#BookReview : Dark Circles by Udayan Mukherjee

Title: Dark Circles 

Author: Udayan Mukherjee 

Publisher : Bloomsbury India 

Published on: 1st November 2018

Binding : Hardback

ISBN: 9789388134934

"Denial, suppression or forgetting - which game of shadows had the mind resorted to, to shield a twelve-year- old from carrying such an enormous burden?

BLURB

Can one indiscretion be allowed to scar a family for life?
Ronojoy's mother dies alone in the Ashram she had abruptly retreated to twenty-eight years ago, leaving him - then only twelve- to fend for the emotional needs of himself and his six-year-old brother.
When the cremation rites are complete, Ronojoy is handed a letter from his mother that is not so much a farewell as a confession. As before, it is left to him to decide whether to share the disturbing contents with his brother, whom he has always sought to protect.
Thus, begins another tumultuous cycle in the lives of the two brothers who already carry deep scars from their childhood; their fragile minds ever at risk of succumbing to the dark.



COVER PAGE

The cover page of the book was the first thing which attracted me to this book. The cover page of the book is very beautiful and realistic in nature. It has an image of two brothers behind their backs standing looking at the hills. It is very suitable with the story. The colours used in the cover page are very subtle making it attractive.




REVIEW

When I saw the cover page of Dark Circles I was very curious to know what this book is all about. I was amazed with the title and it was as if there was an attraction that was driving me to read this wonderful book. Dark Circles by Udayan Mukherjee is a heart wrenching story. I never imagined that Dark circles also have such a meaning.

It is a book full of emotions which wrenched me like anything. It is a very overwhelming story of a family. I was blown away by the first chapter itself and it made me stick to my reading corner. This book is so overwhelming that I had to put it down at several intervals to console my self and accept what is happening in the story but I was not able to hold myself from reading it further. The book took me to a different world away from the reality. It is a very intense read about family tragedy, relationships in the family and depression and how it impacted a well woven family. I loved the fact that the issue of depression was so highly addressed in the book and all the symptoms which a person faces are addressed. This is a book which is not going to leave my mind ever.

The book is penned down beautifully in a lucid manner with all the the events described in a great detail and his writing style made me dive into the book. It is a very fine debut book. The way the author has separated the present and the past is amazing. I was glad that the the flashbacks didn't confuse me while reading as there was a very clear distinction made between the past and the present. The book very well covers the themes of mental health issues and the relationships in the family. The various events in the book are described in a great detail. I liked the fact that the chapters are not so long in length. The story moves at its own pace in a calm manner. The book is set mainly in Delhi and Mukteshwar.

Since, it is a family tragedy so there are quite a number of characters in the book such as Ronojoy, Sujoy, Subir, Apu Kaka, Mala, Dida and various others. And, all the characters are very well developed and hold a very prominent place in the story. I liked how at various points the different perspectives of the characters are written in the book. The best part of the book is that all the characters are very realistic in nature showing that everything is not happy, there are broken families, people have mental illness and everything is not perfect in life. I really loved Ronojoy's character and I was very well able to empathise with him. And, the relation that Ronojoy and Sujoy share with their grandmother (Dida) is very well portrayed. Also,the strong bond between the two brothers is amazing.

It is a very well written, heart touching and an overwhelming read. I am really happy that I got a chance to read this marvellous work of  fiction which is so realistic in nature. It is so intense that it made me numb at various points but didn't stop me from reading more and the way the sensitive issue of depression is highlighted is highly appreciated. The title is very suitable and is well justified as each character in the story holds darkness in themselves. It is one my favourite books of the year 2018.

Overall, an amazing work of fiction which made me realise a lot of aspects of life. I would highly recommend this book to everyone.




Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.in/Dark-Circles-Udayan-Mukerjee/dp/9388134915

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 



Udayan Mukherjee was born in Kolkata. He had a two-decade career as a television anchor and editor and continues to be an occasional commentator and newspaper columnist. He divides his time between the Uttrakhand Himalayas and Mumbai.







* I received a copy of the book from the publisher (Bloomsbury India) in exchange of a review. Thank You.


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Happy Reading!