Book Review : Yatrik

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to wake up from a dream and realize that you’re dead? It sounded an interesting and intriguing concept to me when I picked up the book. It is easier to explore the events of a person alive than one who’s already dead and wondering what to do next. Arnab Ray, in his book Yatrik has churned out quite a few phenomenal events into a journey – of a dead man.

Anushtup Ray is the hero who wakes up in a vast terrain to find himself with an older man telling him that he’s dead. He refuses to believe the man, obviously. Which young person would like to believe that they’re dead one fine morning? The man then takes him through his life’s journey – backwards – and asks him to evaluate three major decisions which he could change. I bet there are not many people who would want to look back at their decisions and admit too that they might have been wrong somewhere. Anushtup however, took the plunge (more so because he had no other options in a barren land devoid of any life!) and looked back. 

The next chapters are like a roller-coaster where we witness various phases of Anushtup’s life, his relationships with his father and mother, their troubled marriage, his father’s writings (which apparently no one read) and finally his relationship with this beautiful girl which went berserk following a few political events. The philosophy in the book is profound and not too heavy actually, but very introspective for young readers like us.

I felt there is a distinct flavour of Kolkata in the book, a city which I haven’t visited yet. But I’ve read quite a few novels about the city and heard about it’s flavour from friends as well. I think Arnab portrayed that part very well and made the readers curious about Kolkata.

Overall, it would say it was an interesting read and much recommended for all my friends.

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Happy Reading!!