Love Long Ago | Shreyasi R Phukon | Book Review

What happens when life throws a curve ball at you? Does one simply slip away, grasping at empty chasms in a bid to kick back, or can one pick up the broken pieces and begin life again? A love story with unusual chords attached, Love Long Ago by Shreyasi Rhittika Phukon is much more than an engaging roller coaster ride of emotions, something one does not come across every day.

You know, I always feel that life is so full of challenges that each day simply denotes a completely new pursuit towards understanding and decoding its ergonomics. Often, what appears on the surface might not be the actual scenario. It is not that life is only a bed of roses or a cage of thorns. Often, unexpected episodes occur too, which compel us to change our logical chain of reasoning and thoughts and move in another direction altogether.

Wondering what’s gotten into me today to be “talking life” and its intricate philosophies today? Well, Love Long Ago by Shreyasi R Phukon did this to me. No, no, I am not complaining ya. It’s simply because this book has an extremely unusual story. The narrative, which revolves around Rhea and Arav, a bestselling author, was like a breath of fresh air. At the same time, along with their tete-a-tete came the suspense element accompanying Rhea’s aunt Hilda’s murder. At this point in time, albeit Arav supported her, what transpires eventually—how Abhinav enters the picture and eventually how the story proceeds—is what will keep you hooked for sure. No more spoilers, though; to know more, you have to read the book.

Well, characterizations definitely, for me at least, were what scored brownie points in this one. Albeit I strongly felt Rhea’s character was a bit snobbish and could have been a bit more amicable, that is still exactly my point here-a brilliant character development, you see, by the author Shreyasi. Compelling me to think and try to change the character traits of the main protagonist is no mean feat since it only indicates how well the character has been plotted, which is enough to keep me glued to it. In fact, I absolutely loved Abhinav’s character, TBH, and felt somewhat unsatiated since I personally wanted more camaraderie between both Rhea and Abhinav to be depicted, as they were for me all that signifies the unspoken, the unsaid, and yet the well-understood aspect of life. Abhinav is the guy her parents have chosen for her to settle down with when she returns to India. So whether Rhea accepts him as her fate or gets back to giving Arav a chance at redemption (well, he has his secrets in the closet too!), you’ve gotta read this rocking story to discover.

Related:

• The Ergonomics of Love: A Review of ‘My Imperfect Love’ by Niharika Jindal
• Book Review of Delhi via Lucknow: Once, Love Travelled This Route by Ashwini Rudra

So, tell me, you guys – a relationship gone astray, an affair gone wrong—does it possibly denote the end of one’s love life? Is a breakup the hardest thing to pass up? And if not, what is it that one has to bear in mind then? Well, through this intriguing and unique love story, Shreyasi has tried to put across answers to many such complex emotional philosophies, albeit in a subtle manner. This is a good read; this being her debut work, it is nevertheless well-written and finished in a captivating manner. The characters, too-be Rhea, Arav, Abhinav, Margaret, or any other—have been created skillfully so as to seamlessly blend in with the main plot. Shreyasi has masterfully interlinked the subplots of the tale so as to keep the main purpose of the narrative in sight at all times. For all those who like reading love stories, try and bookmark this one for your next read, as this is definitely a tale you outta catch if you want to read from a different vantage point towards life and love relationships. A good one.

So, I hope you guys liked my book review of Love Long Ago by Shreyasi R Phukon.

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