#BookReview:Mapping Love by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Title: Mapping Love
Author: Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari
Publisher: Rupa Publications
ISBN: 978-9353337919
BLURB
My body still hurts. It has been some time since Oorja Chaturvedi has come home; but the wounds she suffered, at the hands of the very people who so aptly named her, cut deep. Her relationship with her father was barely strung together with a few words. But when her mother dies, the woman whose nagging love was both her comfort and her secret hiding place from the world, new grief melds with old bitterness. Reeling from the loss, Oorja decides to come back to India, only to find her estranged father missing. Her search leads her to her grandfather, a man who had lived all his life among books and forest, withering away in his house. As she tries to grapple with her grief for a dying grandfather, she unexpectedly finds love and solace in the arms of a man who inherits her grandfather’s estate. But before she can decide what Anang and her own future together hold, Oorja must first untangle the secrets of their shared past. A quiet gut-punch of a debut, acclaimed filmmaker Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari’s novel, Mapping Love is heartbreakingly brave and equally delicate. It is a story that digs its claws into you and doesn't let go, long after you've finished it.
BOOK REVIEW
Some books talk to the reader. They relate to the circumstances in one’s life. Mapping Love by Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari was one such book for me. The loss of a loved one is difficult. It brings in several questions, brings helplessness and also leads to the feeling of guilt. Mapping Love was an exquisite and intriguing read. It took me on an emotional ride revolving around Oorja Chaturvedi who came back to India, to find that her father is missing. To search for her father, collecting herself filled with hurt, she started her journey and reached her grandfather, a man who had lived all his life among books and forest. It was the place where she found her love for which she was craving.
When I got the book, I thought of it as a love story, however, it was beyond it. It expressed the different forms of love in a person’s life. The book took me on Oorja’s journey written in the first person from the point of view of Oorja. It is penned down beautifully where the words are flowing. Emotions are central to the story, the author has conveyed them remarkably in the story. While reading, I was not just able to connect and empathise with Oorja as well as I was also able to reflect upon myself and my life.
The story is divided into three parts. Initially, the story was fast-paced, moving from one event to another. But, after two chapters it settled. I liked the way the author has incorporated the flashback scenes and short poems. The plot is very interesting with a crossover of several events described in great detail. It was a heart-wrenching story. I was engaged in the story and was not able to put it down until finished. There are several characters in the story. Oorja is the protagonist, whose relations are described with her mother, father, grandfather and Anang. Oorja’s character is well built reflecting her confusion, problems, needs and care. I liked how the author has connected the different characters in the story.
Overall, it is a very well written, heart touching and overwhelming read. I was in a need of such a book and I am happy that I got a chance to read it. This story will remain with me forever. I would recommend it to everyone.
Buy the book here: https://www.amazon.in/MAPPING-LOVE-Ashwiny-Iyer-Tiwari/dp/9353337917
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari is an artist, filmmaker and writer. A gold medallist in Commercial Arts from Sophia Polytechnic, Mumbai, she spent over a decade in the advertising world, telling stories for the biggest brands in India and Southeast Asia. She has won several advertising ‘craft’ awards across the world for her layered ideas and in-depth understanding of human psychology at the grassroot level. She directed the critically acclaimed, award-winning short film, ‘What’s for Breakfast?’, ‘Brothers’ and ‘Ghar ki Murgi’ (Taken for Granted). Her first highly acclaimed Hindi feature film, ‘Nil Battey Sannata’ also known as, ‘The New Classmate’ helped her spread the message of ‘education for all’ and won Indian and International gender sensitivity awards. She remade it in Tamil as, ‘Amma Kanakku’ (Mother’s Calculation). Her next movie, ‘Bareilly Ki Barfi,’ a slice of life romantic comedy continued her passion for storytelling won many popular and critics’ awards. With her latest widely acclaimed movie, ‘Panga’, she started an important conversation on sports and motherhood. Making her own path with her simple yet mindful outlook towards life, she is a conscious knowledge researcher, traveller and seeker for life. This is her first book.
Outstanding and remarkable book review! Hope you reach great heights of success! Keep working hard diligently! Fly high to make your own nest. Wishing you all the best!
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