Unfolding by Rahul Singh
My take on the book:
Ralph inherits his passion for cooking from his mother, whom he observed and learnt from all his life, till she passed away due to cancer. Ralph now worked as a chef at a star hotel and is often appreciated by his patrons and clients, especially for his signature desserts. Ojas lived with his orthodox parents and ran their family business; after a chance encounter with Ralph during a conference at the hotel where Ralph worked, Ojas and Ralph are instantly attracted to each other.
Both rejoiced they finally found their perfect match until Ojas wanted to make it an open relationship; now in his late thirties, Ojas hoped to explore his desires with other men before settling with Ralph, while Ralph is obsessed with only Ojas and hated this idea of an “open relationship”.
Zubina worked as cook and house help in Ralph’s flat and though she is happily married to Aadil for more than a decade with two daughters Amrin and Soniya, as she witnesses the raw, messy intimacy between the two men, Zubina begins to question her quiet relationship. As Ralph and Ojas’s relationship struggled for balance, Zubina is left to wonder if her own marriage is built on love, or merely the habit of it.
Though the book begins as the love story of Ralph and Ojas, Zubina and her family’s story runs in parallel and has equal importance. From the blurb I expected a typical queer love story but instead found myself relishing a story filled with varied emotions and characters who stayed with me. Ralph and Ojas bring forward the vulnerable side of human relationships while Zubina represents those who question the love in arranged marriages.
The author also contrasts the challenges Ralph and Ojas face in their relationship from that of Zubina’s. The financial struggles that Zubina faced including the minor details of her everyday life are well narrated. Zubina’s past and the details involving her sister Zeenat are used by the author to also contrast the decisions taken by two sisters from the same family and how they impacted them. These characters also showcase how family support and understanding influence an individual’s decisions.
The story being set in Kolkata is not just as a backdrop but the city plays an invisible character; the book is divided into three parts — summer, autumn and late autumn of 2019 and as the city witnesses different seasons, the characters also move into different phases of their respective relationships. This is the debut work of the author and he does a fab job in narrating a story of human emotions with raw honesty and in a sensible way.
Overall, Unfolding makes for a good read for those looking for a meaningful and character-driven story this summer.
My rating:
4/5.