I chose this book, as I was attracted to its title (MY NAME IS NOT DEVDAS). As I was going through the novel, page by page, I am impressed with the way the author has developed the love story around the contemporary happenings in society in particular and the country at large with three popular characters of the past. The reader may or may not agree with the way, the happenings and situations are portrayed but nonetheless will find it very hard to be able to deny them.
The initial few pages were not so binding but as the story unfolds, it becomes captivating. The multi-layered format keeps the reader engrossed. A mix of sadness, empathy, fear, disgust, resentful longing and ultimately pain. As the story moves at a different pace, page over page, the writing has the quality of taking the reader along with it.
After the initial few pages, the story gains momentum. The narration, language and imagination deserve a thumb’s up. In my opinion, it is a difficult subject to deal with, but the author has weaved a reasonably sound story.
The author has tried to bring the classic old character trio into contemporary times. “My Name is not Devdas” is an attempt to tell a modern-day version of the classic Devdas. The story is powerful and Aayush has skilfully handled the growth of the three protagonists as they embark on a journey to find themselves. He has done justice to his female characters also, a skill often seen as lacking in many writers.
The scenes of harassment faced on the Delhi roads are something women in the capital and NCR so often witness but many men turn a blind eye to. The strong female characters and the intricacies of the plot make it an interesting read.
This new version of Devdas, Paro and Chandramukhi is anything but anyone can ever expect. The story unfolds from different vantage points, transforming a tale of ill-fated love into an unflinching exploration of desire and belonging among the millennial generation, offering terse insights into the challenges females faced due to subtle, dangerous, artful, astute, corrupt, crafty, crooked, cunning, deceitful, deceptive, deep, designing, dishonesty, of toxic masculinity.
This book’s story is so similar in many ways to the old version of the Dev-Paro-Chandramukhi triangle and also so much in contrast to the primary, yet. It first steals my heart and then breaks it. It’s not just sadness though, but also has good plots and climaxes in store for true Devdas fans. So if u have ever liked the Devdas saga in any of the forms (book, movie versions), this book should be on your bookshelf.
My overall book review & rating is 3.5/5
The book is full of savage commentaries and makes for an excellent read!!!
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