Official Review: Beyond The Line-Short Stories

[ananya92]

[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Beyond The Line-Short Stories" by Sourav Sarkar.]

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2 out of 4 stars

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Beyond the Line by Sourav Sarkar is a collection of eight short stories delineating the myriad range of human relationships, and the various hardships faced by thousands of people in their daily struggle for survival.

Chanchpottery’s rich mineral resources brought only misery and poverty to the people living in this region. For the tribal populace the local moneylender cum mafia leader, Ratnakar, was no different from the British. The people, under Badri Prasad’s leadership, raise their voice against this exploitation. What will be the repercussion of this agitation? On a heavily pouring morning in Mumbai, Siddharth and Anjali are reminiscing about how they met for the first time, and wondering will their son stop visiting them one day? In his latest case, Ashok investigates the murder of young girl who belonged to a good family, had a steady career and strong relationship. What harm could she have posed to anyone?

Workers in the Jorabagan Jute mill are hoping for a pay rise, especially since it’s close to Durga Puja. Will this festive season bring them much awaited joy or more sorrow? Rupa is staying miles away from her son, to provide for him. Will she be rewarded for her pains, or will her efforts come to nothing? Rupam wants to do well in his studies, at the same time; his popularity brings him to the notice of the student union, which wants him to contest elections. What will he choose? Shyam Kumar always wanted to produce a movie, and seizes the chance to invest in an upcoming film. Will his latest gamble pay off? Arunava has lived his life according to his mother dictates, even if it was against his wishes. Will he succeed in his search for true love?

The book is set in various parts of India, switching between rural east India, and the cosmopolitan cities of Kolkata and Mumbai. The first story in this collection is the clear winner for me, with its poignant portrayal of the harsh reality in Left-Wing extremism affected areas in the country. The story highlights the moneylender-alcohol mafia-politicians nexus which is responsible for the ruin of these regions, and forces people to take up arms against the state. The fact that the story is so close to the truth makes it all the more heart-churning.

The other stories focus on the struggles of the lower economic classes trying to eke out a hard-earned living for themselves and their families, or on certain social problems peculiar to life in cities. Be it Rupa, who cries herself to sleep looking at the photo of her son, or Rupam, who is caught between his dislike of politics and his father’s support for a certain party; the author’s depiction of most characters is spot on.

While the author has sketched pretty relatable and believable characters, I found that some of the female characters are somewhat conventional. This is not really a criticism, but I felt that these characters are perceived from a male-centric viewpoint. Certainly there are female characters, real and fictitious, who are apathetic to other people’s misfortunes, or mothers who are willing to do anything to ensnare the eligible bachelor for their daughters, or who go to any extent to protect their son’s interests, and the author paints these characters accurately. However, the author does not provide any depth to these characters, which shows them in plain negative light.

Unfortunately, the beauty of these tales is marred by poor execution. Even if one ignores the tiny grammatical errors strewn across the text, what cannot go unnoticed is the rather juvenile writing. The form of expression is too simple, and honestly, in some places the descriptions reminded me of sixth grade textbooks. The low standard of creative writing bogs down the wonderful plotlines and ideas behind these stories.

I am tempted to rate it higher, but sadly I have to go with a 2 out of 4 stars for this one

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Beyond The Line-Short Stories
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Like ananya92's review? Post a comment saying so!

[debo9967]

Seems like a emotionally involving book. It is sad that the execution is not upto mark. Good, honest review!

[ananya92]

Thank you

[kimmyschemy06]

That was a very honest review. The stories sound interesting. Too bad about the not so good execution. Great job on the review.

[ananya92]

Thank you

[Sourav Sarkar]

Thanks for review. I am happy to note that you have liked my title story. I noted with care your comments. I will keep in mind. Regards Sourav Sarkar