AN ENGROSSING READ ABOUT WINNING AGAINST ODDS

Book Review: One enduring lesson by Jamal Merchant

Fictional books which delve into the realm of inspiring stories, with people unhindered by many problems and coming out winning, are the best forms of motivation and inspiration, sometimes even more than motivational and self-help books. The author Jamal Merchant comes up with such a book “One enduring lesson”, which is a story of the undying human spirit of survival against all odds.
The narrative follows Rahul Saxena, a 27 year old half- Indian British citizen, recently out of a job and rejected in love, who lands in Mumbai from London to study filmmaking. But not knowing much about life in Mumbai, the city of dreams, his life turns inside out as he is duped there. From the dark corners of the streets as a professional rat killer to the vermin-infested confines of a jail, from shady dance clubs to the homes of Mumbai’s rich women where he is paid to provide pleasure- fate takes him on a roller-coaster ride that challenges his very will and determination to survive. And when his secret life threatens to destroy even the love that he finds, Rahul seeks recourse in spirituality. Inspired by India’s synergetic religious traditions, he fights back internal and external demons to write his own destiny. Will Rahul be able to find his love? This is what forms the storyline.
The narrative of the book is engrossing and the readers will remain interested till the last page. Some portions of the book are overwrought, and others are impressively written. The characters are memorable and have a heart-warming heft and emotional depth. The character of Rahul is explored very well, and packs a powerful punch. The writing style is good and the book has many memorable dialogues and witty writing.
The book captivatingly explores the dynamics between a new entrant to a bustling metropolitan city and the shrewdly attitude of the city towards its new residents. This is a grim tale of entrapment taken to a terrifying extreme, but comes through in showcasing the protagonist’s grit and undaunting spirit where it really matters. This coming-of-age story portrays the arduous difficulties of love, the lives of people traversing two nationalities, and the struggles of the filmmaking world. The narrative is well researched, and the readers will definitely like this unconventional story written with an amazing verve.
This is a book with a narrative which is both searing and profound; and has an unflinching depiction of survival against all odds. This is an enjoyable read, and should be picked up by readers interested in Indian English fiction, as the story genre and writing style is very much contemporary Indian chic and entertaining too.