously and easily points at the quirks, the anxiety that you can’t help but be charmed by the absurdity of what a simple man goes through in the effort to fulfill obligations of an ever changing world!
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Such beautiful writing.
Even though in the foreword of the book, the author has mentioned that this book is different from all his other works, that it wont have the intensity and nuance that he is often praised for, I still saw it. Perumal Murugan wanted to write without restrictions, and I felt that freedom when reading this one.
I had forgotten the feeling of reading a south indian author. It is such a beautiful feeling when you recognise yourself and your life in the pages. Its like reaching home.
The book had my heart go out for the characters, made me want to reach out and talk to them, console them or shout at them. But at the last chapter, at the last line, I couldn't help but laugh out.
Even though in the foreword of the book, the author has mentioned that this book is different from all his other works, that it wont have the intensity and nuance that he is often praised for, I still saw it. Perumal Murugan wanted to write without restrictions, and I felt that freedom when reading this one.
I had forgotten the feeling of reading a south indian author. It is such a beautiful feeling when you recognise yourself and your life in the pages. Its like reaching home.
The book had my heart go out for the characters, made me want to reach out and talk to them, console them or shout at them. But at the last chapter, at the last line, I couldn't help but laugh out.
A foreword that promises chaos has always had my attention. In Estuary, Perumal Murugan has 'abandoned the compactness and intensity and nuance', ignored all the basic ethics he follows as a writer and given himself certain creative freedom.
Kumarasurar, with his wife Mangasuri, live in their urban home in Asurapur. They dote on their only son Meghas, spoiling him to the extent that he has turned into an adamant teenager who makes his own choices about live, weighing pros and cons in a rash, selfish and disinterested manner. Kumarasurar has no 'additional income' and his days are spent planning his finances in hopes that Meghas will get into a good college and finally land a prestigious job.
'Estuary' is about the anxiety parents go through, in a world where young minds are corrupted by porn, smartphones, alcohol and drugs(to name a few). This might be a fictional setting but we are in a world where institutions churn out robots, flaunting their success rate and backing it up by cruel methods that will either make or break a person.
A caustic world, spewing truth is what 'Estuary' is all about. The writer simply narrates a story, more observation than preaching. And even then, as readers, we are engrossed, trying to grasp a POV that we as teenagers were unaware of, and Meghas' mind that reverberates a lot with our past self. The parents spend their days losing sleep and appetite over their only son's wellbeing while the son tries to cope up with the modern world, it's promises of temporary glory and the constant desire to be better than one's peers.
There's also a witty side to a story we have heard time and again, and that makes Murugan stand out. He laughs at his characters and their quirks, points out their nuances meticulously, and also gives you thoughts to chew upon.
Kumarasurar, with his wife Mangasuri, live in their urban home in Asurapur. They dote on their only son Meghas, spoiling him to the extent that he has turned into an adamant teenager who makes his own choices about live, weighing pros and cons in a rash, selfish and disinterested manner. Kumarasurar has no 'additional income' and his days are spent planning his finances in hopes that Meghas will get into a good college and finally land a prestigious job.
'Estuary' is about the anxiety parents go through, in a world where young minds are corrupted by porn, smartphones, alcohol and drugs(to name a few). This might be a fictional setting but we are in a world where institutions churn out robots, flaunting their success rate and backing it up by cruel methods that will either make or break a person.
A caustic world, spewing truth is what 'Estuary' is all about. The writer simply narrates a story, more observation than preaching. And even then, as readers, we are engrossed, trying to grasp a POV that we as teenagers were unaware of, and Meghas' mind that reverberates a lot with our past self. The parents spend their days losing sleep and appetite over their only son's wellbeing while the son tries to cope up with the modern world, it's promises of temporary glory and the constant desire to be better than one's peers.
There's also a witty side to a story we have heard time and again, and that makes Murugan stand out. He laughs at his characters and their quirks, points out their nuances meticulously, and also gives you thoughts to chew upon.