Book: The Daughters of Shantiniketan
Author: Debalina Haldar
Publisher: Readomania
I was provided a media copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
What happens when tradition suffocates love and freedom? Shantiniketan is
the abode of one of Kolkata’s most revered aristocratic families, where
Rabindranath Tagore's legacy is upheld as a sacred doctrine, untouched by
modern thought. However, patriarchal ideals reign supreme and the men of the
family dictate the rules, women's voices are suppressed, controlled or
punished. But when the obedient granddaughter falls in love with a Bohemian
singer who dares to modernize Tagore’s work, a storm of rebellion brews. Love
clashes with tradition, and the family’s perfect façade begins to crack,
revealing dangerous secrets and hidden truths. Will the daughters of
Shantiniketan break free, or will the weight of the past crush their hopes? The
Daughters of Shantiniketan is a riveting tale of forbidden love, generational
struggles, defiance, and the fight for self-expression in a world defined by
tradition.
Debalina’s book is wonderful insight into what happens when tradition becomes suffocating and to maintain the façade of being “honest” to a belief, we start expecting everyone to fall in line, regardless of what the individual wants in life. Through Charulata’s eyes, we see how each member of the Roy family struggles with their own ambitions against maintaining the image, purity and the traditions that the family stood for. Right from Gora not being able to pursue his dream of being in a band, to the daughter-in-law of the family not being able to write, just because she wanted to use her maiden name, each of the members have their own stories to tell which come to the fore. I loved how the author uses Charulata as a metaphor for the change that happens in Shantiniketan and how her clothes signify the change that takes place in the house over the course of the book. The storytelling is quite engaging and keeps you hooked. While in the initial part of the book, one might feel that the stories feel a bit disconnected, the climax brings each of them together in a wonderful fashion. The use of Rabindra Sangeet to express emotions in the book is a very nice touch and is perfectly in sync with the theme of the book.
Coming to the characters, I loved how the author creates this family that
looks perfect from the outside, but is just as dysfunctional from the inside,
and each member of the family is struggling silently from the inside. Charulata
as a young member, who is technically a conformist tries to justify the actions
in the first part of the book, but comes to realise the injustice of it all as
the stories come to light. Her transition is extremely well written, and the climax
scene perfectly completes the story arc. While Nikhilesh is a character that
comes in the very end, I liked how he turns the entire story around with his
actions. Bolai as a fresh voice in the book was something I really enjoyed
reading.
Overall, a book that is a definite recommendation for its themes and
ideas. The book scores a 4.63/5 for me.
Grab a copy of the book from a bookstore near you or on Amazon India.
