Reviews

•The universal soul is a huge ball of fire, and you and I are sparks of the divine soul.•

Sounds interesting right? That’s how this book is.

“Banal Arc, Benign Sky” by Pradyot Chatterji, revolves around the lives of Niti, Satya, and Jogesh. It tells the tale of how their paths crossed and how life has been with and without each other. It delves into complex relationships, their individual life experiences, and what made them who they are today.

The plot of the story is intriguing though The story starts off a bit complex but soon picks up pace, taking readers into the world of Jogesh, Niti, and Satya. As the story progresses, the layers unveil the secrets of why the characters behave in certain ways. Satya lost Niti, and there he was with his uncle Jogesh doing his brother’s last rites. With each passing day, readers get to know more about Niti and Jogesh, their past and what made them different from the world.

The crisp descriptive narrative and the vivid intriguing writing style of the author keep the readers invested in the story. With each chapter, the story unfolds and readers dive deep into Niti’s world. The characters are powerful and beautifully sketched, with Niti’s character standing out the most. Satya’s observant nature and Jogesh’s character add a layer of intrigue and depth to the story.

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With the themes of love, loss, and betrayals, I loved The way Pradyot narrates, takes readers back to the past, and Jogesh narrates Niti and his actions were too interesting. He amazingly narrates both Niti’s and Jogesh’s worlds.

The book is a slow-paced read and can be emotionally heavy, leaving readers feeling unsettled. However, the unexpected and exciting events in the last few chapters make for a gripping Climax.

The story is character-driven and takes readers on a deep, dark, and emotional journey that is not easily forgotten. “Banal Arc, Benign Sky” is a profoundly emotional and engaging read. Readers are sure to be moved by the character’s journeys and the unexpected twists and turns of their lives.

If you are in search of a compelling work of fiction, “Banal Arc, Benign Sky” is a must-read.

Summary

The author picks some prototypal characters from life to weave this story of faith betrayed, love unrequited and ambitions coming a cropper. The readers will experience a unique, evocative style in this story of Niti, the protagonist of the story, whose mother’s obsessive concern for her son has nightmarish consequences for him. Niti, a brilliant academic, also a bit of an oddball with an extraordinary sensitivity to his environment, finds the most difficult thing to achieve in life is to be understood by people around. Yet, he feels, if we could all come out and touch each other, what a splendid tribute it could make for the amazing life. The early promises of a bright future fail to materialise due to a series of betrayals by people whom he trusted. His ambition, rational scientific temperament and optimism turn into defeatism. Love unrequited comes down like a bane on the life of Jogesh, a seeker of true love, and his life is torn asunder by futile chase of a chimera. On realising the futility of the pursuit, he tries to return to his native village, but dies on the way in tragic circumstances. The comic elements interspersed in the lines of he story alleviate the weight of grim realities surrounding the characters. On reaching the last page of the story the reader may exclaim if we all could better understand each other!

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