A FICTIONAL NARRATIVE, WRAPPED WITH ELEMENTS OF SELF-HELP AND INSPIRATION

Book Review: "Samsara: Reflections of a Life" by Anush Ravindranathan

Many fiction books, with their inspirational storylines, are more like self-help books, giving us valuable lessons about how to navigate the different challenges of life. Sometimes, reading fiction with elements of self-help can be more enriching than reading self-help guides, for it gives the readers a more discerning understanding of the text. The author Anush Ravindranathan has come out with one such book “Samsara”, which is a fictional book, wrapped in tenets of self-help.

The storyline follows the protagonist Kuttan, who is a young aspiring entrepreneur. He has lost all hopes, as he thinks his life has been always unfair to him. Maya, his girlfriend, who he considered to be his pillar of strength, too has left him. Everything he thought to have possessed is gone.

Kuttan does not wish to continue his miserable life, and decides to end his life exactly at midnight, the time when he was born 29 years ago. However, while waiting for the time of his death, Kuttan takes a look back at his life. Was Kuttan a loser? How had his life been like, and those of people related to him? How unfair had he been to himself and his loved ones? The narrative then goes on to answer these questions. The story is that of Kuttan’s self-realization.

The book has been written in a simple language, and thus can be read by beginners. However, there are many grammatical and editing glitches which mar the storyline. The writing is also slow-paced at places; however this is more than made up by the characters which have been artfully portrayed. The character development is good, and readers are taken into the back stories of the characters, and there are insights into why certain characters respond to certain situations the way they do. The relations between Kuttan and the many people in his life, including his parents, step-father, and the characters Maya and Gowri have also been delved into deeply.

Striking accounts of the various characters’ feelings and reactions, and their emotional crashes, along with their bouncing back to fight the challenges that life throws at them, are told in stark detail. However, some of the actions of Kuttan do not seem plausible. There are other pitfalls in the book, which include repetitive narratives and certain instances and plot points seem vague, and somewhat misplaced in the narrative.

Analogies have been made between life and the author’s philosophical musings in this book, which are fascinating and profound.

This is an engrossing and thoughtful read, which is tender in its rendering of the story of Kuttan. This inspirational story can be read by beginners and seasoned readers alike, for it offers some decent anecdotes about Kuttan’s life and common wisdom about life which would be helpful for readers.

Moreover, the all-embracing message of this book which shows that hardships, pain and loss are always accompanied with acceptance and healing, is very pertinent in the trying and testing times that we all are facing in this global pandemic.