A tale of love and loss, Shravya Bhinder amasses the progress of an unrequited love of an tender age, traces its development through the years ti the tragedy brought on by destiny.

This debut novel of the author is impressive in its story telling and plot structure. Following a almost stream of consciousness narrative style, the book features more of the innermost thoughts of the protagonist, Raunak, than actual conversations and happenings around him.

Raunak’s love for Adira grows following the years of her stay at his Nani’s PG but being an innately shy character he fails to confess his feelings to her before she leaves. Chance meeting brings them together again and he doe not let the chance go to waste this time. This is not only a love story, it is a story about family, fall outs and sticking together no matter what; friendship and fate. How in the end we, ourselves ruin the good things in our life, how we are our own enemy ensuring our own fall is explored here. The excruciating guilt of the whole episode, inaction in every stage of life which is Raunak’s hamartia , is something he has to live with. Modern day relationships, it communication gap and the battle of ego is explored here and the consequences clearly dealt out by the end of the book.

The author takes us to Melbourne, Australia where she currently lives and gives breathtaking descriptions of the city life and nature around the city. Delhi, Punjabi families, weddings, numerous cousins and first love lost by own follies are the main highlights of the story. The short chapters and fast paced narrative makes the book a fast read. Time jumps from the past to middle of the story line to the present day is carefully constructed and its intended effect is achieved through precision.

The plot twist is cruel and not at all predictable. Guilt ridden Raunak writing this novel for his love, Adira makes the story a compelling one. The “Based on a True Story” on the cover is chilling effect as the reader realizes how close fiction is to real life and how life takes this surprising turns and throws away all our plans for the future.

The potential of the author shines through this short narrative of two hundred something pages. There are loopholes in the plot but the expression of love through her words put into the male lead’s mouth are actually intriguing at times. Will be looking forward to more works from the author.