The Saga of Shom and Raima by Tapan Ghosh - a book review

"The answers to our questions are all there in our mind but we choose not to notice them. The trouble is, we don’t know what to look for unless we have a problem." 

I think it's one of the best pieces of advice I read in recent times. The line I read from "The Saga of Shom and Raima" by Tapan Ghosh. I have recently read poetry books by Tapan and added many stanzas into my Kindle clipping collection. So I took "Shom and Raima".

As clearly mentioned in the blurb, the story revolves around Shom and Raima. They are having a relationship that we cannot explain in simple words. In the usual world which people may say adultery, is a lifeline for them. Though they have their normal life and priorities, they have kept their feelings unaffected towards each other. The story started in 2018 and traveled from 2008 to 2018 about how their relationship developed over 10 years. Apart from Shom and Raima, we have two more companions who understood their relationship, like Harry, Khush, Natasha, and Swapna. Each character is portrayed with a unique brush of traits. The most eye-catching of the character was Harry. The title given to Harry was Love guru, but he was more than that. He was a spiritual guide, mentor, poet, successful entrepreneur, and whatnot. He was always there to help his friends. Below is one dialog between Harry & Raima

"Bad experience teaches you a lot because you have to deal with it. It disciplines you. Good experience teaches you nothing, it just makes you happy and lethargic. No challenges and you take life for granted."

Coming to writing style, just like it's characters' writing style is also different. The author has used mixed writing styles. At places, he used play style dialog exchange, at some places he has used poems and some places he has used normal writing. It will keep you entertained. If you like to read something new, this is a good recommendation. One thing that I found lacking was the relatability of characters in real-life. They are shown so carefree, you will find such people in only Osho-camp.

Fun apart, a nice story deserves 3.75 out of 5.

Book links - Goodreads & Amazon