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_askthebookbug 's review for:
Dark Circles
by Udayan Mukherjee
Dark Circles.
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I have never failed to like the works of a Bengali author. Udayan Mukherjee is a familiar face on the TV and his book turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Dark Circles is a story of two brothers who guide and reach out to each other in times of dire need. The plot is relatively simple but the storytelling ability of the author takes it up a notch. I have always enjoyed easy and comfortable reads and this book falls under that category. A book that was interesting enough to be finished in a single day.
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When Ronojoy and Sujoy's mother dies due to cancer in an Ashram where she has lived for decades, the sons are shocked. Her disease had been kept a secret but Mala leaves behind a letter to her eldest son which then creates a turbulence in the family. The contents of the letter reveals Sujoy's secret about him not being a legitimate child. Mala and her brother-in-law have a brief affair which stops when she discovers that she's pregnant with Sujoy. The affair leads to drastic changes in the family eventually leading to the death of Subir, the boys' father. The boys were then left in the care of their grandmother while Mala moves to an Ashram and becomes recluse. Dark Circles is about how broken and fractured the lives of children turns out to be due to familial disputes.
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There are many things that I loved about this story. Be it the characters or the simplicity, the author has managed to put together a bunch of emotions in these pages. The sibling relationship is so beautifully written that it feels very real. There's not a single flaw in describing either the people or the places. He even addresses clinical depression and alcoholism which are probably the biggest demons people fight against everyday. Many families split while the children cope with it for ages. Ronojoy's character was probably my most favourite. He manages to steer his younger brother from danger many a times and protects him against everything hurtful. Other thing that I loved was how Udayan goes to say that not every story needs a happy ending. A beautiful read and I strongly recommend it.
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Rating - 4.5/5.
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I have never failed to like the works of a Bengali author. Udayan Mukherjee is a familiar face on the TV and his book turned out to be a pleasant surprise. Dark Circles is a story of two brothers who guide and reach out to each other in times of dire need. The plot is relatively simple but the storytelling ability of the author takes it up a notch. I have always enjoyed easy and comfortable reads and this book falls under that category. A book that was interesting enough to be finished in a single day.
~
When Ronojoy and Sujoy's mother dies due to cancer in an Ashram where she has lived for decades, the sons are shocked. Her disease had been kept a secret but Mala leaves behind a letter to her eldest son which then creates a turbulence in the family. The contents of the letter reveals Sujoy's secret about him not being a legitimate child. Mala and her brother-in-law have a brief affair which stops when she discovers that she's pregnant with Sujoy. The affair leads to drastic changes in the family eventually leading to the death of Subir, the boys' father. The boys were then left in the care of their grandmother while Mala moves to an Ashram and becomes recluse. Dark Circles is about how broken and fractured the lives of children turns out to be due to familial disputes.
~
There are many things that I loved about this story. Be it the characters or the simplicity, the author has managed to put together a bunch of emotions in these pages. The sibling relationship is so beautifully written that it feels very real. There's not a single flaw in describing either the people or the places. He even addresses clinical depression and alcoholism which are probably the biggest demons people fight against everyday. Many families split while the children cope with it for ages. Ronojoy's character was probably my most favourite. He manages to steer his younger brother from danger many a times and protects him against everything hurtful. Other thing that I loved was how Udayan goes to say that not every story needs a happy ending. A beautiful read and I strongly recommend it.
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Rating - 4.5/5.