The story starts off by introducing three main characters--Nanda, an engineer who is running from his messy past to venture out on his dreams; Khusru, a Kashmiri working as a labourer in the dam project and Rekha, a kathak dancer by heart and a doctor by profession. Fate brings them all together at the site of the hydel project. The story progresses through discussion of the lives of the different characters, by showcasing their beliefs and convictions, and the day to day hardships.
Shibu's mastery lies in the elaborate descriptions of the characters, highlighting their backstories and conflicts. He constructs his characters with immaculate care--to an extent that they have the capacity to let the readers feel comfortable in their shoes. The characters are numerous--each having very contrasting ideals and backgrounds. However, due to a mismanagement of their individual roles in the story, there always seems to be a tussle between the minor and major characterisations. Too much attention to the establishment of the characters kind of leads them away from the primary storyline, and they are seldom allowed to shine up to their capacities.
The technicalities of the dam construction project is extremely detailed and well-rouded. This expertise in description perhaps can be traced back to the author's personal experiences in hydro-electric projects as a part of his profession. Although he has tried to keep this dam project as a central idea of the book, it never really clicks well with the main plotline. Due to inadequate linkages in between the stories of the characters, the course of events get scattered and lose their completeness.
There are bright sides of the book that is promising enough. Shibu's writing style is very visual and illustrative, equipped with beautifully penned introductions and circumstantial storytellings. The vast linguistic diversity of the Indian population has been put up through the usage of many colloquial terms, which adds a very uplifting local flavour to the book. These nuances, coupled with the admirable nature imageries and scene descriptions, tries to capture the essence of the story as best as it can.
I felt that the thought behind the plot was really worthy of appreciation, but it needed to be worked upon a little more. The climax at the end is very rushed and persists with a sense of incompleteness and neglect. If more time could have been devoted to proper structuring of the concrete storyline and shaping the sub-plots, the book could have seen a much better execution.
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Disclaimer: This review is in lieu of a review copy.
Disclaimer: This review is in lieu of a review copy.
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