Book Review: The Shadow Lines by Amitav Ghosh

Rating: 4 out of 5

Genre: Fiction

Page count: 277 (Version variable)

Edition: 2009- Ravi Dayal Publishers; Penguin Books

The Shadow Lines is a thought scintillating work of fiction that almost makes you wonder whether this is fiction or real? Well, that is exactly what a good book is supposed to do; isn't it? The book starts off a little slow and it requires extreme labour to continue reading through the initial pages; however, once one manages to read through 50 odd pages and gets to know the characters a little better, the story picks pace. It was refreshing to read about Indian families back in the 1930s; the educated middle class and their powerful relatives and the bonding among the Indian and the British families. It also makes one think whether these boundaries that we have made over a period of time are actually required at all? From the eyes of a young kid, the author has managed to capture the world extremely well, highlighting the different stages a young boy goes through with extreme precision, however, not making it any less interesting while he goes through with his narration. The streets of Calcutta and their charm in the early 20th century will keep you hooked as you try to figure out where the author is headed with all the detailed portrayal that he does while you read through. Overall, it is a worthy read and entertaining at the same time. It is definitely the type of book that you would want to pick up on a lazy day and read with a cup of coffee or tea by your side. Amitav Ghosh has done a great job with his mesmerizing story-telling and he would leave you with a plethora of questions for you to brainstorm and find an answer to.