The Other End of the Corridor – Book Review
Author: Sujata Rajpal
Paperback: 240 pages
Publisher: Mahaveer Publishers( January 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 9350881012
ISBN-13: 9789350881019
Genre: Contemporary Fiction
About The Book:
When your dreams are tainted with lies and deceit, you have no other choice but to walk to the other end of the corridor
Leela has nothing extraordinary about her except the dream to become famous. Her desires take wings when she gets married to a handsome boy from a respectable family in Delhi. But her dreams are shattered even before they have a chance to take flight.
She happens to meet two friends from a long forgotten past, which infuses hope and opens new avenues to realize her dormant aspirations.
Leela delves into previously unexplored paths of deception and forbidden passions that only make her stronger.
In an attempt to rediscover herself, she falls in love with life and with herself but her life takes a sudden turn again…
No matter what, Leela will continue to chase her dreams.
Where does this journey take her?
About The Author:
Sujata Rajpal is a Corporate Communications Manager by profession and a writer by passion. She holds an MPhil degree in Economics, and has studied Journalism & Mass Communication from Panjab University, Chandigarh. She regularly contributes articles and short stories to publications and journals, such as Femina, Deccan Herald, Star of Mysore and others. Besides writing, she enjoys being a Toastmaster. Sujata is a yoga enthusiast. She currently lives in Mysore, India, with her husband Rajiv and sons Nikhil and Rahul. “The Other End of the Corridor” is her first novel.
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My Take:
The book is a light and easy read. Written in first person, it seems like the reader is listening the protagonist, Leela, tell her story throughout the book. Broken in short chapters, the book can be easily read in one go. The story follows a girl who is married off young, killing her dreams. The book offers nothing different from what we all know or have already heard of. But the pain of Leela brings the reader back to hear out her story.
There are not many strong characters in the book but the way some characters turn out to be a ray of hope in Leela’s life is a surprise. The series of her daydreams, her undwindling hope, her faltering courage, her reluctant acceptance of her fate, her ambitions, her resolution to change her destiny, in and all what seems to be a regular story becomes an inspiring one. The reader relates to the parts of her life somewhere or the other. The male protagonist, Vishal, brings out that part of the society which still don’t accept mental imbalances as it should. His sucial tendancies which should have been dealt with at the onset of his life, are hidden like a dark secret.
The book also brings out the dilemma a woman as to why she doesn’t easily break free from the shackles of domestic violence. It highlights the need of education and independence of women from illiteracy and rebukes early marriage. There were some parts of the story that weren’t actaully needed and just lengthened the story. Though book is slow paced and repetitive at times, it does bring out the hidden social message which is need of the hour.
On last note, a breezy read dismantling the societal truths even in 21st century.
My Rating:
3.5/5
And now I’ll leave you with a few lines from the book…
“No one can learn from anyone. We all have to fight our own battles.”
“When real life is as strange as fiction, who needs stories.”
“Hope is such a wonderful thing. One could undergo any misery in anticipation of a better tomorrow.”
Here’s where you can grab a copy for yourself:
I also enjoyed this book, so well written and talks so well about an issue of importance.
Sounds exactly like what you said it is – a breezy read. I’ve read another review of this one and it sounds like an easy pickup. Thanks for the review.