Mother India| Book Review
Review of Prayaag Akbar's Novel - Mother India
Mother
India is the
story of two young people living in contemporary Delhi. Plodding away to make a
decent living despite a middling education, Mayank is employed in a right-wing
content creator's dingy basement studio. Nisha, recently moved to the city from
her small town in the hills, works as a salesgirl for expensive Japanese
chocolate in an upscale mall.
When Mayank
discovers Nisha beaming off her Instagram like a beacon, he is smitten, and the
video clip he devises for his studio ends up having significant consequences
for them both.
Sparkling
and unexpected, Prayaag Akbar's new novel brilliantly captures what it means to
be young and alive in today's India.
Book #70 of
2024
The first
thing that caught my eye was the beautiful cover, and as a fan of hardbound
books, I knew I couldn't pass this one up!
The cover,
depicting an Instagram page on a mobile phone, hints at the story's focus on
social media, and as I read on I found it also talks of AI, corruption, and the
pressures of online life.
The main
characters are Mayank, who works for a YouTuber, and Nisha, a salesperson at a
high-end chocolate retail store. Though they have never met, social media
brings their lives together, leading to unexpected changes for both of them.
The story
touches on many issues we see around us today, like the destructive impact of
social media and AI on people's lives, political corruption, journalists being
silenced before they can expose the truth, and tragedies like collapsing
flyovers that devastate families and the impact it has on them.
But there's
also a softer side to the story. I liked how Mayank cares for stray dogs, the
love and care from his mother, and how her advice guides him to make things
right with Nisha.
The author
skillfully weaves together a story that addresses social and political issues
relevant to our times, highlighting the misuse of technology, corruption, and
the lengths young people will go to make a name for themselves. The characters
and events feel real and relatable.
In all, it's a good read that sheds light on current issues with engaging characters and a good storyline. A 4/5 star read.
Prayaag
Akbar is the
author of the novel Leila (2017), winner of the Crossword Jury
Prize and the Tata Literature First Book Award. The book was translated into
Hindi, Marathi and Turkish and was used as the basis of a Netflix show. Prayaag
teaches creative writing at Krea University. He lives in Goa with his wife and
son.
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Until the next post...
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