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“Love" elicits a myriad of responses in us. But what happens when two married people are in love, but not with their spouses?
I have read and admired Shalini Mullick’s award-winning stories published on ‘Women’s Web’. It came as no surprise to me when she announced the publication of her book ‘Stars from the Borderless Sea’. I finished reading it in a single day and allowed the feelings I had experienced to sink in. So, without further ado, here are my thoughts.
Shalini is one of the finest writers out there and has done absolute justice to this unputdownable book.
“Love.” This complex emotion elicits a myriad of responses in us. But what happens when two married people are in love, but not with their spouses? Do you jump to judge them?
Shalini, thankfully, refrains from putting the relationships in preconceived boxes. Instead, what emerges from her stories is an extremely mature take on love. The protagonists are men and women you encounter in your daily lives. They nurture a secret in their hearts. Lesser mortals succumb to guilt, they rise to the occasion by moving ahead with dignity and grace.
As the title suggests, Sayonee is a tale of soulmates, Geeta and Shekhar. Distance and being married to different partners couldn’t douse their intense love for each other. In Humsafar, a dejected Rachna seeks companionship in Venkat. In Humraaz, Sanjay remains Mahima’s confidante throughout the highs and lows of their lives.
Shalini refuses to paint her characters in evil shades just because they made some unconventional decisions. Instead, what the readers feel is empathy and they end up rooting for the lovers. Some seemingly loose ends (like Mohit’s sudden suicide) are tied neatly in the end.
What I liked about the book was the lucid language which made it a breezy read. Her brilliant ‘show don’t tell’ made me visualize the sufferings and the joys of the protagonists. ‘She was a detached spectator in the battle between heart and head’. Her attention to detail is praiseworthy. ‘Filigree gold leaves covered the mithai’.
‘Stars from the Borderless Sea’ is a delightful read, and I would encourage bookworms to buy or download this book. Trust me, you will not be disappointed with these stories.
Image Credits: Shalini Mallick | Goodreads
I am an IT professional, lost in the monotonous world of Excel. So, I seek refuge in Word, pun intended. I write for various literary platforms and have quite a few anthologies to my credit. read more...
This post has published with none or minimal editorial intervention. Women's Web is an open platform that publishes a diversity of views, individual posts do not necessarily represent the platform's views and opinions at all times.
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If her MIL had accepted her with some affection, wouldn't they have built a mutually happier relationship by now?
The incident took place ten years ago.
Smita could visit her mother only in summers when her daughter had school holidays. Her daughter also enjoyed meeting her Nani, and both of them had done their reservations for a week. A month before their visit, her husband told her, “My mom is coming for 4-5 months!”
Smita shuddered. She knew the repercussions. She would have to hear sarcastic comments from her mother-in-law for visiting her mother. She may make these comments directly only a bit, but her servants would be flooded with the words, “How horrible she is! She leaves me and goes!”
Are we so swayed by star power and the 'entertainment' quotient of cinema that satisfies our carnal instincts that we choose to ignore our own subconscious mind which always knows what is right and what is wrong?
Trigger Warning: This has graphic descriptions of violence and may be triggering to survivors and victims of violence.
Do you remember your first exposure to an extremely violent act or the aftermath of a violent act?
I am pretty sure for most of us it would be through cinema. But I remember very vividly my first exposure to aftermath of an unbelievably grotesque violent act in real life. It was as a student at a Dental College and Hospital.
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