Review of “Being in Love… Half Fiction Series” by Jyotirmoy Sarkar #BlogchatterEbook 2019

“Being in Love” is a collection of 26 short stories. The stories run into one another and should be read sequentially advises author Jyotirmoy Sarkar. The haunting commonality between all the stories is a once in a life-time love and devastating break up. It is set in India, though the author does not say where; it could be in any part of the country, representing the usual story of a young love affair and parental interference that leads to the break-up of young love. Most of our young lovers find another life, away from each other. But our hero Rahul Sinha, is deeply in love with Tina for decades. They knew each other in college days and due to circumstances, had to separate. Tina is married and with a family, while Rahul pines away for his one true love. The stories revolve around three young men, Sourav, Arpan and Rahul. We learn the story of Rahul’s tragic romance through their shenanigans and conversations.

Rahul cannot understand how Tina’s love could die. He refuses to let go of it, though he goes through life bravely. Friends, relatives, passers-by and other characters help us to understand Rahul and Tina. The smells, little words and incidents in his life, remind Rahul constantly of Tina. The book opens with a trip to a Fair between two guy friends. At the Fair, one of the boys breaks off in the direction of the missing-persons announcer, who reunites people lost at the crowded Fair. Here the guy gives the name of a girl and the announcer dutifully announces it. When asked since when she was missing, our guy says for twelve years! It is none other than Rahul who makes the announcer mad. It is from here we learn the fact that Rahul had a girl friend who he has never forgotten. He wonders whether Tina ever feels the same way.

We learn other bits and details about Rahul and his steadfast love. He holds no grudges, only regrets. He is unable to concentrate on going on with his life as well as Tina has. The reminders of Tina that Rahul faces everyday are unique ideas of the author. He manages to build up the melancholy in the book. Towards the end of the 26 short stories we learn about Tina’s feelings and what happens to Rahul as the years go by. Read the book to know more about these star-crossed lovers.

The author also delves into the psychology of Love and the reasoning behind the fact that while some people can overcome heartbreak, others cannot. The author also writes Shayaris, a few of which he has added to the stories. While reading the book, we constantly sense that these feelings that the author writes about, could be his own. The one story ‘Tina, Transistor and Rahul’ where he compares electronics to star-crossed love is a bit dry, though the analogy is interesting. and amusing (even in pathos we can find something to smile about). It could have been put in simpler terms for the layman to understand. Where the author could have improved is in the editing and grammar of the stories. When he corrects these aspects, he just may have a classical book on his hands.

If you would like to know more about Rahul’s world, read “Being In Love” which is part of the #BlogchatterEbook Carnival Season 4. This is a unique opportunity for new authors to test the waters of the publishing world for free! Please click here to follow the link to #BlogchatterEbook Carnival Season 4 Library; look under Genre: Fiction for Jyotirmoy Sarkar‘s book.

This review was written as a part of the Blogchatter Book Review Program

Another short story about a strong woman and a wavering man Apology Not Accepted is an entertaining read.