And Her Story Began by Ayushi Raghuwanshi
Publisher: One Point Six Technologies Pvt Ltd
Pages: 164
Price: Rs. 249 INR(Paperback), Rs. 6 INR(Kindle Edition)
ISBN: 978–9356102002
Buy here:https://amzn.to/3swB1sh
My take on the book:
Aanya is only twenty six but had already been married to Romit for two years and now separated from him. Aanya sits down to jot all her thoughts down in a diary, interestingly addressing them to Romit, while being fully aware that he would never ever read them. She reminisces from the time they first met, their time together, the resistance from Romit’s parents for this marriage and how life changes from being inseparable in college to separated forever within two years of marriage.
She later meets Sarah a young kid at the orphanage that she often visited. Aanya finds Sarah a reflection of herself; as she develops a strong bond with Sarah, where does this association lead forms the rest of the story.
The story at the onset sounds like a routine one of a young girl who is heart broken after a divorce. What sets this apart is the tone of the story and how Aanya pens her thoughts, filled with emotions and memories. The story shows how not all separations may turn individuals bitter and rude, it can also mean growth. The story also highlights how college romance and being married can be entirely different experiences. The poems at the end of every chapter are the highlight of the book. The story is high on emotions and the ending is even more touching.
However, the story for most part is narrated by Anaya through her diary entries which slows down the narration, especially in the first half. I would have loved to read other character’s perspective also. Other than their relationship, Aanya divulges into various topics that touch the issues rampant in the Indian society; though they are related to career and life choices of young people it gets tedious and boring at places.
The story idea picked by the author is a good one but I feel the execution lacks the punch at places. Pick this one if you like to read stories filled with emotions and a new style of narration.
My rating:
3/5.