Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Review: Sita's Curse: The Language of Desire by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu

Life of a woman is often torn down by men for it's needs. Some women left to fend for themselves while some make out of it but some succumb to the entire doldrums around them. Author Sreemoyee Piu Kundu in her latest book "Sita's Curse: The Language of Desire" takes the readers on a journey where even fiction is every bit of harsh reality which happens every now and then in the society. So has she been able to lend voice to it? Let's find out. 

Meera Patel has struggled under the weight of a dead marriage. Struggling between her own sexual needs and the inexistant affections of her husband, she tries to hide her feelings and desires, managing to survive on her memories and fantasies alone for fifteen years. However, she cannot take the pain of her lusty, sensual body going to waste as her husband refuses to make love to her. She knows her body deserves to be worshipped, and one day in Mumbai, she finds a chance to let that happen. The cataclysm that ensues changes her life forever, and she has to fight off orthodox hypocrites of Indian society if she needs to be happy with herself.



First look at the title and the cover and the readers will not be able to decipher what exactly everything wants to convey. The tagline talks about desire and a woman in black adds up to that effect leaving everything on readers imagination. The title pretty much historical yet modern in it's own way. The blurb is brief and talks about a woman and how her life transforms after marriage. 

The story revolves around a dead weight Mrs. Meera Patel who since her childhood has been weighed down by societal pressure and restrictions. Her desires and decisions taking a back seat. But Meera before marriage and after marriage finds a way to learn the sleazy yet satisfying language of human need i.e lust and it's empowering effect on mind and body. Her transformation from time to time and discovery of new things through experiences and people around her leave her completely rattled. So what will happen to the innocent Meera? Will marriage turn around her fortunes? What role will Mohan and her in laws will play in her cursed or satisfactory life? Will she ever be able to discover her true self  or let go of the past? That's what the story is all about. 

Man is cruel and imposing and with woman he always has been one step ahead in proving his dominance. The transformation of a young girl from a desired woman is explicit yet detailed and realistic. The various lusty encounters, the scarred innocence, the constant frustration, the mix of joy and sorrows not balanced rightly so creates a perfect ambience for a coup and a lot for readers. The mutiny, the sarcasm, the fear and various other emotions supplied in right amount to make the story more desired and path breaking. The erotica blended fluidly and let the readers flow with the double edged sword life of Meera. The sex balanced up and the lingering effect of the entire narration leaves the senses numb at times. Narration as calm as silence before a storm. The presentation is picture perfect. 

The only mistake in the book is when Binal has been misspelt as Bimal couple of times. 

All in all the story traverses a path dangerous and a path well known to the society haggard. The book playing with the minds of the readers and giving oomph and frustration equal importance. The book acts as a source of eye opener for women and men too. The feeling of neglected and care both tended to with motherly touch.  The melting moments in the book creating an ambience of darkness as well a ray of hope. It's a story to be handled and interpreted with caution and gobbled up slowly and steadily. The book is a voice for the voiceless and inspiration for those who have struggled attain freedom from their already botched up lives. The emotions varied yet effective. It's not a story it's a chessboard where every action of the character is accounted for and every move you make is being scrutinized and judged. There are no limits even to the limit in the story. The book has a power of it's own to capture and conquer all that comes in it's way. 

RATINGS: 

4 OUT OF 5  

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