Author Anukriti Upadhyay
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Rating: 4.5/5
Review:
Set in the District of Rajasthan, where there are certain mysterious events happening during the stay of the collector at the dak Bangla (Circuit house). It starts with a mysterious wishing tree at Dak Bangla.
The collector who loved playing the flute once met Sarangiya. Sarangiya who played the Sarangi (a musical instrument) is the one who changed the life of the collector. After meeting him, things were no normal for the collector. Why? How? Well, this book is all about mysteries.
It’s from the people who saw collector, Sarangiya and the moments happening there. A Folklore that tells you about the lives of People living in Desert.
The plot of the book is super interesting and unpredictable. The book gives insights from a report on a collector. It’s about how he worked, about people he met and the collector’s life between the head Quater and Dak Bangla.
The way the author Sequenced the events, Each chapter has a story to tell which is unbelievable. The narration of the story is crisp and engaging keeping the reader hooked throughout.
It’s A fast-paced book, full of magic and mystery. It’s a lil heavy book at the start and takes time in the start to connect well with the book, but later it picks up well.
The backdrop of the desert of Rajasthan is described beautifully. It tells you a lot about the desert people, the magic and superstitions, their lifestyles. The author used the local language too which makes this book more relatable.
The character development, done by the author is commendable. Each character had its own story and a strong influence on the reader. It’s an intriguing tale with an unpredictable plot and wonderful storytelling.
The writing style of the author is crisp and lucid. There’s depth in her writing. The language used by the author is appealing. The Storyline of the book is different and up to the point.
The author combined various themes which makes this book more interesting. The way the author describes the events is wonderful.
If you want to read a book about the lives of people, about desert nomads and the government employees there, A simple and beautiful story, this book is the one. It is full of Drama, and Mystery.
I loved the cover and the title of the book. Overall, It’s a wonderful book that You must not skip.
Also Read:Walks Through Life: Stories by Santhosh Komaraju – Book Review
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Summary:
A young District Collector is posted to one of the furthest outposts of rural Rajasthan. As he becomes more and more involved with the lives and troubles of the common people in his district, he finds himself sucked deeper and deeper into the dark heart of the desert. And there, with the help of the mysterious musician, the Sarangiya, he has an encounter with beauty in its purest, most absolute form. An encounter that precipitates a dangerous descent.
The pages from the journal he keeps are combined with the narratives of those around him—a Tehsildar, a Circuit House guard, a camel-herder, a pair of tribal girls, a Medical Officer, a Police Superintendent and the Collector’s orderly—to create a compelling account of his slide away from reality.
Half-real and half-fable, and redolent with the songs and myths of Rajasthan, Anukrti Upadhyay’s Daura announces the arrival of a powerful new literary talent
