Whispers in the Mist revolves around a dead woman, Gayatri—who lingers around her house for months after her death—and other characters in the same village whose lives are intertwined. Exploring the different yet interconnected lives, the novel offers a window into the multifarious challenges faced by the people of Darjeeling.

The story opens with Gayatri as she discovers that her husband has remarried months after she passed away. Ms. Dewan reveals Gayatri’s intimate emotions with appreciable precision, making you feel for Gayatri.

Thereafter, the book moves on to the other characters in the village. Their stories are unique and intriguing, and each of them has their own demons to fight. I loved how Ms. Dewan has portrayed the various challenges faced by the lower middle class of Darjeeling, whether it is water scarcity in schools or the trauma of a woman raped by a soldier during the Gorkhaland movement.

The characters are interesting, but I found it difficult to root for most, except maybe Gayatri and Aruna. I can understand that it was the author’s intention to make them flawed, but perhaps she ended up making them a tad too unlikable. And even those characters who are likeable, their arcs seemed incomplete, even after the innovative epilogue delivered by the cat, Baini. I didn’t get the closure I had hoped for.

The language is simple, lucid, and adequately ornamented at the appropriate places, a marked improvement from the language in Ms. Dewan’s debut novel, which was flowery and clunky. Yet, occasionally, the narration does feel a bit jerky; some dialogues and pieces of narration seem to appear abruptly. However, I loved the peppering of local culture and traditions in the narrative and the vivid, beautiful descriptions that transported me to the scenes.

Overall, Whispers in the Mist is a well-written, unique novel set in the hills of Darjeeling that touches upon several important issues, themes, and human emotions. A book worth checking out for fiction enthusiasts.

3.9 stars from my side.