Chronicle of an Hour and a Half

by Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari

A COMPELLINGLY IMAGINED, TIGHT-PACED STORY OF SPIRALLING RUMOURS AND MASS HYSTERIA.

In the foothills of the Western Ghats, the village of Vaiga is enduring the worst storm it has seen in ceaseless rain, fallen trees, flooded river, severe power cuts… But another, more insidious storm is brewing beneath the surface.

It begins as a rumour of an illicit affair—a rumour that brings Saud and his sons to Vaiga in search of Burhan. The rumour soon takes on a life of its own, fuelled by feverish WhatsApp messages. In the ensuing chaos, Vaiga erupts into violence and a mob takes to the street, baying for blood. Tautly written and vividly imagined, Chronicle of an Hour and a Half is an engrossing, unsettling read.

Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari lives in a small town called Areekode, near Calicut, Kerala. This is his first novel.

Genres: Fiction, India, Contemporary, Novels, Indian Literature

218 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 8, 2024

Reviews

[Chythan · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

In Areekkode, a village in Kerala, an uproar is stirred up as the 'forbidden' affair between an older Reyhana and Burhan, fifteen years ypunger to the former comes into the light.
As the news of the affair spreads like a wild fire through the Whatsapp, a mob, of the torrential rain, heads towards Reyhana's house to teach the duo a lesson. Instead of an omniscient narrator, the novel progresses through the thoughts and perspectives of different inhabitants of the village.

"And there is no grammar to a crowd, my son. A crowd is as unmoving as an exclamation mark."
I haven't read a more accurate portrayal of the absurdity of a mob in fiction of recent times. Of course in the times and country we live in, hardly a demarcation exists between fiction and reality when it comes to the senselessness and inhumanity a mob exhibits. In the novel, the mob that assumes the garb of the guardians of morality comprises of all kinds of men. Pious men, men who are members of Communist party, youngsters who are driven by their own dilemmas of morality etc. As they form the bloodthirsty mob, they are just faceless men without any identity united by their outrage at the transgression that is shameful for the entire village. Consent seems like an idea totally alien, hence incomprehensible, to them.

The novel highlights how the patriarchal society claims the ownership over the female body and sexuality. A female body exhibiting its autonomy and dares to step outside the moral lines drawn is a matter of hurt ego for all men and not just the one directly affected. One of the women characters ( I forgot if it is Reyhana or Burhan's mother Nabeesumma) says to herself that a woman is a wife to all men. The phrase says it all.

The world and language of morality the characters embody isn’t unfamiliar to me. It is something I've seen and heard in the society I grew up, if not an exactly same situation. But Kannakari narrates it in a fresh and crisp language that effectively articulates the inner world of each character. Instead of melodrama for which the story offers a scope, there is a precision. A witness's precision that explains the acts of each character.

[Vani · Rating 4 out of 5]

~ The Burden of Honour ~

Let me begin by saying, Chronicle of an Hour and a Half is a phenomenal work of fiction, no stranger than reality. And I'll tell you why

Vaiga, a small village in the foothills of Western Ghats is seeing a storm it hadn't seen since 1991. In the foreboding backdrop, a rumour begins to spread of a salacious affair between Reyhana, a mother to two college bound daughters and Burhan, a man 15 years her junior. It incites Saud, Reyhana's brother in law and his sons in search of Burhan. From there ensues a domino effect of half-truths, hot gossips, viral videos over Whatsapp which has the whole town collecting as a crowd soon converging into a mob.

A character in the novels remarks, 'A woman is honourable only so long as she isn't smuggling in a man when her husband isn't home. And once she chooses her own flesh over her husband's, that woman is a b*tch forever. Because a family's honour rests with its woman and they know it too well to be forgiven.'

In the times where moral policing has intruded the bedroom of two consenting adults, the self-appointed custodians of morality assume the mantle of justice to teach the transgressors a lesson. If they violate the same woman's honour in the process, who is to teach them a lesson? That's a question the author invokes in us readers as the two women whose dignity the village and its people intend to protect bear
the brunt of its misguided efforts.

People gather in times of death, people gather in celebration of life, people also gather to kill.
It is said that a mob can kill but cannot be hanged. Who do you say was a spectator? Who was an accomplice? A mob has no identity and runs like a fatherless plot on an adrenaline high, the blood cancelling all thinking.

It is no spoiler that a character in the novel gets lynched, entire novel through multiple POVs works in anticipation of the event. Plot runs like electricity through a live wire wherein the author exposes the hypocrisy and bigotry of his characters, their contribution to chaos and also washing their hands off with any participation in wake of the consequences. All with an uncomfortable yet unflinching gaze.

What is also worth appreciating in the novel is the representation of women. They have little authority over what transpires but they defy the archetype of damsels in distress. Burhan's mother, Nabeesu stoically shoulders her ineffectual husband and five equally useless sons, Reyhana owns her repulsion for her husband and children and asserts her autonomy despite familial obligations, or Panchami smack her husband over his gossip mongering habits, each woman embodies resilience amidst societal constraints.

This debut work of fiction by Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari is a must read as it serves as a poignant reflection of how deeply our society is infested with patriarchy, rudimentary beliefs of a woman's honour. It shows how vigilantism has become a reality of today's intolerant times and Vaiga could easily have been any village or town you know.

I'd leave with a the words of Najeeb Maash in the novel as he says to his son -
'There is something tremendously wrong about a crowd. Which is why I want neither you or I to be a part of it. Nor step aside and address it. Like politicians do. My Arabi teacher used to say that grammar is the most basic philosophy. And there is no grammar to a crowd my son. A crown is as unmoving as an exclamation mark.'

[Rendezvouswithbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

..a vacuum which even her arms couldn't measure. As much as she was happy to deliver her baby, she kept enveloping her womb with those arms, only to feel layers of slacked muscles. She was happy to hold that lil' one but still wanted to fit it back into her womb. 'coz she was scared to share it with this cruel world, world which would snatch away its innocence bit by bit

"A mother ought to die before her children coz it aches like nothing else to lose one from your own womb"

As much as it is necessary to teach a child about ways of world, it is scary. More they learn about the truths, the farther they distance out

A Distance that as a reader was very painful for me to traverse in this book, to imagine how Nabeesumma would have walked thru' sends shivers down my spine

Living in a small laid back village of Kerala with her good for nothing husband & equally useless 5 sons, Nabeesumma prays day & night for a better life. A devotee & hardworking woman whose world flips over to all the more remorse conditions in matter of hrs

Her youngest son Burhan is found out to be in a sinful relationship (as decided by the so called justice mitigators of society) with a middle aged woman Reyhana, whose husband is in Gulf, working hard (who knows) & earning money for his family

Plot revolves around how the news of this liaison spreads like wildfire thru word to mouth, watsapp, social sites. Multiple narratives lead the plot towards feverish pinnacle, which although expected, still jolts you

Author's writing reflects on
-how men see themselves as justice adjudicators
-how there are societal frames in which every individual needs to fit in or they have to bear the consequences
-how a woman is always burdened as a symbol of family virtues
- how even in this patriarchal world men target other men to show their superiority & hide their inferiority complexes
- how a consensual private act becomes a point of gossip & judgement

Author's writing is hard hitting, graphical, no holds barred. Vulnerability of characters wrecks you. I couldn't stop thinking about the future course of Nabeesumma & Reyhana

Read this not to find answers but to reflect upon as a mirror to the society


P.S. Author Saharu pointed out that probably the inspiration for 1 of the start point for his book was from Faulkner's book As I Lay Dying. The monologue of mother character Addie Bundren from that book paved way to the Indian version of this mother in the form of Nabeesumma . Buddy reading this one with my dearest buddy reader Divya was such an enriching experience. She rightly pointed out that how in this index of so many chapters, there is not a single chapter which is from protagonist Burhan's point of view. Objective for this was so well explained by the author himself. He was clear as to not bring out the emotional support for victim Burhan directly, coz it is very much possible that the person who is a victim today, in some other time & circumstances can himself be a part of the mob. Patriarchal system of society where terms victim & perpetrator is interchangeable

I haven't cried so much in ages, as much as I cried while reading the last few chapters of this one. A definite recommendation and what a stellar debut

JCB!!!! JCB!!!!🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆🏆

[Prashanth Bhat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chronicle of an hour and a half - saharu nusaiba kannanari

ಹಿರಿಯರಾದ M R Dattathri ಸರ್, Vasudhendra ಇದರ ಕುರಿತಾಗಿ ಬರೆಯದಿದ್ದರೆ ಇದು ಬಂದಿರುವುದೇ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗುತ್ತಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ.
ಕೇರಳದ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯೊಂದರ ಹೆಸರೇ ಕೇಳದ ಲೇಖಕ ಇಂಗ್ಲೀಷಲ್ಲಿ ಬರೆದ ಕೃತಿ ಯಾಕೆ ಗಮನ ಸೆಳೆಯುತ್ತದೆ ಹೇಳಿ?

ಕೃತಿಯನ್ನು ಓದುವಾಗ ಹಲವಾರು ಹಿಂಜರಿಕೆಗಳಿದ್ದದ್ದು ನಿಜ. ಇದು ಹೇಳುವ ಹಿಂಸೆಯ ರೀತಿ ,‌ಬರೆದವನು ಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿಸುವ ಜಾಗ ಇದೆಲ್ಲ ಬಹಳ ಬಹಳ ಸೂಕ್ಷ್ಮ . ಆದಾಗ್ಯೂ ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಬಹಳ‌ ಜಾಣತನದಿಂದ ಮತ್ತು ಪ್ರಾಮಾಣಿಕತೆಯಿಂದ ಬರೆದದ್ದು ಅಚ್ಚರಿ ತಂದಿತು. ಈ ಕೃತಿ ಬರೆದೂ ಇವನು ಕೇರಳದಲ್ಲಿ ಬದುಕಿನಾದನಲ್ಲ ಹೇಗೆ ಎಂಬ ಅಚ್ಚರಿಯೂ ಕಾಡಿತು‌. ಬಹುಶಃ ಇದು ನೇರ ಇಂಗ್ಲೀಷ್ ಕೃತಿಯಾದ ಕಾರಣ ಅಲ್ಲಿನವರಿಗೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾಗಿರಲಿಕ್ಕಿಲ್ಲ. ಆದರೆ ಕೃತಿಯ ಕೆಲ ಭಾಗಗಳು , ಯಾವ ದಂಗೆಗೂ ಕಡಿಮೆ ಇಲ್ಲ.

ಇಷ್ಟಾಗಿಯೂ ಇದೇನೂ ಹೊಸದಾದ ಸಬ್ಜೆಕ್ಟ್ ಅಲ್ಲ. ಮಾರ್ಕೆಸನ chronicles of a death foretold, ದೇವನೂರರ ' ಕುಸುಮಬಾಲೆ' ಇದೇ ವಿಷಯದ ಬಗ್ಗೆ ಬಂದಂತಹದ್ದು. ಆದರಿದು ಒಂದು ಹೆಜ್ಜೆ ಮುಂದೆ ಹೋಗಿ ಆಧುನಿಕ ಜಗತ್ತಿನ ಎಲ್ಲಾ ಹುಚ್ಚಾಟಗಳ ಸಮರ್ಥವಾಗಿ ತೆರೆದಿಡುತ್ತದೆ.

ಕತೆಯು ಬಿಚ್ಚಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು ಹಲವಾರು ಜನರ ದೃಷ್ಟಿಕೋನದಿಂದ. ಯಾರದು ಸರಿ ಯಾರದು ತಪ್ಪು ಎಂಬುದೆಲ್ಲ ಇಲ್ಲಿ ಓದುಗರೇ ನಿರ್ಧಾರ ಮಾಡಬೇಕು.
ಗುಂಪು ಸೇರಿದಾಗ ಯಾರು ಒಳ್ಳೆಯವರು ಯಾರು ಕೆಟ್ಟವರು? ಊಹಾಪೋಹಗಳು ಹಬ್ಬುವ ರೀತಿ , ಎಲ್ಲದಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಹೆಚ್ಚಾಗಿ ಇದರಲ್ಲಿ ತನ್ನ ಕಮ್ಯುನಿಟಿಯ ಹೆಂಗಸರ ಮನಸ್ಥಿತಿಯ ಲೇಖಕ ತೆರೆದಿಟ್ಟ ರೀತಿ ನನಗೆ ಷಾಕ್ ಕೊಟ್ಟಿತು. ಅದನ್ನು ನಾನು ನಿರೀಕ್ಷೆ ಮಾಡಿರಲಿಲ್ಲ.

ಇಷ್ಟೆಲ್ಲ ಹೇಳಿಯೂ ಲೇಖಕ ಪ್ರತಿನಿಧಿಸುವ ಮತ ಹಾಗೂ ಆತನ ಕತೆ ನಡೆಯುವ ಅದೇ ಮತದವರ ಏರಿಯಾ ಬಿಟ್ಟರೆ ಈ ಕಾದಂಬರಿ ಅಚ್ಚರಿ ಹುಟ್ಟಿಸಲಿಲ್ಲ.
ಯಾಕೆ ಗೊತ್ತಾ?

ಕನ್ನಡದಲ್ಲಿ ಇದರ ಅಪ್ಪನ ಹಾಗಿರುವ ಕೃತಿ ಯಾವತ್ತೋ ಬಂದಿದೆ.

ಹೌದು.

ಯಶವಂತ ಚಿತ್ತಾಲರ ' ಮೂರು ದಾರಿಗಳು' ಇದಕ್ಕಿಂತ ಹುಲುಸಾದ ಬೆಳೆ.
ಅದು ಇನ್ನೂ ಆಳವಾಗಿ ತಟ್ಟುತ್ತದೆ.

[Riya Bhatia · Rating 1 out of 5]

1.25 ⭐️
The novel's main themes of taboo subjects, rumours and panic among the masses drew me in. I can see why so many people think highly of it. If you are drawn to a story with a fast-paced plot, numerous perspectives on how incidents like these take place and a cast of characters involved in spreading turmoil, you won't want to put it down. However, because of the inconsistency between the writing and the plot, I found it to be a wearying experience. With so much at risk, the writing slows down the pace of the novel. None of the characters struck a chord with me, although I can understand why none of them are meant to be likable. In fact, the idea behind how they are portrayed is to leave you thinking, "What a bothersome individual."
That is user error in this instance as I am the sort of reader who likes feeling solidarity with the characters. I think this author will excel in the genre of literary fiction with lower stakes and self reflecting attributes.
Thank you to Tandem Collective Global and Westland Books for sending me a review copy.

[Rehana · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a small town, Areekode, near Calicut in Kerala, Nabeesumma - mother of five boys who are now grown-up adults, opens her door to a news that is about to shatter her life. Her youngest, Burhan, is accused of maintaining an illicit affair with Reyhana, the mother of two girls who is fifteen years older than him. For any sane person, it’s an issue concerning two consenting grown-ups who should settle it among themselves and their families after reasoning. But what can stop a mob united by a common rage with a common purpose - to teach the seemingly consenting in a relationship a lesson that will cost them their lives?


This book experience for me was close to when I watched a Malayalam movie named Jallikattu in 2020. Both of these are narratives set around exposing the vulnerabilities and bigotries deeply bound to human nature. A book that reads in a single breath from the perspective of everyone involved and helplessly watching the mob lynching. It was hard for me to believe that this was a debut book because of the extensive and vivid descriptions of landscapes, scenarios, emotions and human behaviours.


The story induced a rage in me that started somewhere from the pit of my stomach, creeping up my throat until I wanted to smash the mob and retrieve Burhan and Reyhana to safety from people who assumed they had the power to punish people. Isn’t it strange that people are themselves sinners and abusers who think they can act as moral police for others? Though painful and heartbreaking, the ending perfectly summed up the theme of the story, which was how difficult it is for a woman to survive in a man’s world.


With the many characters like Nabeesumma, Hakimaakka, Panchami, June and many others, it felt like a character study in itself. This glorious debut with an array of luminous characters, excellent writing, and a gripping and poignant tale is not to be missed, more so if you have heard of it already.

[Vaishali · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Chronicle of an Hour and a Half felt like someone had given words to all that one would be scared of even talking about let alone writing- feelings, desires, lives, relations, taboos, community, you name it.

To me, the narrative was fast paced and the writing extremely neat wringing an emotion in absolute sync with the prose.

The characters eerily resembled one from our own neighbourhood which heightened the drama, both, of the novel and the readers’ emotions.

It is an unsettling and mandatory read, sure to leave its reader with a compass to help them be mindful of their actions and reactions in the future esp. in this tech-savvy and severely opinionated world.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have been wanting to read ‘Chronicles of an Hour and a Half’ almost since I first heard about it but was a little sceptical about all the hype. When I actually started reading the book, far from being disappointed, I was almost overwhelmed. The premise of the story is simple. In a small town in Kerala, an older woman who’s husband is in the Gulf has an affair with a much younger man. The town is on edge because it has been raining continuously for six days and nobody likes being cooped up indoors for that long. Someone sees the man going in the direction of his paramour’s house. He tells another, who puts it on WhatsApp, and before you know it the entire town seems to know about it. Amplified by social media, things rapidly spiral out of control, resulting in a terrible double tragedy.
The story is told through multiple narrators- some of whom are active participants and others mere observers. Many are overwhelmed by how something they set in action takes on a life way larger than anything they could have comprehended. Others are distressed by the part they played in the setting things in motion. The book shows how the power of social media can be unleased to disastrous consequences. If not for WhatsApp and Facebook, the people involved would certainly have faced the social consequence of their action, but it would never have been as tragic as what actually happens. The book is a cautionary tale which shows how the actions of one person can trigger much larger consequences that they ever envisaged.
The story is told through multiple narrators and it is sometimes hard to keep track of all of them. But by the time the pace of the narrative picks up, the task becomes much easier, and the story flows quite seamlessly. I particularly liked that two of the narrators were young children- they brought a unique perspective to the events happening around them.
One aspect of the book that really stayed with me was the female solidarity. None of the men in the story were directly affected by the woman having an affair, yet, almost all of them see it as a personal betrayal by the woman. Some are perhaps envious of the man who is having the affair with the older woman, others judge the woman for not remaining loyal to her hardworking husband, but all of them believe they have the right to see vengeance. The family of the husband of the woman too want revenge, but more than that they want to keep the affair under wraps- this kind of hypocrisy is prevalent in society, where the honour of the men seems to rest in the vagina of their women.
Unlike the men, the women come out much stronger in the book. Though none of them is particularly friendly with the woman who is having an affair, almost all of them dislike the way the men are reacting to something that does not really concern them. None of them appears to feel jealous of the woman for being able to fulfil her sexual desire; instead what they feel is empathy for the mother of the young man having an affair.
The relationship between the woman who had the affair and her husband is portrayed very well. Though everyone thinks of him as an ideal husband who doesn’t’ deny his wife anything (he even donated his kidney to save her life), only she is aware of how his attitude towards her is a subtle form of emotional abuse. How the characters will live their changed lives after the events of the hour and a half can actually fill another book!
This is a book that perfectly captures our current times.

[David - marigold_bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel by Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari, was only my second read from the 2024 JCB Prize Longlist, yet already I feel sure it must at least make the shortlist. It is a brilliant, tense, compact story set in Kerala.

Burhan, a 25-year-old young man, has been having sexual encounters with Reyhana, a mother 24 years his senior, whose husband is working in the Gulf. When fellow villagers discover the infidelity, through rumours which spread like wild fire via Whatsapp male-only gossip groups, their indignation and anger bring them together into a violent mob intent on retribution. The role of mobile phones is fascinating and frightening.

The events take place during the monsoon season, under heavy storms. The pouring rain, lighting and black clouds form a foreboding background that feels as tangible as the tension running through the village. The story is narrated in first person through the voices of different villagers, each of the characters skilfully crafted.

We are left to reflect on what has fed the anger of the mob – jealousy, a misogynous sense of “honour”, a man’s need to gain self-esteem through belonging to a group, or pure morbid fascination with violence?

It reminded me of my one encounter with mob violence during a trip to Rajasthan with my wife and 2 young daughters. We were involved in a traffic accident in a remote village and within minutes our car was surrounded by braying men, armed with sticks, our driver was pulled out and beaten and we were left in terror waiting for the police.

[Sandhya Menon · Rating 2 out of 5]

A personal preference of mine leads me to not enjoy books that look like they've been imagined as a film, or are written with the intention of being turned into a film in the future. "Chronicle..." gave me that sense. And it's the first thing that put me off.

The reviews I read, after I saw it on the JCB Prize shortlist, raised my expectations of its "unique literary style" and masterful prose. I found both missing in my first reading. I found the prose clunky in some parts, careless and apathetic on others.

Did the frenzy of a metaphorical storm brewing via the screens of our phones translate into the novel? To some degree. Except when it made landfall, it was far away from land, only leaving a small wind and a smattering of rain as evidence of its existence.

Oddly enough, Kannanari's minor characters and their motivations are more compelling than those who found more space in the book. I was equally intrigued and put off by his portrayal of the slices of the women's minds he chose to reveal. I found the men more believable; I can't quite put my finger on it but it felt like the writer tried too hard to portray women as they exist in their ... ordinary oddness, their pride, sharpness, softness, and pragmatism. I always find it's an ambitious thing to do - when men write women. It's even more ambitious to attempt writing what goes on in the minds of women. I'm not sure Kannanari succeeds.

That apart, i think small town Kerala was brought to life beautifully; the questions of who owns women's bodies and why isn't it solely women are also laid open brutally. As are unique social realities of the region - absent husbands, fathers, comradeship, religion. Refreshingly, in Kannanari's Vaiga, men gossip, and their wives lock them up away from doing any more harm.

It's interesting for the obvious reason that it's an entire novel about mob frenzy whipped up on Whatsapp; it's current, it's honest, and it's fresh. But my reservations stand - it reads too much like a film.

[Jignasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The future belongs to crowds.” Thus reads the epigraph on this book, a quote from Don Delillo’s Mao II.

It’s been raining since six days in a small town in Kerala, and a married woman whose husband is away working in the Gulf, is in the arms of her young lover. Soon enough, the entire town seems to have found out and a frenzied procession begins towards the woman’s home. The author then traces the origin of the mob, with backstories that explain what motivates the characters to act as they do.

The prose is taut, the setting is tumultuous, and you could cut the tension with a knife. Like a crescendo, the story unfurls to present a mad dance to the reader, with a riveting end. Pure perfection.

With mob lynching becoming a horrifying and frequent reality in India, this book should become required reading.
I can hardly believe this is a debut, what a stunning achievement. Take a bow, Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari.

[Sreemoyee Sarkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Imran: The weather was beginning to get on my nerves. Giving me the jitters and mood swings. Like I was on my menses or something."

Yet to come across a book where men are stating similar references.

[Sayari Debnath · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exceptional debut novel.

[Amith Kamath · Rating 3 out of 5]

#ಅಕ್ಷರವಿಹಾರ_೨೦೨೫

ಕೃತಿ: ಕ್ರಾನಿಕಲ್ ಆಫ್ ಆನ್ ಅವರ್ ಆಂಡ್ ಹಾಫ್ 

ಲೇಖಕರು: ಸಹರು ನುಸೈಬಾ ಕೃಷ್ಣಾನರಿ 

ಪ್ರಕಾಶಕರು: ಕಾನ್ಟೆಕ್ಟ್ಸ್ ಪಬ್ಲಿಕೇಶನ್ಸ್

ಬೆಲೆ: ೪೯೯

ಪುಟಗಳು: ೨೦೧


ಸುದ್ದಿಯೊಂದರ ಸತ್ಯಾಸತ್ಯತೆಯನ್ನು ಪರಾಮರ್ಶಿಸದೆ ಉದ್ರಿಕ್ತ ಗುಂಪೊಂದು ನಡೆಸುವ ದಾಂಧಲೆಯನ್ನು ಕಟ್ಟಿಕೊಡುವ ಕೃತಿ. ವೈಗಾ ಎನ್ನುವ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯಲ್ಲಿ ಮಹಿಳೆಯೊಬ್ಬರನ್ನು ಥಳಿಸಿದರು ಎಂಬುದು ಸುದ್ದಿ. ಅದಕ್ಕೆ ಕಾರಣವಾಗುವುದು ಆಕೆಯ ಮಗ ತನಗಿಂತ ಹಿರಿಯ ಎರಡು ಹೆಣ್ಣು ಮಕ್ಕಳ ಮಹಿಳೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಹೊಂದಿರುವ ಅಕ್ರಮ ಸಂಬಂಧ. ಕತೆಯೊಂದಿಗೆ ಸಾಗುವ ಎಡೆಬಿಡದ ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕಮ್ಮಿ ಎಲ್ಲವನ್ನೂ ಕೊಚ್ಚಿಕೊಂಡು ಹೋಗುವಂತಹ ಮಳೆ. ಉದ್ರಿಕ್ತ ಗುಂಪು ಮತ್ತು ಮಳೆಯು ಸೃಷ್ಟಿಸುವ ಅವಾಂತರಗಳು ದಟ್ಟವಾಗಿ ಚಿತ್ರಿತವಾಗಿದೆ.


ಒಮ್ಮೆಲೆ ಧೋ ಎಂದು ಸುರಿದು ತನಗೆದುರಾದುದೆಲ್ಲವನ್ನು ಒಳಸೆಳೆದುಕೊಂಡು ಶಾಂತವಾಗುವ ಮಳೆಯಂತೆ ಉದ್ರಿಕ್ತರ ಗುಂಪು ತನ್ನ ಹಳ್ಳಿಯ ಮರ್ಯಾದೆಯ ಹೆಸರಿನಲ್ಲಿ ನಡೆಸುವ ಕ್ರೌರ್ಯ ಇಂದಿನ ದಿನಗಳಲ್ಲಿಯೂ ನಡೆಯುವ ಮರ್ಯಾದೆ ಹತ್ಯೆಯ ವಿವರಗಳನ್ನು ನೆನಪಿಸುತ್ತದೆ. ಸುದ್ದಿಯೊಂದು ಸಾಮಾಜಿಕ ಜಾಲತಾಣಗಳ ಮೂಲಕ ಪಡೆಯುವ ವ್ಯಾಪಕತೆಯನ್ನು,ಪಡೆದುಕೊಳ್ಳುವ ತಿರುವುಗಳು ಬಹಳ ಚೆನ್ನಾಗಿ ಮೂಡಿಬಂದಿವೆ. ಪುರುಷ ಪ್ರಧಾನ ಸಮಾಜವು ತಳೆಯುವ ಅನೈತಿಕ ಸಂಬಂಧದ ಬಗೆಗಿನ ನಿಲುವುಗಳು ಎಂದೆಂದಿಗೂ ಬದಲಾಗುವುದಿಲ್ಲ ಎಂದೆನಿಸಿತು. ಉದ್ರಿಕ್ತ ಗುಂಪು ನಡೆಸುವ ಭೀಭತ್ಸತೆಯ ಚಿತ್ರಣ ವಾಸ್ತವಕ್ಕೆ ತುಂಬಾ ಹತ್ತಿರವೆನಿಸಿತು. 


ಇನ್ನು ಕತೆಯನ್ನು ಲೇಖಕರು ಹೇಳಲು ಬಳಸಿದ ತಂತ್ರ ಹಿಡಿಸಿತು. ಹಾಗಾಯಿತು ಹೀಗಾಯಿತು ಹೇಳುವುದರ ಬದಲು ಪಾತ್ರಗಳು ಹೆಚ್ಚು ಕಮ್ಮಿ ಸ್ವಗತದ ಮೂಲಕ ಪ್ರಾರಂಭಿಸಿ ನಂತರ ಸಂಭಾಷಣೆಯ ಕಡೆಗೆ ಅಲ್ಲಲ್ಲಿ ಹೊರಳಿಕೊಳ್ಳುವುದು, ಪ್ರತಿಯೊಂದು ಪಾತ್ರವು ತನ್ನ ಹಿಂದಿನ ಅನುಭವಗಳಿಗನುಸಾರವಾಗಿ ಪ��ರತಿಕ್ರಿಯಿಸುವುದು ಸಹಜವಾಗಿ ಒಂದು ಸುದ್ದಿ ಅಥವಾ ಘಟನೆಗೆ ವಿವಿಧ ಆಯಾಮಗಳಿರುತ್ತವೆ ಎಂಬುದನ್ನು ಸಹಜವಾಗಿ ಹೇಳಿದಂತೆ ಭಾಸವಾಯಿತು. ಲೇಖಕರ ಮೊದಲ ಕೃತಿ ಎಂಬ ಯಾವ ರಿಯಾಯಿತಿಯನ್ನು ಬೇಡದ, ತೆಗೆದುಕೊಂಡ ಕಥಾವಸ್ತುವಿಗೆ ತಕ್ಕ ಮಟ್ಟಿಗೆ ನ್ಯಾಯ ಒದಗಿಸಿದ ಕೃತಿ.


ನಮಸ್ಕಾರ,

ಅಮಿತ್ ಕಾಮತ್ 

[Rachel Coutinho · Rating 5 out of 5]

An intense story of gossip leading to an angry mob. Usually I hate multiple narrator novels, but this story shone a light on the motivations and perspectives of people who start the gossip, the families affected and participants of the mob.

The author writes articulately and I was absorbed from the first paragraph until the end. I highly recommend for people interested in pyschology, village life or just want to read a brilliant novel.

[Nupur Brahma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Devastating consequences of rumours and mass hysteria laid bare in a story told from the perspective of numerous relatable characters whose actions reflected their prejudices and biases.

[Prriyankaa Singh | the.bookish.epicure · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read Chronicle of an Hour and a Half in one breathless sitting, my insides coiling tighter with each page. Not from suspense alone, but from the bitter bile of recognition. Saharu Kannanari doesn’t just write a tale; he thrusts a mirror in your face, cracked and stained with the fingerprints of patriarchy, and demands you look.

What begins as a seemingly mundane chronicle—an hour and a half in an ordinary day unravels into a psychological and emotional reckoning. The incessant rain set a grim sombre background for what is to unfold.

In a small town of Kerala,an older woman, Rehana, has an affair with a much younger man, Burhan. Someone sees him sneaking, and the story is whispered until the whole town knows about it. The incited mob decide to take matters into their hands fueled by jealousy, violence, or simple lust.

Told in first person, Kannanari narrates from multiple POV. The husband, the brother, the boss, and the priest—they all speak in different tongues, but the gospel is the same "you will not breathe freely unless we allow it."The men here are insidiously ordinary. THAT is the horror. There are no explosions, but the slow, relentless dripping of contempt and suffocation.

There is no redemption arc here. No neat closure. And why should there be? Real life under patriarchy doesn’t offer clean endings. It offers endurance. And maybe, occasionally, a moment of defiance that feels like salvation. Kannanari captures this unsparingly.

I closed the book with fury under my nails and fire in my chest. Chronicle of an Hour and a Half does not soothe or resolve. It inflames you soul and reveals darkness you cannot unsee.

Have you read it too? I’m still reeling.

[Athira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Storytelling so immersive, it took me a day to recover. The way the chronicles of those 90 minutes (literally) unfold, set against the idyllic backdrop of a small village, is nothing short of gripping.

[Shloka Gope · Rating 4 out of 5]

absolutely gripping. you’re living, breathing, witnessing the horror unfold like a character in the book. the way the plot reveals itself through the narrative switches, has you holding your breath. you can feel the ticking weight of ‘an hour and a half’.
(P.S shoutout nabesumma my queen you deserved better)

[Manjul Bajaj · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Anamika · Rating 3 out of 5]

https://thebookstoryblog.wordpress.co...
Patriarchy, pontification and pocket-friendly data plans. A recipe for disaster.

I’d been wanting to read this book ever since the publisher tweeted praises about the manuscript long before it was published. Then came all the awards and glowing reviews. So I decided to wait for the buzz to quiet down before picking it up. Sometimes it's better to read a book when the noise around it has died down.

It took me a while to get into it, but around eight chapters in, I was hooked. I ended up finishing it in two long sittings, something that seemed like an hour and a half. The pacing was like the storm that was brewing - a downpour, some respite, an illusion of calm and then the landfall. It was predictable, but when it arrived, it still hit hard.

Burhan didn’t really move me. He’s no Velutha. Reyhana wasn’t an Ammu either. So I couldn’t feel much for either of them. 'Fuck around, find out.' Literally. (No! Of course, I am not justifying what happened, but dude, you can't expect to get away with having such a scandalous affair in such a small town.) They had it coming sometime anyway, and so it didn't shake me the way it should have. The when was inevitable, the how wasn't. The irony was well-placed. Burhan’s moral outrage at his cousin’s supposed dishonour while he himself was sleeping with someone else’s wife. So again, less sympathy for him.

The only one who made me tear up a little was Nabeesumma, but it was not for the son she lost. I cried a bit for the life she had lost long before that. The sorrows she drowned under the drrr drrr drrr of her sewing machine while emotionally, physically and financially supporting the six shameless grownass men in her house. The way she submitted to fate, fate that continued to play games with her.

What really struck me was how the men were perfectly portrayed as the biggest gossips. Men usually act like they’re above it all, but they’re always listening, always watching, always judging. Of course, when men do it, it isn't gossip. It is information gathering so that they can moral police and reinforce their own version of right and wrong. Panchami, was kickass because she didn’t buy into any of that. She was sharp and unapologetically herself and did what she had to do. If only she had done it a bit earlier...

Najeeb Maash was also an interesting character. Full of self-righteousness, and performative atheism. But while the religious men imposed their religion on their wives, he imposed his atheism on an unwilling partner which is as, well, Man. I was surprised that his line about the Prophet marrying Khadija when he was twenty-five didn’t attract controversy among the youknowwhos. It easily could have. Still, he and the Imam were the only ones who did what needed to be done. The Imam, who seemed like he’d be the most regressive, actually came across as calm and rational. Unexpected, but refreshing. I felt sorry for him, the unwelcome but unavoidable guest in every house.

The mob frenzy felt slightly exaggerated at times, but honestly, it’s not unbelievable. In today’s digital world, where people forward anything without thinking, misinformation spreads like wildfire. So yes, it felt intense, but it also felt very possible.

Funny, the hormone-charged, confused adolescent swept up in that frenzy, was one of the most disturbing characters. His twisted highs that were fueled by the crowd, the heat of the moment, and the object of someone else's desire, left a nagging discomfort. The ick was real, and it was meant to be.

There were a lot of characters and narrators. Maybe too many. It got a bit confusing here and there, but I also see why it was written that way. Every perspective added a piece to the larger story. It helped show how everyone, in some way, was tangled up in what happened.

What stayed with me more than the big theme were the smaller ones. The subtle ways women’s lives are controlled. Their unpaid labour, their lack of choice in everything, right from how many children they have to what they should name them. The bigger theme about male ownership of women’s bodies was loud and clear, but it was the smaller details that hit harder.

The writing style was a bit uneven and scattered, and some of it seemed the kind of quirky that didn't quite quirk. It didn't work for me, even if it was intended. Toward the end, the prose got too messy and pretentious and felt a bit forced. But despite that, the book worked. It was dark, uncomfortable, and unsettling. It was raw, real, and it stayed with me.

[Kamalika Mazumder · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chronicle of an Hour and a Half is a slim book in terms of time span, but a sprawling one in emotional, moral, and social reach. Set within the claustrophobic intimacy of a village, the novel captures how quickly private lives can turn into public spectacle and how collective morality, once inflamed, becomes a weapon.

At the heart of the narrative is an affair between Burhan and Reyhana, the latter being a mother of two and fifteen years older than Burhan. Their relationship, rather than remaining a personal transgression (if one even chooses to term it that), becomes the village’s favourite scandal. This difference in age and Reyhana’s position as a woman, a mother, and someone who defies expected codes of conduct, ensures that judgement is swift.

What makes the situation truly explosive is not just the affair itself, but the ecosystem that feeds on it. WhatsApp forwards, whispers, half-truths, and villagers who have no stake in the matter but plenty of opinions collectively form a mob mentality that spirals out of control. The novel shows with unnerving accuracy how outrage spreads faster than facts, how righteousness becomes performative, and how violence often masquerades as moral duty. Within an hour and a half, reason collapses, and chaos takes over.

One of the book’s most striking technical achievements is its use of multiple first-person points of view. The story unfolds through the voices of several inhabitants of the village, each carrying their own prejudices, blind spots, fears, and self-justifications. On paper, such an abundance of POVs sounds risky, even exhausting. But Kannanari turns it into the novel’s greatest strength. Instead of confusion, what emerges is a layered, polyphonic narrative where every voice adds tension, texture, and urgency. I never knew so many first-person narrators could make a story this gripping, but the author has proved otherwise.

Yes, there is chaos; absolute, relentless chaos, but it is the kind that makes sense. Each perspective feels authentic, each reaction disturbingly believable. The confusion mirrors the mental noise of a crowd whipped into frenzy, and the incessant rain acts as a perfect backdrop. Even when the narrative feels overwhelming, it never feels careless. The disorder is deliberate, mirroring how mobs think; fragmented, impulsive, loud.

One of the most quietly powerful aspects of the book is how it dismantles patriarchy. There is no sermon, no overt manifesto. Instead, patriarchy is exposed through everyday language, casual cruelty, and moral double standards. The critique is poetic and subtle, rewarding attentive readers who can pick up on its layered irony and emotional undercurrents.

There is a chance that some readers may find it challenging to keep track of characters, especially in the beginning. I, too, had to flip back a few pages occasionally to reconnect names with voices. Interestingly, I didn’t dislike this effort; it felt like work worth doing. Still, a character map at the start could make the book more accessible for readers who prefer clearer navigation through complex narratives.

Chronicle of an Hour and a Half is, without question, one of the most interesting reads I’ve had in a long time. It is raw, unsettling, and deeply affecting. The story doesn’t end when the book does; it lingers, disturbs, and invites reflection long after the final page. Chronicle of an Hour and a Half doesn’t comfort you; it confronts you. And in doing so, it succeeds brilliantly.

I have undeniably become a fan of Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari. If you read this book with patience and openness, chances are that you will be too.

[Rajeev · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had come across good reviews about this novel, and the fact that it is a debut by a Keralite spurred me to experience it. This work is a thin volume, and the moderately priced first edition has been released hardbound. It was published in January 2024.
The author is a Muslim and has admitted in a couple of interviews that he is an atheist. He has a left-liberal leaning and that has probably unshackled him to write about his community dispassionately, warts and all.
The story revolves around a large community of Muslims inhabiting a fictional village called Vaiga in North Kerala. Characters from other communities, notably downtrodden Hindus are few and far between and are generally portrayed as bold and progressive. However, the novel's highlight is the unapologetic manner in which Saharu has chosen to characterise the Muslim populace inhabiting the village. Regressive ideas can indeed rule the roost even in those places which do not have a preponderance of Muslim faith. However, the notable feature is an almost deafening silence and total absence of a moderate point of view in the village which could have mollified an incendiary situation spiralling out of hand and culminating in a brutal murder. As the novel was published just a year back, it probably has not had a wide reach as yet to have caught the attention of Islamists in Kerala. It is also possible that the extremist fringe in Muslim society has failed to capture the author’s understated critique of Muslims that is reflected in the book.
The story is woven around an adulterous affair between an older married woman, Reyhana and a young strapping boy named Burhan. Reyhana is the mother of 2 grown-up twin daughters and she has had an unfulfilling marriage to an uxorious husband who is employed in the Gulf. Burhan is just 25 years old and becomes a willing partner to the amorous advances of Reyhana who is almost 15 years his senior. Such an adulterous and incestuous affair is certain to raise the hackles of the self-anointed gatekeepers of morality in any society. Add to the mix are a couple of chauvinistic male protagonists who themselves have had raw deals in their marriages and hence are always on the lookout to stir up trouble when the situation presents itself.
Saharu has been able to capture the unpredictable and unreasonable behaviour of a mob, especially when composed of a homogeneous group of people who owe allegiance and repose unquestioned faith in a particularly militant religious ideology. Saharu has convincingly portrayed the gullibility and naïveté of the villagers. The helplessness of the women folk who do not have a voice of their own and their subservience to the men in the family is another facet of the society that Saharu focuses upon.
I found this short novel as much a well-narrated story as a commentary on Muslim society in North Kerala. This book is one of a kind and is highly recommended. A discerning reader will be able to identify and appreciate the social commentary the author has so deftly woven into the narrative.

[Shiva Ramesh · Rating 5 out of 5]

“There had never been a death more foretold”, says the narrator in Marquez’s Chronicles of a Death Foretold - yet no one was able or willing to stop it. I read the book a few years ago in one breathless sitting, piecing together Santiago Nazar’s day from different people’s perspectives.
Right from the outset, Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari’s Chronicle of an Hour and a Half brings to mind Marquez and his novel. There’s a small town, there’s a scandal, there are many versions of the same story (some original, some exaggerated), people are in a frenzy and it’s all bubbling into a mob. But it’s not some town in Colombia, it’s close to home- in Areekode. It’s raining like it’s the end of time and a young man, Burhan is having an affair with a married woman, Reyhana, fifteen years older than him. The issue here extends beyond the affair. Is it the age difference? Or is it that Reyhana is married and has children nearly as old as Burhan? The act prickles the village’s collective morality. There’s something inside everyone- some sort of envy, jealousy, and lust. It sets off a feeling of unease, like an itch. The itching soon turns into a rage- everyone’s pride is hurt. As if the entire village is Reyhana’s husband. We don’t know what is going to happen but we can definitely foretell that things aren’t looking good for Burhan.

As each character shares their story, the narrative develops but with slight variations and embellishments. Every perspective offers new opinions about the affair, tainted by each individual’s personal experiences. Some don’t even know the full story but are driven by the sheer force of the mob that’s in formation. But the general pulse is that Burhan should be punished. The mob goes wild, ecstatic, refusing to intervene in the fight between Burhan and Reyhana’s relatives. The mob sends a thumbs-up emoji to every hostile comment about the couple online. The mob is ready to even fight and kill. As one character puts it, “My Arabi teacher used to say that grammar is the most basic philosophy. And there is no grammar to a crowd, my son. A crowd is as unmoving as an exclamation mark.” This brilliantly sums up the mob mentality.

The novel also presents some of the most interesting female characters. Nabeesumma, Burhan’s mother, is the breadwinner of the family. She’s the maker of all decisions while her husband and sons idle away. But when Reyhana’s relatives come looking for Burhan, she’s treated derisively without any explanation. This wouldn’t have happened if it were the father. On the other hand, Reyhana is trapped in a loveless marriage. While everyone questions her moral obligation to her husband, she thinks, “To allow yourself to marry a man you don’t like: that’s the wrongest morality.” Of all the voices in the novel, Nabeesu’s and Reyhana’s are the most relevant and my favorites. Some of the male characters also tell us a lot. There’s Shahid who’s truculent and adamant, Chinnan reluctantly adds fuel to the fire, and Ashraf is eager to be a part of all this. It’s curious to see how their circumstances shape their responses.

In addition to the fast-paced storyline, Kannanari treats us to some exquisite prose (more points for Nabeesu’s and Reyhana’s chapters). Its cinematic and macabre nature adds to the intrigue but prepare to flinch, for this is how our society works. Everyone’s business is also our business and we’re fueled by this misguided sense of pride and honor. And we’ve all heard about a Reyhana or a Burhan at least once.

[Vanshika Gupta · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Chronicle of an Hour and a Half" by Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari is a captivating exploration of life's intricacies, delving into real-life situations and societal norms with unflinching honesty. This fast-paced narrative offers a lens into the complexities of human emotions, desires, relationships, and the often unspoken taboos that shape our communities.

One of the standout features of the book is its brisk pace, propelling readers through a myriad of experiences and perspectives. From the first page to the last, the narrative maintains a momentum that keeps readers engaged and eager to uncover what lies ahead.

Kannanari's ability to navigate through various points of view is commendable, offering readers a multifaceted understanding of the story's events. Each character's perspective feels authentic and adds depth to the overarching narrative, providing insight into the diverse emotions and motivations driving the plot forward.

Furthermore, the book's accessibility is noteworthy, with Kannanari's prose flowing effortlessly from page to page. Thanks to the author's skilful storytelling and vivid descriptions, readers will find themselves easily immersed in the story.

One of the most striking aspects of "Chronicle of an Hour and a Half" is its ability to confront taboo subjects head-on, giving voice to the fears and desires that often go unspoken. Through the lens of various characters, Kannanari fearlessly explores themes such as identity, community, and the intricacies of human relationships, offering readers a thought-provoking reflection on the world around them.

However, despite its many strengths, the book has flaws. Some readers may find certain scenes repetitive, as the narrative switches between multiple points of view. At times, it may feel as though the story lingers too long on a particular scene before transitioning to the next, potentially disrupting the flow of the overall narrative.

In conclusion, "Chronicle of an Hour and a Half" is a thought-provoking journey through the complexities of life, offering readers a captivating exploration of human emotions, desires, and societal norms. While the book may have its occasional moments of repetition, its fast-paced narrative, diverse perspectives, and fearless exploration of taboo subjects make it a compelling read for anyone interested in delving into the intricacies of the human experience.

[Jayoti Mondal · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was quite stunned. It felt like I was pause buttoned by this book. An unsettling book. A book that ended with its claws leaving a gash mark across my mind. It was fiction I reminded myself, repeatedly. Was it fictional?- came back the reply, every time. A flurry of mental images pass by - of news snippets of communal riots, of mob lynching, of molestation of women, of countless articles and essays read on mob mentality and another lot on women’s choice, on women abuse, on women’s authority and agency and the lack of it. I was deeply stunned. Fiction has crossed into non-fiction. That is what ‘Chronicle of an Hour and a Half’ does, to its readers, at least it did what it did to me.

A searing work of fiction, it scorches the very tongue that reads every word and makes readers feel every terrifying event through the progress of pages. It will beat any horror story of the twenty-first century, take it to the bank.

In the village of Vaiga in Areekode, Kerala, a terrific rainstorm wrecks ravages, and so does another little gossip gaining its momentum. The rumor goes that Reyhana, a 40-ish-year-old woman is having an extramarital affair with the 25-year-old Burhan. One of Burhan’s friends leaves the gossip to snowball around on WhatsApp. And snowball it does, rife with speculation, about what goes on behind closed doors with the lovers. People get raunchy with details and try to spice it up with their salacious eyes and tongues. They also raise the banner of morality, huh? They have decided what is right and what is wrong. No, no! What happens on the bed between the lovers must also be imagined and they must also be punished. Ah! Men ogling and oh-ing and ah-ing? Uh, men will be men. Do women have bodies? Tsk. People come one by one and create a mob. Someone has to go.
Someone has to pay the price. And someone does.

The story is told from several perspectives of people. Even though one might lose a bit of track, they would not be able to peel their eyes off a single word. The author is deft in craft, he spins a world transcending reality where female sexuality is a myth, a taboo. Where life is as fragile as a rotten thread, that may snap at a slight tug and takes a backseat to honour. Honour is only to be kept by women while some men violate and rise in their cruelty. Kill and maybe plunder and tear everything asunder. Huh!

A debut novel which is written in fire, this demands to be read. Now!

[Java · Rating 4 out of 5]

At once hypnotic and harrowing. Its pages teem with violence rendered in prose so vivid it borders on the unbearable. For a reader like me, such macabre depictions tested endurance — I found myself clenching my teeth through many of them — but I held on, aware that a reward awaited at the other end.

That reward is not comfort, but illumination: a deep, unrelenting look into what makes violence seductive and how communities collapse under its weight.

If the novel could be accessed in one sentence, that would be the opening line of the chapter on Reyhana culminating in the gothic lynching of her lover. “You walk into trouble idly.” The simplicity of that line carries the novel’s entire metaphysics.

Every incomplete life Kannanari records, every doomed attachment, every putrified desire, all seem to stem from that idle walk into trouble: accident, fate, and the inertia of cruelty.

Kannanari’s technique is, without question, flawless. His control over time, texture, and tone is almost frightening in its precision. Yet, I found myself wishing his vision had allowed for even the faintest redemptive horizon.

The novel denies solace to anyone. It is a total condemnation — of familial ties, of friendship, of the very idea of social belonging. Every bond is held ransom to hate: a hate that seems, in Kannanari’s world, both ancient and immediate.

Though social media incites much of the plot’s madness, the real cause lies deeper, in the strata of jealousy and repressed longing that precede technology by millennia.

Among the many figures who populate this bleak landscape, Chinnan stands out in relief — a minor character, yet unforgettable. He embodies the human compulsion to carry news, to linger over calamity, to feed on misfortune. Through him, Kannanari exposes our ghoulish fascination with the spectacle of suffering, our need to witness and retell what ought to be either buried or examined with empathy.

Reading Chronicle of an Hour and a Half is to face a mirror cracked by rage and desire. It offers no catharsis; only the stark recognition that some stories consume more than they reveal.

[Rupsa Pal Kundu · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was sitting for a whole hour feeling numb and I wasn't even thinking why it's so hard to not feel anything yet I felt so gutted.

Chronicle of an Hour and a Half did something extreme with my mind while shaking it to the core. Apparently it may seem like just another story set in a rain drenched day but deep down it's much more.

When I read the blurb, it mentioned how viral WhatsApp messages can bring chaos in an apparently peaceful society; but, as the story progresses I found out something else. This can easily be classified as reckoning-coming-of-age contemporary literature.

The prose is remarkably lyrical and the descriptions of the scenic beauty of rain soaked Kerala is breathtaking, it actually transported me to a drab and gray day, I could almost feel the moistened wind around me. But, I was stunned by the story telling- all this beauty of a simple suburb in a monsoon is just a facade. It simply hypnotised me to make me believe in a cozy atmosphere to finally crush my heart into a pulp. By, the last page I was literally gasping for air and I didn't realize the tears were having their own mind and flowing. I felt exactly the same with A Little Life. This is a brilliant book.

Dear @saharunusaiba , you are so young and you have definitely poked an age old conditioning of my mind. I am constantly questioning my beliefs. If you are writing this at 24, I am wondering what more fireworks awaits for us by the time you are 42! Congratulations for the JCB shortlist and The Crossword Book Awards 2024.

I am thankful to @the_bridgeofwords for recommending this book, we surely have more discussions.

@abhiruhi25 you must read this book and tell me if it has changed your thoughts on Anna Karenina, it surely is making me doubt my deductions.

Thank you @asuitableagency for #gifting this book, you are the best!

PS: graphic violence

[Prathyusha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Shockingly, this gripping story and novel addressing the multiplicity and intersectionality of so many themes ranging from women's agency, and toxic masculinity, turned out to be written by a man.
It speaks volumes of my own biases and prejudices I suppose when I read the name Saharu and assumed it was a female author. It also speaks volumes to the author's writing credit that as I read all the monologues, feelings, and dialogues of all the women characters I read it as if a woman had written it too. I did marvel at the fact that this woman-author was also able to do graphically capture the inner workings of boys' and men's thoughts. Now makes a lot more sense.
This wasn't an easy read, and I don't think it was ever meant to be either. It was however, incredibly beautifully written. Full credit to the author for bringing to life the interiors of Kerala in a way I have never experienced before. I could almost smell the food, tea, as he wrote it. I could also taste, smell, and feel the bitterness and absolute unabashed patriarchy as he wrote it.
So much of this story is a classic rehash of incidents many would relate to in their lie, I do too. Phrases that used to be wounds lie around amply in this book.
Not giving away any spoilers, and as the title suggests, this novel about the Chronicles in an hour and a half, I strongly recommend reading it. Especially for cis gendered, hetero men. If you're Desi, even better!

[Mili Das · Rating 5 out of 5]

How long we will be debating on who is the owner of women's body, no, the women have never been the owner of their own body, let alone the mind.
As if men were born with the inheritance of women's body and women are born with nothing in her hands.

A shocking, brilliant mirror of human minds exposed on paper in a manner of novella, leaving a lasting impression that is enough to give you a chill run down through your nape and nightmare for some nights.

In palpitating narrative this novel is a setting of a mob lynching in an imaginary village besides Vaigai river, physical time duration of the incidence is an hour and a half which is also title of this book. And it was raining the whole time.

With a hinge of background story it's a clever narrative from multiple POV showcases how humans tend to act. The psychological dimensions that are portrayed are delightfully enduring, it's like a bouquet of flowers.

This book tries nothing, it doesn't want to provide anything only exposure towards the darkness of human minds and intricacies of thinking. Aah, this brilliant picture is intriguing, swiftly sleek and slowly developing into the darkest scenario is gripping and utterly page turner even you know what is going to happen in the end, a pallet full of darker shades, layers of morality peeling off slowly.

In all the villagers Shahid 's father is a different shade amidst vaiga people. I like the argument between Shahid and his father. I liked the debating part that delivers dimensions of perspectives that are regarded as social norms.

Ending was debating who is responsible for what happened, who did what, as usual blaming each other.

Author Saharu Nusaiba Kannanari did a marvelous job in his debut book, specially Kudos for creating the last chapter and the kids characters.