Ardhendu Shekhar Basu Roy

This book is a thought provoking, nerve-wrecking, heart touching story of the suppressed, oppressed and exploited especially the women in the countryside of Bengal of 19th century. The story in this book has boldly depicted the heartwrenching saga of the vulnerability of the weaker sections to the vagaries of rich in the form of a story of a family torn apart by treachery, greed and destiny. The author has done remarkably well to make this story sensible, realistic, relatable, and pragmatic by sensitizing those aspects of life which prevailed but overlooked in the localities of the Bengal those days. The author has highlighted many an anomalies extant in Bengal those days by banking firmly on the ordeal of the women in these stories and the daily violence they face through the child marriages and caste oppression, and the parochiality of being mere toys at the hands of their men prevailing in that male-dominated society. The story will leave you agape with it's entirety. It will leave an indelible mark in the hearts and soul of the readers, it's guruanteed and will invariably compel you to embark on the rollercoaster ride of emotional turmoil and to think and feel what the author felt while writing this book. The story is fast-paced yet exciting and absorbing. The characters sketching in this book seems second to none including some historical figures as well such as Nawab Wajid Ali Shah, Rabindranath Tagore, and Dr Kadambini Ganguly. The narration of the story will make you feel that you are reading some historical fiction which glorify and expose the absurdity of the colonial times. The readers will find themselves falling in rapport with the pathetic conditions of characters like Bhubonmoni, and Krishnoshundor and the tragedies they face. The theme, context, plot and conflicts all these elements make this story an eccentric piece and an engrossing saga. It's an one of it's kind in the world of literary fiction. A masterpiece in the list of translated books. I personally loved this book and will recommend you all to do give it a read.