Author: Dhrubajyoti Borah
Publisher: Niyogi Books (Thornbird)
Genre: Translation/Fiction
Format: Paperback
Length: 380 pages
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
Elegy for the East is a masterly novel of fate and will, anger and revolt. This is Dhrubajyoti Borah at the height of his considerable powers. The novel is set in a time when throughout assam there was a mayhemic situation. It was a time when separatist forces were trying their best to divide the people of assam. But between this tussle of two powerful forces i.e., the goverment and the insurgents, there was a third party, the common people whose existence was ignored and destroyed by these two forces. Through this novel Dhrubajyoti Borah has tried to present their pains and problems, dreams and aspirations.
The first story revolves around the Hazarika family of assam, who find themselves in the middle of an insurgency. The situation gets worse when Narayan Hazarika's son Prabhat receives an unofficial summon from the police station. What started as a routine investigation on some suspicious tenants at the neighbouring house gradually turns into a serious investigation, devouring Narayan's family as its innocent victim.
There are 11 such stories which will force you to think about these people and their condition.
What I loved the most about this novel is the way author Dhrubajyoti Borah has tried to present the sufferings of the common people through the mastery of his writing and narration. There is no denying the fact that the author is a master storyteller as the story is written with such vivid descriptions that it will shock you to the core. The author has conveyed his thoughts through various imagery and literary devices, one such is the foul smell of the garbage at Narayan Hazarika's locality which may indicates the devastating situation of the state of Assam.
Overall, it was truly a fascinating read. I would highly recommend this novel to all. If you read novels set during armed rebellion such as The Lowland, I, Anupam or Half Man, you should definitely give this novel a try.
The beautiful cover design done by Misha Oberoi perfectly portrays the theme of the novel.
I give this work 4.5 stars for the theme, writing style, narration and the overall presentation.
Happy Reading
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