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False Ceilings
Born in the lush mountains of Dalhousie in 1930, Shakuntala is a pampered child of a wealthy builder. On her wedding night she is gifted a secret to use wisely when the time comes.
From the green valleys of Dalhousie to a village in Punjab reeling under the communal violence of 1947; from the Delhi of 1950s with its intoxicating smell of freedom to the Delhi of 1970s soaked in the hippie culture; from the Delhi of 1984 smelling of burnt tyres to the Delhi of 90s raising its Frankenstein of urbanization, the cancerous secret breathes with her, infects her. It is accidentally passed down, hidden under insecurities and jealousies, locked in its meaninglessness and leaving a trail of ruin.
When her great- grandson accidentally discovers the secret in 2065, he is perplexed by the malice that flowed in his family's blood. Was it just the secret or his family would have destroyed itself even in its absence? Why was their love never greater than their unsaid expectations from each other?
From the green valleys of Dalhousie to a village in Punjab reeling under the communal violence of 1947; from the Delhi of 1950s with its intoxicating smell of freedom to the Delhi of 1970s soaked in the hippie culture; from the Delhi of 1984 smelling of burnt tyres to the Delhi of 90s raising its Frankenstein of urbanization, the cancerous secret breathes with her, infects her. It is accidentally passed down, hidden under insecurities and jealousies, locked in its meaninglessness and leaving a trail of ruin.
When her great- grandson accidentally discovers the secret in 2065, he is perplexed by the malice that flowed in his family's blood. Was it just the secret or his family would have destroyed itself even in its absence? Why was their love never greater than their unsaid expectations from each other?
- GenresFiction
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 12, 2016
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Amit Sharma
2 books10 followersAmit Sharma's first fiction book titled False Ceilings has been published by Lifi Publications in 2016.
His second novel titled 'The Woman Who Saw The Future' was published by Readomania in Nov 2017.
Amit has been working in a Software Firm for the last twelve years. His hobbies include reading (but of course), watching world cinema, traveling, digging into various cuisines, cooking, listening to music, painting, blogging, making his daughter laugh and helping his wife with her unnecessary and prolonged shopping.
He can be found at –
https://www.facebook.com/AmitSharmaAu...
His second novel titled 'The Woman Who Saw The Future' was published by Readomania in Nov 2017.
Amit has been working in a Software Firm for the last twelve years. His hobbies include reading (but of course), watching world cinema, traveling, digging into various cuisines, cooking, listening to music, painting, blogging, making his daughter laugh and helping his wife with her unnecessary and prolonged shopping.
He can be found at –
https://www.facebook.com/AmitSharmaAu...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
October 2, 2016
A family saga through different eras, False Ceilings by Amit Sharma is a book that will keep you engrossed until the end. From the hills of Dalhousie to the lands of Punjab, and from there to the brimming violent streets of Delhi, False Ceilings is centered around a secret that has been carried down like a family heirloom for 130 years. The only difference, it brings disaster and doesn't flourish.
False Ceilings is centered around the life and clan of Shakuntala, who was born in 1930's in the quaint and beautiful Dalhousie. Born as a pampered child of a wealthy builder, Shakuntala had everything that one could ever ask for. The only thing missing was the grandmother's love. A time comes when Shakuntala is left all alone in the world and her uncle takes her in.
On the night of her wedding in 1946, Shakuntala is gifted a secret to use wisely and only when the time is right. And from then on, the secret trickles down to her family tree, hidden under insecurities and jealousies, leaving a trail of ruin and sadness and in the family. The secret is then finally discovered by the great-grandson of Shakuntala, and he is left perplexed by the malice that flows in the family and the trail of ruin the secret left behind. He is not able to understand, that whether it was the family that destroyed itself even when they weren't aware of the false ceiling where the secret was sleeping for so many years? Or was it really the secret that destroyed everything?
A family saga spread across 130 years, from Dalhousie to the burning Punjab during the partition of 1947. From Punjab to the communal violence infested Delhi when Indira Gandhi was killed. And from there to the future. False Ceilings is a journey that you undertake with Shakuntala and her family, a journey that will engross you in it's happy and sad moments.
One of the most incredible things about False Ceilings is Amit Sharma's writing. As a debut writer, he has written a family saga that spans over 130 years, which is in itself is a big deal! And with such poise and clarity that you will really like the story line. Another beauty about the book is the non-linear narrative that Amit Sharma has used in his book. The story jumps back and forth pretty skillfully, making the reader believe that the secret hidden in the false ceiling is the reason of malice in the family. When on the real front, it is the family that has destroyed itself. Amit Sharma has done an incredible job in exploring the human psyche, digging for deep rooted emotions, fear, and half-forgotten memories.
But then, False Ceilings lacks in a few areas too. The Non-Linear narrative is a very tricky thing, especially for readers who are not used to it. It may leave the reader confused, even irritated at times that why the story is jumping back and forth so frequently. Also, there are some areas where False Ceiling is stagnant, every story is ending at the same point. You read a few pages and the conclusion of that chapter is the same as the previous one. Also, you need to keep track of all characters. There are too many, and it may make you go back a few pages after almost every 2-3 chapters.
All in all, False Ceiling stands true to its theme of "what if" which is discussed in the first chapter. The what if of missed opportunities and lies spoken and secrets kept. It makes for an intense read, something that you should pick up.
False Ceilings is centered around the life and clan of Shakuntala, who was born in 1930's in the quaint and beautiful Dalhousie. Born as a pampered child of a wealthy builder, Shakuntala had everything that one could ever ask for. The only thing missing was the grandmother's love. A time comes when Shakuntala is left all alone in the world and her uncle takes her in.
On the night of her wedding in 1946, Shakuntala is gifted a secret to use wisely and only when the time is right. And from then on, the secret trickles down to her family tree, hidden under insecurities and jealousies, leaving a trail of ruin and sadness and in the family. The secret is then finally discovered by the great-grandson of Shakuntala, and he is left perplexed by the malice that flows in the family and the trail of ruin the secret left behind. He is not able to understand, that whether it was the family that destroyed itself even when they weren't aware of the false ceiling where the secret was sleeping for so many years? Or was it really the secret that destroyed everything?
A family saga spread across 130 years, from Dalhousie to the burning Punjab during the partition of 1947. From Punjab to the communal violence infested Delhi when Indira Gandhi was killed. And from there to the future. False Ceilings is a journey that you undertake with Shakuntala and her family, a journey that will engross you in it's happy and sad moments.
One of the most incredible things about False Ceilings is Amit Sharma's writing. As a debut writer, he has written a family saga that spans over 130 years, which is in itself is a big deal! And with such poise and clarity that you will really like the story line. Another beauty about the book is the non-linear narrative that Amit Sharma has used in his book. The story jumps back and forth pretty skillfully, making the reader believe that the secret hidden in the false ceiling is the reason of malice in the family. When on the real front, it is the family that has destroyed itself. Amit Sharma has done an incredible job in exploring the human psyche, digging for deep rooted emotions, fear, and half-forgotten memories.
But then, False Ceilings lacks in a few areas too. The Non-Linear narrative is a very tricky thing, especially for readers who are not used to it. It may leave the reader confused, even irritated at times that why the story is jumping back and forth so frequently. Also, there are some areas where False Ceiling is stagnant, every story is ending at the same point. You read a few pages and the conclusion of that chapter is the same as the previous one. Also, you need to keep track of all characters. There are too many, and it may make you go back a few pages after almost every 2-3 chapters.
All in all, False Ceiling stands true to its theme of "what if" which is discussed in the first chapter. The what if of missed opportunities and lies spoken and secrets kept. It makes for an intense read, something that you should pick up.
May 20, 2016
Disclaimer: I received an author-signed paperback of this book via The Book Club in return for my honest review.
The story takes off in the middle with Aaryan, in the year 2001. He’s a college professor and seems a bit off his rocker. From here we are taken to 2060 and a very old Lipi. Cut to 2062 and Sunny. Lipi is dead now.
After the above glimpses, we get to read the story of Shakunthala (yeah, the one on the book blurb). Shakunthala is the pampered child of builder Kanshi Ram and his wife Kusum in Dalhousie. Here again, the story begins with her death and goes back to her birth; back and forth; back and forth.
Some of the descriptions, especially of Dalhousie – the landscape, the sunsets, the market place at different periods in time – were picturesque. I so loved the words that painted such powerful visuals.
Many generations follow, beginning in 1930 and ending in 2062. The author has attempted to retain a thread of mystery throughout to keep the reader hooked to the “curse”.
But in that attempt, the characters get mixed up in the reader’s mind.
Like there’s Aaryan. I read about his “mother” and his “father”; his “grandmother” and his “grandfather”. It’s truly difficult to follow a story where the characters have no names. In actuality, they do. But I perceive that the author has attempted to keep all these mysterious. Believe me, navigating through the book, with so many characters criss-crossing, while trying to understand who’s who, it wasn’t easy.
I was determined to know what the curse was. That’s what kept me going. The author has used high class English. I was happy to see many not-so-commonly used words in the book. But the basics such as a, an, the and words like for, at, in, upon, about, with, etc were completely askew. Most sentences were incorrectly formed.
Another thing that threw me off was the inherent negativity in each character, the air of hopelessness throughout the book, till the last couple of pages, when the “curse” is finally revealed.
I will go with three stars for this book. A good attempt by a first time author. With the right editor, it could have been a really great book.
The story takes off in the middle with Aaryan, in the year 2001. He’s a college professor and seems a bit off his rocker. From here we are taken to 2060 and a very old Lipi. Cut to 2062 and Sunny. Lipi is dead now.
After the above glimpses, we get to read the story of Shakunthala (yeah, the one on the book blurb). Shakunthala is the pampered child of builder Kanshi Ram and his wife Kusum in Dalhousie. Here again, the story begins with her death and goes back to her birth; back and forth; back and forth.
Some of the descriptions, especially of Dalhousie – the landscape, the sunsets, the market place at different periods in time – were picturesque. I so loved the words that painted such powerful visuals.
Many generations follow, beginning in 1930 and ending in 2062. The author has attempted to retain a thread of mystery throughout to keep the reader hooked to the “curse”.
But in that attempt, the characters get mixed up in the reader’s mind.
Like there’s Aaryan. I read about his “mother” and his “father”; his “grandmother” and his “grandfather”. It’s truly difficult to follow a story where the characters have no names. In actuality, they do. But I perceive that the author has attempted to keep all these mysterious. Believe me, navigating through the book, with so many characters criss-crossing, while trying to understand who’s who, it wasn’t easy.
I was determined to know what the curse was. That’s what kept me going. The author has used high class English. I was happy to see many not-so-commonly used words in the book. But the basics such as a, an, the and words like for, at, in, upon, about, with, etc were completely askew. Most sentences were incorrectly formed.
Another thing that threw me off was the inherent negativity in each character, the air of hopelessness throughout the book, till the last couple of pages, when the “curse” is finally revealed.
I will go with three stars for this book. A good attempt by a first time author. With the right editor, it could have been a really great book.
June 8, 2016
The story of a family through different eras makes up this saga. The characters inter-woven through the years make them so believable they could be anyone we know. Author Amit Sharma has brought to life the insecurities, the negativity, the secrecy that each of the characters nurture. Going back and forth in time, the non-linear narration makes it even more exciting and makes you stick to the narrative till you have uncovered the secret in the end. As a debut author Amit Sharma has been able to exhibit immense bravery in tackling a family saga backed with extensive research of the places, events and subjects. Compelling read!
January 15, 2018
That is a rating arrived at after much dithering. To be honest, while I liked the story of False Ceilings well enough, it wasn’t mind-blowingly memorable for me. And the language, with its many errors of usage and its countless instances of poor (non-existent?) editing, had me squirming too frequently for this read to be a very pleasant one.
On the other hand, Amit Sharma sets up his story well. False Ceilings is about a family—beginning with the very wealthy Kanshi Ram, a builder who makes summer homes for the British in the Dalhousie of the 1920s and around. When Kanshi Ram and his wife die within a short time of each other, leaving their pampered daughter Shakuntala to be brought up by her uncle, Shakuntala finds herself suddenly adrift, pining for what used to be. When Shakuntala falls in love with and marries the flute-playing Manu, she is given a gift. A gift that remains a closely guarded secret, with Shakuntala and then with successive members of her family as India drifts from Independence to Partition, to various wars and turmoil… and Shakuntala’s own family becomes a dysfunctional, harried and nasty lot of people who fight constantly among themselves.
What I liked was the way the story flows: never exactly in a linear way, and with much going back and forth in time, all the way from the 1930s to well beyond, into the future, and then back again. Trying to work out the relationships between characters—before it was actually explained—was an interesting exercise.
Also among the things that appealed to me was the very believable way in which Sharma brings his characters to life: there is a real-ness to them which is easy to relate to, warts and all. Similarly, he brings to life Dalhousie and Delhi (though I would have liked to see more of history being made—the brief episode set during the riots of 1984 is one of the few really memorable instances in a book that could’ve had many more). The parallels, never too far from the surface but not explicitly expressed either, between Shakuntala’s family and the ‘family’ that is India—bickering, full of hatred, turbulent, intolerant, even though they’re sitting on a secret that could change things around for them—are interesting too.
Given a better editor and a better proof reader, this could’ve been a far better book. Still, if you’re patient enough (and tolerant enough) to overlook the errors, it is intriguing enough.
On the other hand, Amit Sharma sets up his story well. False Ceilings is about a family—beginning with the very wealthy Kanshi Ram, a builder who makes summer homes for the British in the Dalhousie of the 1920s and around. When Kanshi Ram and his wife die within a short time of each other, leaving their pampered daughter Shakuntala to be brought up by her uncle, Shakuntala finds herself suddenly adrift, pining for what used to be. When Shakuntala falls in love with and marries the flute-playing Manu, she is given a gift. A gift that remains a closely guarded secret, with Shakuntala and then with successive members of her family as India drifts from Independence to Partition, to various wars and turmoil… and Shakuntala’s own family becomes a dysfunctional, harried and nasty lot of people who fight constantly among themselves.
What I liked was the way the story flows: never exactly in a linear way, and with much going back and forth in time, all the way from the 1930s to well beyond, into the future, and then back again. Trying to work out the relationships between characters—before it was actually explained—was an interesting exercise.
Also among the things that appealed to me was the very believable way in which Sharma brings his characters to life: there is a real-ness to them which is easy to relate to, warts and all. Similarly, he brings to life Dalhousie and Delhi (though I would have liked to see more of history being made—the brief episode set during the riots of 1984 is one of the few really memorable instances in a book that could’ve had many more). The parallels, never too far from the surface but not explicitly expressed either, between Shakuntala’s family and the ‘family’ that is India—bickering, full of hatred, turbulent, intolerant, even though they’re sitting on a secret that could change things around for them—are interesting too.
Given a better editor and a better proof reader, this could’ve been a far better book. Still, if you’re patient enough (and tolerant enough) to overlook the errors, it is intriguing enough.
May 15, 2016
False Ceilings is Amit Sharma’s debut novel. When I read the Author’s bio, I was expecting a romantic saga or a new-age plot. But I was pleasantly surprised by the intriguing multi-layered storyline that spanned over a good hundred years. I won’t be exaggerating if I said that I got a glimpse of Jhumpa Lahiri or Anita Nair at certain points. Going by his writing in his debut novel, the author might churn out some best sellers in future.
The storyline oscillates between 2060s and pre-independence era and showcases three generations. And it has more than one pivotal character. There is Kanshi Ram and Kusum in the long ago times of early 1900s and there Lipi and Ravi from the futuristic age of 2062. In between, there is Shakuntala, Manohar, Meena, Vinod and Aryan. Each one plays an important part in the plot which is basically the normal household saga of struggle, differences of opinions, tug of war for power and authority with streaks of betrayal and some romance. Every generation has its share of struggle. But there is something that is common between all three generations- a secret that has been hidden in a false ceiling and passed on unwillingly to the next generation.
KanshiRam from Dalhousie is a wealthy and broad-minded man who loves his children especially his daughter Shakuntala. He enrolls her in a convent where she studies with British girls, teaches her to ride horses and helps her develop interest in reading classics. After KanshiRam dies, Shakuntala is married off to Manohar and settles in Delhi. They struggle to keep afloat which makes Shakuntala cranky. Their son Vinod decides to marry Meena, a small town girl from Dalhousie with big dreams. She likes to run and marries reluctantly when her mother hints that she could do anything after she is married. But her dreams to pursue running as a sport are shattered when she comes to an urban household and works relentlessly for the family and has kids in a couple of years. By the time their kids, Lipi and Aaryan are grown up, the world has changed for better and these kids have earned a convenient life style for themselves. However, the allegedly cursed secret concealed in a false ceiling continues to disrupt lives whenever it is revealed.
The author has a typical style of storytelling which transports the reader to respective timelines. The characters are described in very detail. The story shifts between flashback and future multiple times. However, this movement could have been smoother and more seamless. The minor errors in grammar and proof-reading tend to upset the trance of reading. But I think those are more of first-timer glitches and will not be found in the author’s subsequent works. And this implies that I will certainly be picking up any book with author’s name on it.
The storyline oscillates between 2060s and pre-independence era and showcases three generations. And it has more than one pivotal character. There is Kanshi Ram and Kusum in the long ago times of early 1900s and there Lipi and Ravi from the futuristic age of 2062. In between, there is Shakuntala, Manohar, Meena, Vinod and Aryan. Each one plays an important part in the plot which is basically the normal household saga of struggle, differences of opinions, tug of war for power and authority with streaks of betrayal and some romance. Every generation has its share of struggle. But there is something that is common between all three generations- a secret that has been hidden in a false ceiling and passed on unwillingly to the next generation.
KanshiRam from Dalhousie is a wealthy and broad-minded man who loves his children especially his daughter Shakuntala. He enrolls her in a convent where she studies with British girls, teaches her to ride horses and helps her develop interest in reading classics. After KanshiRam dies, Shakuntala is married off to Manohar and settles in Delhi. They struggle to keep afloat which makes Shakuntala cranky. Their son Vinod decides to marry Meena, a small town girl from Dalhousie with big dreams. She likes to run and marries reluctantly when her mother hints that she could do anything after she is married. But her dreams to pursue running as a sport are shattered when she comes to an urban household and works relentlessly for the family and has kids in a couple of years. By the time their kids, Lipi and Aaryan are grown up, the world has changed for better and these kids have earned a convenient life style for themselves. However, the allegedly cursed secret concealed in a false ceiling continues to disrupt lives whenever it is revealed.
The author has a typical style of storytelling which transports the reader to respective timelines. The characters are described in very detail. The story shifts between flashback and future multiple times. However, this movement could have been smoother and more seamless. The minor errors in grammar and proof-reading tend to upset the trance of reading. But I think those are more of first-timer glitches and will not be found in the author’s subsequent works. And this implies that I will certainly be picking up any book with author’s name on it.
May 3, 2016
http://www.njkinnysblog.com/2016/05/b...
False Ceilings by Amit Sharma is his debut story set in India that spans a hundred and thirty years starting from 1930 to 2065. This is a family saga that spans generations and had me travelling to the India in 1930s to that at the time of the communal violence to hippie culture and then the future India!
This book attracted me because of its unconventional title and the blurb that promised a suspenseful, adventure filled saga that spanned decades.
I started out with no preconceived notions about the book and was pleasantly surprised. The first thing that I noticed was the meticulous research the author has done which shows in his admirable attempt to mesh historical facts with fiction to take his story forward. There is a sense of suspense throughout the book that had me intrigued.
The writing style is also very different and while I, overall, enjoyed the author's different narrative style, I also felt a bit bored at times when the pace lagged and there was no twist in the story in sight.
There is not one but many protagonists in this story and the author has handled them with ease and given each character his/her share of the limelight. The different eras are realistically sketched and I could visualize the settings in each of them. I was transported easily to the past, present and the future by the author and had quite a lot of fun experiencing so many different shades of time, all the while sitting at one place!
However, at times the shift from the past to the present to the future had me confused and I felt the transition could have been more fluid. Same goes with the characters who sometimes felt disjointed and had me straining to keep track of the shifts between the characters.
All in all, False Ceilings by Amit Sharma is a brave and promising debut with a strong plot and a story that reads like a saga with plenty of time travel, adventure, suspense and emotional play. I enjoyed reading the book and give it 4 out of 5 and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
I received a free copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
False Ceilings by Amit Sharma is his debut story set in India that spans a hundred and thirty years starting from 1930 to 2065. This is a family saga that spans generations and had me travelling to the India in 1930s to that at the time of the communal violence to hippie culture and then the future India!
This book attracted me because of its unconventional title and the blurb that promised a suspenseful, adventure filled saga that spanned decades.
I started out with no preconceived notions about the book and was pleasantly surprised. The first thing that I noticed was the meticulous research the author has done which shows in his admirable attempt to mesh historical facts with fiction to take his story forward. There is a sense of suspense throughout the book that had me intrigued.
The writing style is also very different and while I, overall, enjoyed the author's different narrative style, I also felt a bit bored at times when the pace lagged and there was no twist in the story in sight.
There is not one but many protagonists in this story and the author has handled them with ease and given each character his/her share of the limelight. The different eras are realistically sketched and I could visualize the settings in each of them. I was transported easily to the past, present and the future by the author and had quite a lot of fun experiencing so many different shades of time, all the while sitting at one place!
However, at times the shift from the past to the present to the future had me confused and I felt the transition could have been more fluid. Same goes with the characters who sometimes felt disjointed and had me straining to keep track of the shifts between the characters.
All in all, False Ceilings by Amit Sharma is a brave and promising debut with a strong plot and a story that reads like a saga with plenty of time travel, adventure, suspense and emotional play. I enjoyed reading the book and give it 4 out of 5 and look forward to reading more from the author in the future.
I received a free copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
May 16, 2016
False Ceilings is a family saga and story of generations inheriting a secret. The plot is very interesting and has all the ingredients to intrigue the reader. There are many characters and the author has done a wonderful job in defining and developing each one. With a simple and easy to follow language, False Ceilings is an engaging read with a beautiful story that is told well. The book is recommended to those who love mature stories that have some depth. Looking forward to read more from the author.
Read full review at: http://mybookshelf.in/book-reviews/false-ceilings-by-amit-sharma-book-review/
Read full review at: http://mybookshelf.in/book-reviews/false-ceilings-by-amit-sharma-book-review/
June 29, 2016
In the ‘70s, false ceilings were all the rage for living rooms, bedrooms and even bathrooms. They were especially popular with the film fraternity and filthy-rich industrialists. Intricately carved designs on the moldings and vivid combinations of colours made for an attractive façade but behind all that lurked a certain rot. Broken and smashed in by Income tax officers, the false ceilings laid bare the putrefaction they shielded, the decadence of black money in the form of currency notes, stuffed behind them.
This duplexity of splendour and squalor finds evocative portrayal in the cover of Amit Sharma’s debut novel, “False Ceilings” even as the title partitions the rotten, broken down, peeling structures from the ephemeral, soul-stirring snow-topped mountains, glistening in the light of the rising sun.
This novel, nay, this family saga that spans almost 130 years (reminiscent of the 80’s TV serials, Humlog and Buniyaad) like the marauding income tax officers of yore, seeks to lay bare, the inevitable decline and disintegration of “relationships in her (Lipi’s) house, with the subtle flow of hatred, which flew beneath everyone’s skin.”
The story, though, begins with love:
Within the mountainous lap of Himalayas nestled Dalhousie, a hill-station and the home of Kanshi Ram, who became wealthy building houses for the “Gora Sahibs”. It was an exhilarating moment for him when his beloved wife, Kusum delivered a cherub whom he named Shakuntala, the apple of his eye and his reason for living after the untimely demise of his wife.
But the novel does not begin at this point. It opens with Aaryan’s fascination with Mathematics and If-Else statements’ similarity to life which at one time engenders his father to observe “Imagine collecting all the possible if-else statements of someone’s life and feeding it to a robot. You could make it cry.”
This is one of the many delightful sentences in this saga which is the story of the pampered Shakuntala who “on her wedding night in 1946 is gifted a secret to use wisely when the time comes.”
This is also the story of hatreds:
• Mothers-in-law hate their daughters-in-law and then deny the charge when it is thrown at their face.
• Children, instigated by a grandparent, detest their parents and indulge in tale-telling to undermine their authority.
• Wives hate their husbands for their inability to understand the unspoken expectations of their wives.
• A child turns into a misanthrope when he sees a sight that no-one should ever have to.
The hatred is so all-pervading that it prevents Shakuntala’s secret from being revealed and those times it is unveiled, it only births fear and deaths before it is hurriedly hidden away after being termed a curse.
Disruptions and Making New Connections:
What is this secret? The reader turns the pages of this pacy narrative in search of the answer. But it is not easy-going for the reader. No, siree. The reader of this tale cannot be a passive one. This is a narrative which teases with its disruptive flow, even as it zig-zags its way from the past into the future and then into the present.
The reader is introduced to Shakuntala and then re-introduced to her through the eyes of the other characters. And it is an unsettling re-acquaintance because the picture of Shakuntala, the sweet girl, who studied in a convent and is well-versed in many other arts and crafts is a far-away memory from the present-day Shakuntala in her moping-mother but unrepentant mother-in-law avatar, “a dipsomaniac who was trying to give up alcohol but always needed a bottle of whisky in the house, not to drink but just as an assurance in case it was desperately required.”
The author provides the same treatment to all the other characters too and it becomes a game in which the reader happily connects the dots between the characters and their inter-relatedness as well as their pasts and presents. This is reflected in the disruptions and separations in the lives of the characters as they are uprooted from their comfort zones and plonked headlong into strange and sometimes hostile situations; making new connections.
The City, entwined with the Characters:
And it is not just restricted to the human characters. We get a glimpse of the Delhi of a former era,“Delhi was a strange amalgamation of humanity those days” and what it has metamorphosed into now, “By the time lines started appearing on Vinod’s face, east Delhi was teeming with millions of humans and had turned into a concrete urban jungle with no signs of the past” and also some fifty years later (no, the scenario is not any less grim where the environment is concerned).
Delhi was harsh and unfamiliar for those who came to it from the mountains because one did not have to “press her toes to walk uphill or walk at an obtuse angle with the ground to run downhill.”
False Ceilings traverses the full spectrum of generational changes, not just emotionally, but physically as well as technologically (in the 2060s, dusting of houses is done by remote-controlled cleaner pods, yayyy. AND, no communicating through mental telepathy, yet).
A Vast Canvas:
Amit Sharma’s canvas is expansive and he begins well. In a voice that is refreshingly bold and new, he brings to life Kanshi Ram and the era he lived in, with intricate details that draw us into the web of the characters lives and make us not want to leave it without knowing more. Along the way, the enthusiasm seems to flag intermittently as the narrative tends towards the journalistic mode which the author employs to ‘tell’ us the story. But that is easily forgiven because this story which could easily have become a saas-bahu sitcom, becomes instead, a peek into the psychology of hatred and compassion.
The reader experiences the story in tones of grimness and grittiness of a contemporary age alternated with the subtle coolness and elegance of the one in the future.
The wit is acerbic and biting especially when Sharma describes a character having a “diameter greater than Jupiter”, or one in death throes,“he was lying on his bed, panting and frantically holding the remote in one hand, as if afraid that his wife would change the channel while his heart raced to a stop” while one does a double take at “He looked like a Jew in a concentration camp, starved and short on any hope.”
The author has in subtle ways brought into the forefront the social issues faced by some of the female characters. What is frustrating is that often the men in their lives are either clueless about them or else too entrenched in social mores to even think of going against them. At these times one is reminded of Camille Paglia’s quote: Patriarchy, routinely blamed for everything, produced the birth control pill, which did more to free contemporary women than feminism itself.
This unbridled spectacle of love, hate and, all other emotions in-between, falls foul of one of the most important aspects of a book. The book stumbles at many, many places on account of the grammatical mistakes that cannot be overlooked because there are so many of them. Run off sentences with the inevitable mismatch of tenses occur too often. At some places, it is the incorrect usage of a word (vows for woes, for example, pg 226) and at others, unsuitable prepositions (sitting on the desk instead of sitting at the desk), that mar the tale. One gets the impression of an editor who ignored the use of a fine-toothed comb at the time of editing this work.
This, alas, drags down a book that is a riveting read and could be much more.
Note: The author was kind enough to provide an autographed copy of the book for review.
This review was written for The Book Club.
July 3, 2022
It is assumed, especially by critics that an author does his research before writing a collection of pages to call it a book itself. This assumption is rewarded in the form gratifying time, entertainment level up to its highest, imagination mingling with words and visualising characters and their peculiarity. This doesn't work for everyone in equal terms but that doesn't mean the assumption has fallen. No, writing is a task, and every writer puts their own effort but due the round nature of earth nothing can be strictly equal.
False Ceiling by Amit Sharma is a story of generations inheriting a secret unknown. The story starts in the mountains of Dalhousie, Shakuntala, a pampered child of a wealthy builder who inherits the secret on her wedding night. She is informed to use it widely at the right time. The series of events occur at new place, in different decade, in different timeline, Shakuntala has her son born and then her grandchildren. The secret is accidentally passed down to her great-grandson after some hundred years who is completely perplexed by it.
The story is a curiosity arousing one. The plot is well defined in terms of events but the manner in which the events occurred is not well suited. It lacks a clear vision of what author wants to present with his characters. Characters are well matured upto the point but are left flat at the same time. In an explicit manner the whole book if the timeline bestowed in a different manner might have made the story more engaging to the reader.
This book won't take much of your time and is not a complex one. The story arouse curiosity in the end pages especially when the secret is about to reveal. Writing style did flatter me, but at times it was as flat as the most parts of the book. The book is well suited for a quick, light reading and won't harm your brain cells.
2 out of 5!
False Ceiling by Amit Sharma is a story of generations inheriting a secret unknown. The story starts in the mountains of Dalhousie, Shakuntala, a pampered child of a wealthy builder who inherits the secret on her wedding night. She is informed to use it widely at the right time. The series of events occur at new place, in different decade, in different timeline, Shakuntala has her son born and then her grandchildren. The secret is accidentally passed down to her great-grandson after some hundred years who is completely perplexed by it.
The story is a curiosity arousing one. The plot is well defined in terms of events but the manner in which the events occurred is not well suited. It lacks a clear vision of what author wants to present with his characters. Characters are well matured upto the point but are left flat at the same time. In an explicit manner the whole book if the timeline bestowed in a different manner might have made the story more engaging to the reader.
This book won't take much of your time and is not a complex one. The story arouse curiosity in the end pages especially when the secret is about to reveal. Writing style did flatter me, but at times it was as flat as the most parts of the book. The book is well suited for a quick, light reading and won't harm your brain cells.
2 out of 5!
June 11, 2020
False Ceilings is a family saga and story of generations inheriting a secret. The story ranges through a vast period starting from pre Independent India and expanding to the futuristic modern era. There are many characters and the author has done a wonderful job in defining and developing each one. They are very much relatable, flawed and do not seem made up.
The language is simple and easy to read. The book is recommended to those who love mature stories that have some depth. This is a book you would not find many first-time writers writing.
Amit's prose flows naturally, soothing at times and troubling at others as he gets under the skin of emotions and issues we normally like to sweep under the carpet. He also leaves clever questions along the way that will make you uncomfortable, will make you pause and look for their answers within. Questions we all can relate to.
For a first-time writer to attempt writing of this scale is commendable. The sheer number of characters and events is mind boggling. He has brought out the dysfunctional family beautifully. I think that is how most families are under the gloss and shine. He has chosen a different style of storytelling wherein he has divided all the characters as if they were the piece of a puzzle and jumbled them up, telling each ones story one by one in a random order.
For me, there are two things that stand out about the book. One is the non - linear narrative that the author very skillfully employs and the other is his stark exploration of the human psyche.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
The language is simple and easy to read. The book is recommended to those who love mature stories that have some depth. This is a book you would not find many first-time writers writing.
Amit's prose flows naturally, soothing at times and troubling at others as he gets under the skin of emotions and issues we normally like to sweep under the carpet. He also leaves clever questions along the way that will make you uncomfortable, will make you pause and look for their answers within. Questions we all can relate to.
For a first-time writer to attempt writing of this scale is commendable. The sheer number of characters and events is mind boggling. He has brought out the dysfunctional family beautifully. I think that is how most families are under the gloss and shine. He has chosen a different style of storytelling wherein he has divided all the characters as if they were the piece of a puzzle and jumbled them up, telling each ones story one by one in a random order.
For me, there are two things that stand out about the book. One is the non - linear narrative that the author very skillfully employs and the other is his stark exploration of the human psyche.
Full review here: https://intheclassroomoflife.blogspot...
April 11, 2016
George Orwell once said, “If you want to keep a secret, you must also hide it from yourself.”
Secrets have great powers; they can make or break even a person’s existence. They are fragile and, should be handled with care. But what if a secret fails to see the light of truth for even over 100 years? What if it was revealed years before? What if-then-else..?
Amit Sharma’s debut novel, False Ceilings, starts with the account of Aaryan, one of the pivotal characters in the book, finding the If-Else statement peculiarly in sync with our life.
Aaryan couldn’t have imagined this epiphany to be his last statement when he died 43 years later.
The Storyline
The story of False Ceilings is stretched through a span of over 130 years; starting from a warm July morning of 1930 to the summer of 2062. The protagonist of the story, Shakuntala, was born on some day of July 1930 in the picturesque valley of Dalhousie. Shankuntala’s mother, Kusum, died while giving birth to her second child marking that to be one of the most crucial points of Shakuntala’s life. Though it was the pre-independence era, in spite of all the opposition from his family, Kusum’s father, Kanshi Ram, admitted her to a convent.
Life took a tumultuous turn for her when her father died in an accident. She was only 10/11 years old at that time. She was brought to her uncle’s home according to her wish and eventually got married within a year. On the evening of her marriage, her uncle handed over her something wrapped in a piece of yellow cloth and advised her to use it as a weapon wisely when the necessity called. The secret takes off the trigger!
Characterization
False Ceilings is a family saga. Apart from the protagonist, Shakuntala, there are 6/7 central characters whose life start and end in the span of 130 years. From the desultory days of pre-independence to the technology boosted, highly-digital futuristic days of 2060, these characters have helped immensely to build up the framework of the story. The story gets its foothold through them; their expectations and worries, happiness and frustration, tension and trepidation.
Each of the characters has been nicely churned out. So much that they walk just in front of you, giving you a sense of meeting them somewhere. The characters are real, very much. The readers perhaps would be able to see glimpses of their own selves in them; making them standing in front of a mirror, stealthily, as if, some secret is up there too.
Just like us, the characters of Manohar, Lipi, Vinod, Aaryan, Meena, are human beings. They have been portrayed in different shades of grey, but never in either black or white. Still, the delineation doesn’t appear drab or monotonous and, there lies the skill of Amit as a writer.
Apart from the central characters, the author has paid diligent attention to the not-so-conspicuous characters as well. I think, characterization is an important literary device and, if the author can use it effectively, she/he is sure to make an impact on the readers.
Amit has expounded on every single character making them three-dimensional and identifiable.
Narrative Technique
This is perhaps the deciding factor of a novel. Most of the writers, restrain themselves from taking a different stride in their debut novel. Amit showed the courage to do that.
Amit’s story starts in medias res; following a non-linear narrative style.
I have a particular fondness for this style, especially because, it leaves a lot to your imagination and, that each chapter leaves a trail…to the next one. The reader must reach the end in order to have all the strings together. False Ceilings has succeeded in doing that for me. Amit even has wonderfully used the ‘stream of consciousness’ style in a few places.
My Verdict
Covering a wide span of time through which the story went was not an easy task for the author. Amit has done elaborate research to make things look plausible and realistic. The mention of Rabindranath Tagore and Subhash Chandra Bose’s stay in Dalhousie clearly shows his painstaking research even for minute details.
Amit didn’t spend many lines to delineate the black days of partition, of people fleeing for their lives, of neighbours murdering each other for the sake of religion; but what he said, were enough to convey the horror of those turbulent times. Similarly, a single incident described through the eyes of 5-year-old Aaryan, and one can at once feel the miasma of events of the historic year of 1984.
I’ve already stated my fondness for the narrative technique followed by Amit, but, this very quality could be a turn-off for some readers. In the first half of the story, things are narrated in a disjointed manner; a constant past-present-future roller coaster and the characters seemingly look as if not connected with each other. Whereas it has intrigued me to find out the interconnection and piqued my interest as a whole, it might just be the opposite for some.
The secret remained wrapped in silence till the very end of the story. But, at a point, the reader reaches a crescendo and wants it to get revealed as a plethora of imagination plays in her/his mind. Sometimes, the story gets a bit drifted from the main plot making it unnecessarily long.
But, trust me, once you are engulfed in the story and delve deeper, you would find it interesting enough.
The cover looks not so appealing at a glance; it’s only after finishing the book the reader is supposed to comprehend the picture on it. So, go by the adage of not judging a book by its cover.
Last but not the least, there are a few typographical errors here and there. But, even a nitpick like me, just ignored them while reading.
It’s a nice read as the first venture of the author. I find it as a great relief from the love-you-with-tears-in-the-eyes stories.
We all have some secrets nicely kept in the cupboard. But some secrets are a kind of prison, it makes us lonely at heart. It promises us nothing but helps us to rear the malice and false pride, sometimes, through generations.
https://maniparna5002.wordpress.com/
Secrets have great powers; they can make or break even a person’s existence. They are fragile and, should be handled with care. But what if a secret fails to see the light of truth for even over 100 years? What if it was revealed years before? What if-then-else..?
Amit Sharma’s debut novel, False Ceilings, starts with the account of Aaryan, one of the pivotal characters in the book, finding the If-Else statement peculiarly in sync with our life.
Aaryan couldn’t have imagined this epiphany to be his last statement when he died 43 years later.
The Storyline
The story of False Ceilings is stretched through a span of over 130 years; starting from a warm July morning of 1930 to the summer of 2062. The protagonist of the story, Shakuntala, was born on some day of July 1930 in the picturesque valley of Dalhousie. Shankuntala’s mother, Kusum, died while giving birth to her second child marking that to be one of the most crucial points of Shakuntala’s life. Though it was the pre-independence era, in spite of all the opposition from his family, Kusum’s father, Kanshi Ram, admitted her to a convent.
Life took a tumultuous turn for her when her father died in an accident. She was only 10/11 years old at that time. She was brought to her uncle’s home according to her wish and eventually got married within a year. On the evening of her marriage, her uncle handed over her something wrapped in a piece of yellow cloth and advised her to use it as a weapon wisely when the necessity called. The secret takes off the trigger!
Characterization
False Ceilings is a family saga. Apart from the protagonist, Shakuntala, there are 6/7 central characters whose life start and end in the span of 130 years. From the desultory days of pre-independence to the technology boosted, highly-digital futuristic days of 2060, these characters have helped immensely to build up the framework of the story. The story gets its foothold through them; their expectations and worries, happiness and frustration, tension and trepidation.
Each of the characters has been nicely churned out. So much that they walk just in front of you, giving you a sense of meeting them somewhere. The characters are real, very much. The readers perhaps would be able to see glimpses of their own selves in them; making them standing in front of a mirror, stealthily, as if, some secret is up there too.
Just like us, the characters of Manohar, Lipi, Vinod, Aaryan, Meena, are human beings. They have been portrayed in different shades of grey, but never in either black or white. Still, the delineation doesn’t appear drab or monotonous and, there lies the skill of Amit as a writer.
Apart from the central characters, the author has paid diligent attention to the not-so-conspicuous characters as well. I think, characterization is an important literary device and, if the author can use it effectively, she/he is sure to make an impact on the readers.
Amit has expounded on every single character making them three-dimensional and identifiable.
Narrative Technique
This is perhaps the deciding factor of a novel. Most of the writers, restrain themselves from taking a different stride in their debut novel. Amit showed the courage to do that.
Amit’s story starts in medias res; following a non-linear narrative style.
I have a particular fondness for this style, especially because, it leaves a lot to your imagination and, that each chapter leaves a trail…to the next one. The reader must reach the end in order to have all the strings together. False Ceilings has succeeded in doing that for me. Amit even has wonderfully used the ‘stream of consciousness’ style in a few places.
My Verdict
Covering a wide span of time through which the story went was not an easy task for the author. Amit has done elaborate research to make things look plausible and realistic. The mention of Rabindranath Tagore and Subhash Chandra Bose’s stay in Dalhousie clearly shows his painstaking research even for minute details.
Amit didn’t spend many lines to delineate the black days of partition, of people fleeing for their lives, of neighbours murdering each other for the sake of religion; but what he said, were enough to convey the horror of those turbulent times. Similarly, a single incident described through the eyes of 5-year-old Aaryan, and one can at once feel the miasma of events of the historic year of 1984.
I’ve already stated my fondness for the narrative technique followed by Amit, but, this very quality could be a turn-off for some readers. In the first half of the story, things are narrated in a disjointed manner; a constant past-present-future roller coaster and the characters seemingly look as if not connected with each other. Whereas it has intrigued me to find out the interconnection and piqued my interest as a whole, it might just be the opposite for some.
The secret remained wrapped in silence till the very end of the story. But, at a point, the reader reaches a crescendo and wants it to get revealed as a plethora of imagination plays in her/his mind. Sometimes, the story gets a bit drifted from the main plot making it unnecessarily long.
But, trust me, once you are engulfed in the story and delve deeper, you would find it interesting enough.
The cover looks not so appealing at a glance; it’s only after finishing the book the reader is supposed to comprehend the picture on it. So, go by the adage of not judging a book by its cover.
Last but not the least, there are a few typographical errors here and there. But, even a nitpick like me, just ignored them while reading.
It’s a nice read as the first venture of the author. I find it as a great relief from the love-you-with-tears-in-the-eyes stories.
We all have some secrets nicely kept in the cupboard. But some secrets are a kind of prison, it makes us lonely at heart. It promises us nothing but helps us to rear the malice and false pride, sometimes, through generations.
https://maniparna5002.wordpress.com/
February 27, 2016
Amit Sharma has been one of my favorite bloggers . I started reading him some where in 2012 at mashed musings which has now moved to http://amit-sharma.co.in/blog/ and instantly became a fan. The humour, plethora of emotions , his opinions on sensitive topics which were most of the times in sync with mine, his daddy diaries and many more write ups kept me always glued to his blog. So when I came to know that his book, False Ceilings got published , it was just natural to think of buying it. I was highly elated when Amit sent me a copy of False Ceilings. I would anyway have bought it but the personalised copy made the book more special. With out much ado let me share how I felt while reading the book.
Story line and my Review
The book starts with Aaryan and his , "if - else" statement amusing the readers as they will start thinking, what it is all about. Amit grabs your absolute attention from the very first page and some where the coder in him seemed wide awake. Page by page he connects you to all real life scenarios and tragedies where the if-else happens zillion times! The book keeps oscillating between different eras. In total, there are four different eras, pre independence , just after independence, 1980s and the years spanning from 2017-2060. However different the eras and modes of living are, it all gets hazy as so many emotions seem similar. The chapters flow seamlessly from one era to another but bemuse the reader as so many characters start dancing infront of him . When the puzzled reader uses all his might to connect the dots, there comes the secret wrapped in yellow cloth which does a parade on mind. 1980s and the then NewDelhi are perfectly captured. The book increased my awareness on tragic events which happened in our country years back, like for instance, I came across Operation Blue star in the book and understood thoroughly what it is for the first time! The scenic beauty of Dalhousie of 1930s and also the later decades is also captured so wonderfully!
The secret which is passed on between the generations intrigues the readers. For a moment I felt, some sci-fi secret is embedded in it due to the tragic consequences it supposedly leads to, but unleashing the secret was a surprise to me. The suspense in the story was kept intact till the last page. Ultimately I realised that hatred , jealousy and obsession are the open secrets which can destroy the harmony and hamper the bonds in a family. Be it a family or the nation it was shown realistically how open rebuke can lead to severe damage! The blurb gives a peek in to what the book would be narrating and the reader travels from the narrow passages between the hills in Dalhousie, to the busy Connaught place of Delhi and also can visualise the sikh riots and the terror the country faced in 1984. As we enter the futuristic era of 2017-60s, where everything is fast paced , where our soups are in the form of capsules, I wondered has everything actually changed. Aren't the emotions, the love, hatred and confusion still the same ?
Be it Shakuntala , Meena , Lipi or Manohar , Vinod and Aryan , some traits are just passed on from generation to generation. There were junctures when all characters looked extremely blurry to me but then everything falls in to place and head gets clear as the book ends. Other than the entangled human emotions, there is so much more to know from pre independence and post independence eras. The book also reflects the scenario where when one is a continuous victim to other's venomous mind and caustic tongue there is a fair chance that they become venomous too!
All in all , the book makes a great read and will not disappoint you at all. Only desire I had was to know more about the futuristic time-zone - of 2060s. I would have loved to know and imagine more about the technology and how things worked after 50+ years but in any century humans will be humans is the crux of the story! Who knows you may search for your own false ceiling and try decoding the deeply embedded secrets of your life once you finish the book :) ?
I am awed as it is just Amit's first book. I wish more power to his pen and good luck for all his future works! For a detailed review visit http://afshan-shaik.blogspot.in/2016/...
Story line and my Review
The book starts with Aaryan and his , "if - else" statement amusing the readers as they will start thinking, what it is all about. Amit grabs your absolute attention from the very first page and some where the coder in him seemed wide awake. Page by page he connects you to all real life scenarios and tragedies where the if-else happens zillion times! The book keeps oscillating between different eras. In total, there are four different eras, pre independence , just after independence, 1980s and the years spanning from 2017-2060. However different the eras and modes of living are, it all gets hazy as so many emotions seem similar. The chapters flow seamlessly from one era to another but bemuse the reader as so many characters start dancing infront of him . When the puzzled reader uses all his might to connect the dots, there comes the secret wrapped in yellow cloth which does a parade on mind. 1980s and the then NewDelhi are perfectly captured. The book increased my awareness on tragic events which happened in our country years back, like for instance, I came across Operation Blue star in the book and understood thoroughly what it is for the first time! The scenic beauty of Dalhousie of 1930s and also the later decades is also captured so wonderfully!
The secret which is passed on between the generations intrigues the readers. For a moment I felt, some sci-fi secret is embedded in it due to the tragic consequences it supposedly leads to, but unleashing the secret was a surprise to me. The suspense in the story was kept intact till the last page. Ultimately I realised that hatred , jealousy and obsession are the open secrets which can destroy the harmony and hamper the bonds in a family. Be it a family or the nation it was shown realistically how open rebuke can lead to severe damage! The blurb gives a peek in to what the book would be narrating and the reader travels from the narrow passages between the hills in Dalhousie, to the busy Connaught place of Delhi and also can visualise the sikh riots and the terror the country faced in 1984. As we enter the futuristic era of 2017-60s, where everything is fast paced , where our soups are in the form of capsules, I wondered has everything actually changed. Aren't the emotions, the love, hatred and confusion still the same ?
Be it Shakuntala , Meena , Lipi or Manohar , Vinod and Aryan , some traits are just passed on from generation to generation. There were junctures when all characters looked extremely blurry to me but then everything falls in to place and head gets clear as the book ends. Other than the entangled human emotions, there is so much more to know from pre independence and post independence eras. The book also reflects the scenario where when one is a continuous victim to other's venomous mind and caustic tongue there is a fair chance that they become venomous too!
All in all , the book makes a great read and will not disappoint you at all. Only desire I had was to know more about the futuristic time-zone - of 2060s. I would have loved to know and imagine more about the technology and how things worked after 50+ years but in any century humans will be humans is the crux of the story! Who knows you may search for your own false ceiling and try decoding the deeply embedded secrets of your life once you finish the book :) ?
I am awed as it is just Amit's first book. I wish more power to his pen and good luck for all his future works! For a detailed review visit http://afshan-shaik.blogspot.in/2016/...
May 11, 2016
False Ceilings is a gripping tale of a dysfunctional family and their secret that passed on through generations.
Born in the lush mountains of Dalhousie in 1930, Shakuntala is a pampered child of a wealthy builder. On her wedding night, she is gifted a bundle covered in yellow cloth, to use wisely when the time is right. But then she keeps it as secret forever which is then passed on through generations. The story spans more than a century and when her great grandson accidentally discovers that secret in 2065, he is perplexed by the malice that flowed in his family's blood. Not only him, but that secret also baffles us.
It is commendable that Amit Sharma has chosen such a complex story line for his debut novel. However complex it is, his narration makes it crafty and the pace was good enough to keep the readers arrested till the end.
The cover page and title becomes meaningful only after we start reading the story. This book is basically a family saga in which the story continually shifts between future, past and the present. I enjoy non linear narration and this style adds charm to the book. The author cleverly maintains the suspense by not revealing the characters and their relationships. So at the beginning, we don't know who is who and how they are related. But as the story oscillates back and forth, we understand what's going on in their lives.
Few mysterious references at the beginning and the family's domestic issues took the story forward. Then at one point, it struck me who they really were. This narrative technique worked seamlessly for this plot. At first, the author kept me wondering and then challenged me and finally threw some light. And that's when I could connect all the dots.
The entire story is like a jigsaw puzzle, where we connect the pieces one after another, finding the missing part much later and at the end the whole story makes a lot of sense. The narration might be confusing to some, but I enjoyed it to the core. I think this particular writing style adds the thrill factor to the book.
Some dialogues were really well done and the writing was profound. At few places I noticed something was not right and felt a bit dragging too. I loved the characterization. Each characters has their own flaws with unique identity and that makes them real. There's no lead character but everyone is pivotal. They all are connected with one family secret, knowingly and unknowingly.
Since the story sets in different era, the as much as necessary mentions of few real life eventsadded essence to that particular period. The descriptive prose brought out the beauty of both Dalhousie and Delhi. I was mesmerized by the sunset at Dalhousie as much as I enjoyed the never ending and bustling Delhi.
As the story evolves, it stirred my curiosity to know what could be that secret they were trying to hide. On the go, I witnessed love, hatred, jealousy, selfishness, envy and insecurities among the family members and how they transform as they get older. When the story travels to the future, many things have changed for better and easy lifestyle, but ironically, human emotions remain the same. There's a tinge of sadness and regrets throughout but the mystery alone makes the book intriguing and unputdownable. When I discovered what's inside that yellow cloth at last, I was dumbfounded.
Apart from the characters, the almirah plays an important role in the book. That almirah has seen and also became a reason for the deaths of the family members. What is in it? What secret it beholds? False Ceilings has all the answers.
On the whole, False Ceilings is a great story of a disturbing family silsila which might lead us to our own secrets.
Born in the lush mountains of Dalhousie in 1930, Shakuntala is a pampered child of a wealthy builder. On her wedding night, she is gifted a bundle covered in yellow cloth, to use wisely when the time is right. But then she keeps it as secret forever which is then passed on through generations. The story spans more than a century and when her great grandson accidentally discovers that secret in 2065, he is perplexed by the malice that flowed in his family's blood. Not only him, but that secret also baffles us.
It is commendable that Amit Sharma has chosen such a complex story line for his debut novel. However complex it is, his narration makes it crafty and the pace was good enough to keep the readers arrested till the end.
The cover page and title becomes meaningful only after we start reading the story. This book is basically a family saga in which the story continually shifts between future, past and the present. I enjoy non linear narration and this style adds charm to the book. The author cleverly maintains the suspense by not revealing the characters and their relationships. So at the beginning, we don't know who is who and how they are related. But as the story oscillates back and forth, we understand what's going on in their lives.
Few mysterious references at the beginning and the family's domestic issues took the story forward. Then at one point, it struck me who they really were. This narrative technique worked seamlessly for this plot. At first, the author kept me wondering and then challenged me and finally threw some light. And that's when I could connect all the dots.
The entire story is like a jigsaw puzzle, where we connect the pieces one after another, finding the missing part much later and at the end the whole story makes a lot of sense. The narration might be confusing to some, but I enjoyed it to the core. I think this particular writing style adds the thrill factor to the book.
Some dialogues were really well done and the writing was profound. At few places I noticed something was not right and felt a bit dragging too. I loved the characterization. Each characters has their own flaws with unique identity and that makes them real. There's no lead character but everyone is pivotal. They all are connected with one family secret, knowingly and unknowingly.
Since the story sets in different era, the as much as necessary mentions of few real life eventsadded essence to that particular period. The descriptive prose brought out the beauty of both Dalhousie and Delhi. I was mesmerized by the sunset at Dalhousie as much as I enjoyed the never ending and bustling Delhi.
As the story evolves, it stirred my curiosity to know what could be that secret they were trying to hide. On the go, I witnessed love, hatred, jealousy, selfishness, envy and insecurities among the family members and how they transform as they get older. When the story travels to the future, many things have changed for better and easy lifestyle, but ironically, human emotions remain the same. There's a tinge of sadness and regrets throughout but the mystery alone makes the book intriguing and unputdownable. When I discovered what's inside that yellow cloth at last, I was dumbfounded.
Apart from the characters, the almirah plays an important role in the book. That almirah has seen and also became a reason for the deaths of the family members. What is in it? What secret it beholds? False Ceilings has all the answers.
On the whole, False Ceilings is a great story of a disturbing family silsila which might lead us to our own secrets.
February 3, 2016
'False Ceilings' is based on a grand premise. I say grand because the blurb emphatically promises mystery, changing histories and new geographies. It also hints at some destructive secret ‘accidentally’ passed down many generations in the family that he has written about.
In just 10 pages all elements of ‘False Ceilings’ come through. We sense suspense and see mysterious objects. We notice how the context is spread across ages and we are introduced to two main of the many characters in the book, struggling to reconcile what’s gone, what is and what could be. The stage is set!
But as you read on, impatient for the mystery to unravel, it hits you! The creation of it is but a ruse to make you read a story that contains so many of our stories within it – of families, our lives, our insecurities, our deeds-misdeeds, our false ceilings of hope and expectations, our despair, our reactions, our loves, our losses and finally our goodbyes. At the core of ‘False Ceilings’, then, is the human drama of ‘life’. It is then that you stop chewing your nails in bated anticipation of the wooden Almirah showing you the secret package, and fully realize what makes ‘False Ceilings’ what it is.
The complex plot is delivered rather cleverly. The reader is made to jump (in not so straight lines) between Flashbacks and Flashforwards such that neither the meticulous arrangement of the sequence of the stories nor the neat tying up of various threads at the end is compromised. This deft arrangement grips the reader in an experience where she is continuously being challenged to draw the family tree to know son from father and daughter from grandmother. This guesswork continues right till the end of the book, where the character names are revealed so matter-of-factly that you cannot but commend Amit for the nonchalant style of revelation. Almost as if he worked hard to first confuse, then challenge and then tease the reader with a ‘pay attention or you miss it!’ style. What adds to the narration is the hold of suspense, a grip which does slacken to get lost in the main events of the family drama, but never dies.
The book is strong on context, placing characters in varied geographies drawn to the tee, from Dalhousie of the 1920s to a future where soups are made by ‘mixing capsules’. Amit seems to have researched the past well and imagined the future plausibly in order to document the flux of time and the passing of ages, an idea central to a saga. References to real historical events are used to map time too.
You may wonder if this crafty arrangement of the plot is well suited for the theme of the book, or better suited for a crime thriller. But one has got to acknowledge, putting aside the few problems the book has, the extent, both of the honest-to-life story and life’s philosophy behind it, which this debut contains. A mature book within which you may find your own story. Be aware that within it you may find your own false ceiling too!
[Read the full review here - http://www.sakshinanda.com/2016/02/fa...#]
In just 10 pages all elements of ‘False Ceilings’ come through. We sense suspense and see mysterious objects. We notice how the context is spread across ages and we are introduced to two main of the many characters in the book, struggling to reconcile what’s gone, what is and what could be. The stage is set!
But as you read on, impatient for the mystery to unravel, it hits you! The creation of it is but a ruse to make you read a story that contains so many of our stories within it – of families, our lives, our insecurities, our deeds-misdeeds, our false ceilings of hope and expectations, our despair, our reactions, our loves, our losses and finally our goodbyes. At the core of ‘False Ceilings’, then, is the human drama of ‘life’. It is then that you stop chewing your nails in bated anticipation of the wooden Almirah showing you the secret package, and fully realize what makes ‘False Ceilings’ what it is.
The complex plot is delivered rather cleverly. The reader is made to jump (in not so straight lines) between Flashbacks and Flashforwards such that neither the meticulous arrangement of the sequence of the stories nor the neat tying up of various threads at the end is compromised. This deft arrangement grips the reader in an experience where she is continuously being challenged to draw the family tree to know son from father and daughter from grandmother. This guesswork continues right till the end of the book, where the character names are revealed so matter-of-factly that you cannot but commend Amit for the nonchalant style of revelation. Almost as if he worked hard to first confuse, then challenge and then tease the reader with a ‘pay attention or you miss it!’ style. What adds to the narration is the hold of suspense, a grip which does slacken to get lost in the main events of the family drama, but never dies.
The book is strong on context, placing characters in varied geographies drawn to the tee, from Dalhousie of the 1920s to a future where soups are made by ‘mixing capsules’. Amit seems to have researched the past well and imagined the future plausibly in order to document the flux of time and the passing of ages, an idea central to a saga. References to real historical events are used to map time too.
You may wonder if this crafty arrangement of the plot is well suited for the theme of the book, or better suited for a crime thriller. But one has got to acknowledge, putting aside the few problems the book has, the extent, both of the honest-to-life story and life’s philosophy behind it, which this debut contains. A mature book within which you may find your own story. Be aware that within it you may find your own false ceiling too!
[Read the full review here - http://www.sakshinanda.com/2016/02/fa...#]
May 12, 2016
Book title: False Ceilings
Author: Amit Sharma
Genre: Fiction
No. of pages: 256
Price: Rs. 295
Publisher: LiFi Publications
Book blurb: Born in the lush mountains of Dalhousie in 1930, Shakuntala is a pampered child of a wealthy builder. On her wedding night she is gifted a secret to use wisely when the time comes.
From the green valleys of Dalhousie to a village in Punjab reeling under the communal violence of 1947; from the Delhi of 1950s with its intoxicating smell of freedom to the Delhi of 1970s soaked in the hippie culture; from the Delhi of 1984 smelling of burnt tyres to the Delhi of 90s raising its Frankenstein of urbanization, the cancerous secret breathes with her, infects her. It is accidentally passed down, hidden under insecurities and jealousies, locked in its meaninglessness and leaving a trail of ruin.
When her great- grandson accidentally discovers the secret in 2065, he is perplexed by the malice that flowed in his family's blood. Was it just the secret or his family would have destroyed itself even in its absence? Why was their love never greater than their unsaid expectations from each other?
The review
The entire plot is spanned over generations and decades of changing times, circumstances and lifestyles. The author has managed to handle the time span with a non-linear style of narration which adds a touch of deliberate confusion and intrigue. As you come across more and more characters as you read the book, you understand the risk the writer has taken in juggling do many of them. For a first time writer, I must say that Amit Sharma has performed the feat well. The blurb and the initial chapters build up the required curiosity for a reader to move forward in anticipation of the revelation of the mystery. It gives you a feeling of sitting in a time capsule and travelling between the past and the future. The ride gets a little bumpy in between when the transition is not as smooth as it should be, but overall it is a nice ride nevertheless.
What I loved the most
I loved the non-linear narration and the research that the author has done to make the events look credible. Hard work and dedication show. Good attempt by a new author!
What felt not-so-good
The transition between time frames is not smooth at a few places. Typos could have been avoided with better editing. The curiosity that is built up by the blurb and the beginning of the book is not satiated by the revelation of the mystery which is not as grand as you expect it to be.
The final verdict
I received a free copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review but I am glad I read the book. I shall look forward to Amit Sharma's next work as his writing shows a promise of growth.
Rating
3/5
The author
Amit Sharma, M.Tech in Computer Science, is working as a Software Engineer in Tata Consultancy Services(TCS). His wife is a teacher and they are blessed with a two year old daughter. This is Amit Sharma's first book as an author.
May 17, 2016
This family saga starts with the character of Aaryan and his muse – ‘The If-Else statement’. He comes across as an eccentric and cynical in a way and has the traits of his grandmother. This story indeed is a saga because we realize that a Mother-in-law torturing a Daughter-in-law too transcends time! Ironically, every female character (Shakuntala,Radha Devi) are innocent and strong headed with traits of a protagonist at the beginning but then end up as antagonists in another character’s life!
The imagery invoked by the lines and descriptions in the story especially when describing Dalhousie and the various wars -with not much fuss,is highly commendable.A reader is bound to be transported to that particular time frame described in the story- thanks to the minute detailing of the scenes,TV shows , riots and political atmosphere.Some of the similes and metaphors used are hilarious as well as thought provoking.I am quoting the following lines to support this view of mine :
“It was like sharing her favourite piece of jewellery with a notorious kleptomaniac.”
“He looked like a Jew in a concentration camp,starved and short on any hope.”
The writer’s views as below- on politics and religion through the characters are blatantly honest!
“Earlier,there was a struggle to acquire land, to have something that we can call our own.Now there is a struggle to acquire people for a religion.It’s like the Olympics.”
The story follows a non-linear pattern,which some of the readers might not be able to relate to. Also,the climax is not as exciting and gripping as the rest of the story. I so wished ,the book was devoid of errors that played spoilsport at some places and also the quality of paper could have been on the appreciable end! The book cover does not do justice either to a wonderful place like Dalhousie nor is it as intriguing as the storyline.However,the writer must be appreciated for having opted to this pattern of story-narration and cascading through the portrayal of the characters with ease,in-spite of this being his debut!
Do grab a copy to read this exciting story spanning across a century with myriad characters and characteristics concealed in ‘False Ceilings’!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and give it a rating of 4 / 5 !
Title : False Ceilings
Author: Amit Sharma
Genre: Fiction/ Saga
Total Pages:256
Publishers: LiFi Publications
I received a free copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
The imagery invoked by the lines and descriptions in the story especially when describing Dalhousie and the various wars -with not much fuss,is highly commendable.A reader is bound to be transported to that particular time frame described in the story- thanks to the minute detailing of the scenes,TV shows , riots and political atmosphere.Some of the similes and metaphors used are hilarious as well as thought provoking.I am quoting the following lines to support this view of mine :
“It was like sharing her favourite piece of jewellery with a notorious kleptomaniac.”
“He looked like a Jew in a concentration camp,starved and short on any hope.”
The writer’s views as below- on politics and religion through the characters are blatantly honest!
“Earlier,there was a struggle to acquire land, to have something that we can call our own.Now there is a struggle to acquire people for a religion.It’s like the Olympics.”
The story follows a non-linear pattern,which some of the readers might not be able to relate to. Also,the climax is not as exciting and gripping as the rest of the story. I so wished ,the book was devoid of errors that played spoilsport at some places and also the quality of paper could have been on the appreciable end! The book cover does not do justice either to a wonderful place like Dalhousie nor is it as intriguing as the storyline.However,the writer must be appreciated for having opted to this pattern of story-narration and cascading through the portrayal of the characters with ease,in-spite of this being his debut!
Do grab a copy to read this exciting story spanning across a century with myriad characters and characteristics concealed in ‘False Ceilings’!
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the book and give it a rating of 4 / 5 !
Title : False Ceilings
Author: Amit Sharma
Genre: Fiction/ Saga
Total Pages:256
Publishers: LiFi Publications
I received a free copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
June 14, 2016
False Ceilings is a family saga, a story of a family spanning through generations and how actions of one generation has an impact on the future generations. The story is set between a vast time period, starting from the somewhere in the 1930s and culminating in highly-digital and technologically advanced and futuristic the 2060s. Central to the story is a secret that is guarded superstitiously and is is held upon tightly by generations of family members. This secret binds the family together as well as destroys them too.
The interesting aspect of False Ceilings is that there is not just one protagonist in the story but a whole lot of them. Each character is introduced in a separate chapter and their life story reads like a biography. Though this a story of a family that is linking generations, the introduction of the characters is not in a chronological fashion. So each character’s trials and tribulations, feelings and emotions, aspirations and expectations, events and culture of his/her era are narrated spanning through different time periods and age group of people too. This non-linear progression of story from future to past to present to future… is not smooth which created some confusion and I had to re-read a few things again to get a clear perspective.
While the curiosity of the family secret kept me to turn the pages of False Ceilings one after the other, the book through the multiple characters of the family also explores relationships and human psyche. Through their hatred, dissatisfactions, misunderstandings, frustrations, memories, fears and worries, the characters come to life beautifully. Amit has done a commendable job is etching these characters.
The story keeps flitting between Dalhousie and Delhi. The author painted the beauty of these places so vividly that the hills, the sunsets, the hustle and bustle or the quiet of the night, that I felt that I was there and experiencing it all too.
The story did not have some great twists and turns but still kept the reader in me engaged and interested. The climax was what disappointed me. The secret which lay wrapped in a yellow cloth in a cupboard with false ceiling and was passed from one generation to the other, when is revealed did not give an Aha! or a Wow moment to me.
Overall, False Ceilings is an entertaining read with a storyline that is different from the regular and characters that are close to reality. Go for it!
http://shilpaagarg.com/2016/06/false-...
The interesting aspect of False Ceilings is that there is not just one protagonist in the story but a whole lot of them. Each character is introduced in a separate chapter and their life story reads like a biography. Though this a story of a family that is linking generations, the introduction of the characters is not in a chronological fashion. So each character’s trials and tribulations, feelings and emotions, aspirations and expectations, events and culture of his/her era are narrated spanning through different time periods and age group of people too. This non-linear progression of story from future to past to present to future… is not smooth which created some confusion and I had to re-read a few things again to get a clear perspective.
While the curiosity of the family secret kept me to turn the pages of False Ceilings one after the other, the book through the multiple characters of the family also explores relationships and human psyche. Through their hatred, dissatisfactions, misunderstandings, frustrations, memories, fears and worries, the characters come to life beautifully. Amit has done a commendable job is etching these characters.
The story keeps flitting between Dalhousie and Delhi. The author painted the beauty of these places so vividly that the hills, the sunsets, the hustle and bustle or the quiet of the night, that I felt that I was there and experiencing it all too.
The story did not have some great twists and turns but still kept the reader in me engaged and interested. The climax was what disappointed me. The secret which lay wrapped in a yellow cloth in a cupboard with false ceiling and was passed from one generation to the other, when is revealed did not give an Aha! or a Wow moment to me.
Overall, False Ceilings is an entertaining read with a storyline that is different from the regular and characters that are close to reality. Go for it!
http://shilpaagarg.com/2016/06/false-...
November 15, 2017
Author Amit Sharma's book, False Ceilings, I have to admit, is a pleasant surprise in terms of how strongly it makes you feel nostalgic and want to go back to reading history as soon as possible. The summary at the back of the book provides a certain level of intrigue that is added to by the muted impressiveness of the front cover.
The story, though a little too unnecessarily descriptive in its earlier pages, turns into one that you simply cannot put down. You just start craving for more at one point. The book captures human emotions with an ease and diligence that is astounding in its own little myriad ways. I loved the fact that author Amit Sharma has mixed and blended the stories and timelines so well that it is easy to read despite being so disparate.
It is obvious that the book required quite a bit of research and it is also obvious as to how well the research has been done and the results of the research implemented. Every character's story in the book fills you with an angst and pain that comes with a sense of identification.
The characters are shaped and molded extremely well. When a character feels disdain, it spills over to you. When a character feels joy, you're joyous too. When a character is pained, you hurt too. Character sketching, being one of the most important parts of a story, is done brilliantly and heart-wrenchingly well. False Ceilings has the power to make you cringe, make you identify with it, and make you feel just a tad bit wistful.
The only complaint that I have with False Ceilings is that it comes off as a slightly jarred narrative when it comes to sentence construction. But what it contains less of in this section, it more than makes up for in the plot and character sketches. Not that the sentence construction is bad, but it could definitely have been better. False Ceilings has a number of characters, well-sketched and well-written, whose paths cross often. But in the end, when you look at the larger picture, it all suddenly makes so much more sense.
Finishing this book left me in awe of the impeccable manner in which the author wove the plot, with so many nuances and strongholds. Excellent storyline, brilliantly woven, author Amit Sharma!
Review also posted at: https://themelodramaticbookworm.wordp...
The story, though a little too unnecessarily descriptive in its earlier pages, turns into one that you simply cannot put down. You just start craving for more at one point. The book captures human emotions with an ease and diligence that is astounding in its own little myriad ways. I loved the fact that author Amit Sharma has mixed and blended the stories and timelines so well that it is easy to read despite being so disparate.
It is obvious that the book required quite a bit of research and it is also obvious as to how well the research has been done and the results of the research implemented. Every character's story in the book fills you with an angst and pain that comes with a sense of identification.
The characters are shaped and molded extremely well. When a character feels disdain, it spills over to you. When a character feels joy, you're joyous too. When a character is pained, you hurt too. Character sketching, being one of the most important parts of a story, is done brilliantly and heart-wrenchingly well. False Ceilings has the power to make you cringe, make you identify with it, and make you feel just a tad bit wistful.
The only complaint that I have with False Ceilings is that it comes off as a slightly jarred narrative when it comes to sentence construction. But what it contains less of in this section, it more than makes up for in the plot and character sketches. Not that the sentence construction is bad, but it could definitely have been better. False Ceilings has a number of characters, well-sketched and well-written, whose paths cross often. But in the end, when you look at the larger picture, it all suddenly makes so much more sense.
Finishing this book left me in awe of the impeccable manner in which the author wove the plot, with so many nuances and strongholds. Excellent storyline, brilliantly woven, author Amit Sharma!
Review also posted at: https://themelodramaticbookworm.wordp...
August 15, 2016
What do you look for in a good book? An engrossing plot? A good writing style? A curiosity for the ending?
This book had it all. I can't imagine the work hours the writer must have put in this first book of his. As I flipped through each page I was amazed at the care with which each detail was mentioned.
It's a story of five generations - one secret traverses through the lives, cursing their lives, ruining what could have been for them.
The novel, if written with all the details the writer must have had in his mind about the characters and their feelings, would have been worth more than some 500 pages, I feel.
I loved it how the story unfurled - relating it with the country's condition from 1930s to 1950s to the present and the future. I loved it how my grey cells struggled to know the secret when I knew I could just check the last page and put an end to my questions but I didn't for the stories of the five generations were worth going through.
Five generations imply a lot of characters and a reader may easily forget about one character or two - but not for this novel. The book first describes each character and their story in separate chapters at first making me realize who is who, yet veiling the fact who is who for who. I kept wondering how these different set of people could be related to one secret covered with a yellow cloth, hidden far away from them.
The answers lied in the latter part of the book - as the connections became apparent; the various characters now became people with normal lives, with normal relationships - imperfect and difficult. Eventually the reasons of each decision taken were revealed and in the end, the heart-rending secret.
I have loved books with ironical endings - you get what you need only when you don't need it, when every effort put in seems vain, every tear rolled was a waste of emotion, every question asked was nothing but a rhetorical. I loved this one a lot for the story and a lot more for the ending, for it made me whine, it made me angry, it made me sad, it made me talk to my friends about the book although they haven't read the book.
There aren't a lot of books that leave an imprint on you, but this one surely did for me. Happy Reading!
This book had it all. I can't imagine the work hours the writer must have put in this first book of his. As I flipped through each page I was amazed at the care with which each detail was mentioned.
It's a story of five generations - one secret traverses through the lives, cursing their lives, ruining what could have been for them.
The novel, if written with all the details the writer must have had in his mind about the characters and their feelings, would have been worth more than some 500 pages, I feel.
I loved it how the story unfurled - relating it with the country's condition from 1930s to 1950s to the present and the future. I loved it how my grey cells struggled to know the secret when I knew I could just check the last page and put an end to my questions but I didn't for the stories of the five generations were worth going through.
Five generations imply a lot of characters and a reader may easily forget about one character or two - but not for this novel. The book first describes each character and their story in separate chapters at first making me realize who is who, yet veiling the fact who is who for who. I kept wondering how these different set of people could be related to one secret covered with a yellow cloth, hidden far away from them.
The answers lied in the latter part of the book - as the connections became apparent; the various characters now became people with normal lives, with normal relationships - imperfect and difficult. Eventually the reasons of each decision taken were revealed and in the end, the heart-rending secret.
I have loved books with ironical endings - you get what you need only when you don't need it, when every effort put in seems vain, every tear rolled was a waste of emotion, every question asked was nothing but a rhetorical. I loved this one a lot for the story and a lot more for the ending, for it made me whine, it made me angry, it made me sad, it made me talk to my friends about the book although they haven't read the book.
There aren't a lot of books that leave an imprint on you, but this one surely did for me. Happy Reading!
May 19, 2016
A story set in the beautiful town of Dalhousie spanning across generations – must make for an interesting read I mused before picking it up. The cover and the title both were in contradiction with the blurb a bit. An old radio and an almirah isn’t exactly much to go on is it? This is exactly what attracted me to the book!
Plot
The story is set in Dalhousie and Delhi. It traces the lives of four generations of people from a family. The writer weaves history and culture into the story which simply ended up helping the writer building up the story. The story as such focuses much on human emotions, behavior and actions. Each emotion, behavior and action is substantiated either by another emotion or action or incident. In fact, the story was more like a Cause and Effect matrix explained literally (It’s the best I can associate with, programming C&E matrix is my day job you see).
Narration & Characterization
With non-linear narration and an abstract theme, this book wasn’t definitely one easy read. The transition between time lines and characters were a bit too abrupt for my taste. The story was simply too slowly paced with characters being killed off at regular intervals. The characterization however was simply too good. In fact, I felt the writer focused too much on the characters and their aspirations and ended up losing focus on pacing. The detailing of historical events, emotions associated with them, their impact on characters and the characterization prevented me from putting down the book. It was evident that the writer researched a lot about various topics including the partition and the local history of Dalhousie. ‘Exquisite’ would be the apt word to describe the writing in general. If only the story had more proper twists and turns! The secret which the writer reveals in the end was something quite wicked in an aesthetic sense. Sadly, thanks to extremely slow pace to reach that big reveal, the secret lost that bang factor. Thankfully though, the secret wasn’t predictable. In fact, I kept waiting for a supernatural element to come into to play, which obviously didn’t happen.
MY SAY: A good literary read.
RATING: 4/5
Plot
The story is set in Dalhousie and Delhi. It traces the lives of four generations of people from a family. The writer weaves history and culture into the story which simply ended up helping the writer building up the story. The story as such focuses much on human emotions, behavior and actions. Each emotion, behavior and action is substantiated either by another emotion or action or incident. In fact, the story was more like a Cause and Effect matrix explained literally (It’s the best I can associate with, programming C&E matrix is my day job you see).
Narration & Characterization
With non-linear narration and an abstract theme, this book wasn’t definitely one easy read. The transition between time lines and characters were a bit too abrupt for my taste. The story was simply too slowly paced with characters being killed off at regular intervals. The characterization however was simply too good. In fact, I felt the writer focused too much on the characters and their aspirations and ended up losing focus on pacing. The detailing of historical events, emotions associated with them, their impact on characters and the characterization prevented me from putting down the book. It was evident that the writer researched a lot about various topics including the partition and the local history of Dalhousie. ‘Exquisite’ would be the apt word to describe the writing in general. If only the story had more proper twists and turns! The secret which the writer reveals in the end was something quite wicked in an aesthetic sense. Sadly, thanks to extremely slow pace to reach that big reveal, the secret lost that bang factor. Thankfully though, the secret wasn’t predictable. In fact, I kept waiting for a supernatural element to come into to play, which obviously didn’t happen.
MY SAY: A good literary read.
RATING: 4/5
June 6, 2016
‘False Ceilings’ is a family saga spanning five generations, set from Dalhousie to Delhi, from yesteryears to our future. Yes, it also gives a glimpse of how the future world would be; complete with sensors and gadgets operating with voice commands. The story is centered around Shakuntala and her love and dedication for her father. Author has packed quite a number of years, events, families and characters in 256 pages. Everything is bound by a secret which key member of the family harbors.
The novel starts with an intriguing event when a character Aaryan is writing a software algorithm in 2001, it moves to old Lipi in 2060 and then moves to Shankuntala’s birth. After that it jumps to other characters; one in each chapter. The stories are narrated like standalone biographies of characters with no connection with each other. Each of these are in separate time zones with focus on the main character’s emotions, problems, effect of events on their lives integrated with culture and era of those years.
Author has good grasp on scenic descriptions and the picturesque Dalhousie and Delhi invite right kind of images, maintaining the interest of the readers.
Characterization of each protagonists is deftly dealt with, and is the best part of the book. Though most of the characters and emotions are negative—bordering on hatred, anger and depression, it does keep the reader interested. Each characters life, behavior and emotions are expertly intertwined with subsequent era’s culture, happenings and events, even the political events. Full marks to the author for research.
The non-linear narration going back and forth in time, creates a bit of a confusion in the middle. The transition between the timelines is abrupt and towards the end one has to read a few things again to get the family tree straight. The only thing which keeps one going is to know the secret wrapped in the yellow cloth.
Coming to the secret which kept me hooked, but it kind of fell flat after such a prolong non-sequential narration. It left me a bit dissatisfied. The author has used complex vocabulary, at times usage is incorrect in the context, needing a good round of editing.
A good debut attempt.
The novel starts with an intriguing event when a character Aaryan is writing a software algorithm in 2001, it moves to old Lipi in 2060 and then moves to Shankuntala’s birth. After that it jumps to other characters; one in each chapter. The stories are narrated like standalone biographies of characters with no connection with each other. Each of these are in separate time zones with focus on the main character’s emotions, problems, effect of events on their lives integrated with culture and era of those years.
Author has good grasp on scenic descriptions and the picturesque Dalhousie and Delhi invite right kind of images, maintaining the interest of the readers.
Characterization of each protagonists is deftly dealt with, and is the best part of the book. Though most of the characters and emotions are negative—bordering on hatred, anger and depression, it does keep the reader interested. Each characters life, behavior and emotions are expertly intertwined with subsequent era’s culture, happenings and events, even the political events. Full marks to the author for research.
The non-linear narration going back and forth in time, creates a bit of a confusion in the middle. The transition between the timelines is abrupt and towards the end one has to read a few things again to get the family tree straight. The only thing which keeps one going is to know the secret wrapped in the yellow cloth.
Coming to the secret which kept me hooked, but it kind of fell flat after such a prolong non-sequential narration. It left me a bit dissatisfied. The author has used complex vocabulary, at times usage is incorrect in the context, needing a good round of editing.
A good debut attempt.
February 6, 2016
It is assumed, especially by critics that an author does his research before writing a collection of pages to call it a book itself. This assumption is rewarded in the form gratifying time, entertainment level up to its highest, imagination mingling with words and visualising characters and their peculiarity. This doesn't work for everyone in equal terms but that doesn't mean the assumption has fallen. No, writing is a task, and every writer puts their own effort but due the round nature of earth nothing can be strictly equal.
False Ceiling by Amit Sharma is a story of generations inheriting a secret unknown. The story starts in the mountains of Dalhousie, Shakuntala, a pampered child of a wealthy builder who inherits the secret on her wedding night. She is informed to use it widely at the right time. The series of events occur at new place, in different decade, in different timeline, Shakuntala has her son born and then her grandchildren. The secret is accidentally passed down to her great-grandson after some hundred years who is completely perplexed by it.
The story is a curiosity arousing one. The plot is well defined in terms of events but the manner in which the events occurred is not well suited. It lacks a clear vision of what author wants to present with his characters. Characters are well matured upto the point but are left flat at the same time. In an explicit manner the whole book if the timeline bestowed in a different manner might have made the story more engaging to the reader.
This book won't take much of your time and is not a complex one. The story arouse curiosity in the end pages especially when the secret is about to reveal. Writing style did flatter me, but at times it was as flat as the most parts of the book. The book is well suited for a quick, light reading and won't harm your brain cells.
2 out of 5!
False Ceiling by Amit Sharma is a story of generations inheriting a secret unknown. The story starts in the mountains of Dalhousie, Shakuntala, a pampered child of a wealthy builder who inherits the secret on her wedding night. She is informed to use it widely at the right time. The series of events occur at new place, in different decade, in different timeline, Shakuntala has her son born and then her grandchildren. The secret is accidentally passed down to her great-grandson after some hundred years who is completely perplexed by it.
The story is a curiosity arousing one. The plot is well defined in terms of events but the manner in which the events occurred is not well suited. It lacks a clear vision of what author wants to present with his characters. Characters are well matured upto the point but are left flat at the same time. In an explicit manner the whole book if the timeline bestowed in a different manner might have made the story more engaging to the reader.
This book won't take much of your time and is not a complex one. The story arouse curiosity in the end pages especially when the secret is about to reveal. Writing style did flatter me, but at times it was as flat as the most parts of the book. The book is well suited for a quick, light reading and won't harm your brain cells.
2 out of 5!
October 15, 2016
Review of “False Ceilings” – Amit Sharma
‘False ceilings’ is a web of relationships across the generations in a family where a secret is passed down from one to the next. It is believed that the secret is cursed and must not be shared with anyone else. However, it is the only thing that occupies the last conscious thought of the holder before they die. Spanning across 5 generations, a secret is passed along, sometimes knowingly, sometimes as unknown and unclaimed legacy. It is kept as a secret throughout the book and is kept just out of its reach.
The setting of the story is in picturesque Dalhousie overlooking the five rivers and glittering town of Pathankot, and Delhi in all its pre-independence glory. The narrative of the book is done in an innovative way. Each character is randomly picked one at a time and the story of that character is given in such a way that no other name is mentioned in it. After a few chapters, one begins to connect the dots one at a time and the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place.
My take: Half-way through the book, and I was still frustrated. Who are all these people? How are they related? What is the secret? A familiar name here, a similar location there and the pulse would start racing to reach the end. Probably let out a swear-word or two for the author, but still couldn’t put the book down. They say curiosity kills the cat. In my case, I was resisting the temptation to look at the last few pages with all my might. At the end, the author reveals the secret not with a bang but with a whimper and it sounds loud enough for exclamation.
A must read for all because the story grows upon you slowly and goes in deep through your mind and soul.
‘False ceilings’ is a web of relationships across the generations in a family where a secret is passed down from one to the next. It is believed that the secret is cursed and must not be shared with anyone else. However, it is the only thing that occupies the last conscious thought of the holder before they die. Spanning across 5 generations, a secret is passed along, sometimes knowingly, sometimes as unknown and unclaimed legacy. It is kept as a secret throughout the book and is kept just out of its reach.
The setting of the story is in picturesque Dalhousie overlooking the five rivers and glittering town of Pathankot, and Delhi in all its pre-independence glory. The narrative of the book is done in an innovative way. Each character is randomly picked one at a time and the story of that character is given in such a way that no other name is mentioned in it. After a few chapters, one begins to connect the dots one at a time and the pieces of the puzzle start falling into place.
My take: Half-way through the book, and I was still frustrated. Who are all these people? How are they related? What is the secret? A familiar name here, a similar location there and the pulse would start racing to reach the end. Probably let out a swear-word or two for the author, but still couldn’t put the book down. They say curiosity kills the cat. In my case, I was resisting the temptation to look at the last few pages with all my might. At the end, the author reveals the secret not with a bang but with a whimper and it sounds loud enough for exclamation.
A must read for all because the story grows upon you slowly and goes in deep through your mind and soul.
February 15, 2016
The story, a family saga, spans between the pre-independence era in the 1920s to the futuristic tech-revolutionized era in the 2060s connecting numerous inter-linked incidents and characters. The main protagonist, Shakuntala, has seen it all from the freedom struggle, to the partition, to the world wars, to the 1984 riots. The fragility and vulnerability of human hearts and minds is brought out very well by Amit. The inheritance of mindless fears, insecurities and jealousies among generations has been showcased powerfully. What I loved most is the fact that Amit has made enough and more efforts to stress over the fact that almost every vice or crime that (was)is prevailing is nothing but the repercussion of an utterly silly act or issue.
I immensely enjoyed the portrayal of every single character from the various eras. Especially Aaryan, the central character and the female characters; from Radha Devi, to Shakunthala, to Meena, to Lipi. The father-daughter relationship in one of the remotest corners in the pre-independent India happens to be my favourite chapters for obvious reasons.
His description of Delhi in the pre-independence era to the post-independence era is something that is worth a mention. It is not everyday that you read of how contrasting the two Delhis are. Even the simple and steady lives in the hills of Dalhousie are beautifully described and the characters from the various eras connected to it in some way or the other. A lot of history goes into this writing and I admire the efforts of the author in weaving them seamlessly within the plot.
Read my complete review here at http://rekhadhyani.com/2016/02/14/fal...
I immensely enjoyed the portrayal of every single character from the various eras. Especially Aaryan, the central character and the female characters; from Radha Devi, to Shakunthala, to Meena, to Lipi. The father-daughter relationship in one of the remotest corners in the pre-independent India happens to be my favourite chapters for obvious reasons.
His description of Delhi in the pre-independence era to the post-independence era is something that is worth a mention. It is not everyday that you read of how contrasting the two Delhis are. Even the simple and steady lives in the hills of Dalhousie are beautifully described and the characters from the various eras connected to it in some way or the other. A lot of history goes into this writing and I admire the efforts of the author in weaving them seamlessly within the plot.
Read my complete review here at http://rekhadhyani.com/2016/02/14/fal...
June 27, 2016
Shakuntala's life is the base of this tale. Shakuntala is the convent educated daughter of Kanshi Ram, who builds houses for the British, in pre independent India.Shakuntala is a riches to rag story.She gets married to a lad ,who loves her. She falls for him .Shakuntala is gifted cupboards on her marriage. Only she knows that one of the cupboards has a secret storage. She has something in that space. Past marriage, love turns sour.
Shakuntala's son falls for a girl who according to his mother is neither of their stature nor caste. And yet, allows him to marry her. Life goes downhill past wedding .Shakuntala makes sure, that the girl feels harassed all the time. Shakuntala's grandson,Aaryan becomes an alien to all & everything.His sister knows that grandmother has been most unkind to her mother. Her son stumbles upon the secret compartment of his great grandmother .He feels amazed as also shocked. Why ? What is the secret, which was known to at least one person in each generation & never shared with others ? Would it have made their lives different, from how it all turned out to be ? And would that be better or worse off ,than it already was ? And why ?
Was there no affection , concern , love or respect amongst the family members ? And if there was , then, why it never showed up ? Perhaps, it was love, that made Shakuntala marry that lad who kept staring at her.And again ,it was love that made Shakuntala's son pine for that girl whom he married.And yet ,that love hardly sustained.It turned into something else, post marriage. True, there was pro creation & yet beyond that, there was just tolerance , not love or affection.
A deserving read indeed.
Shakuntala's son falls for a girl who according to his mother is neither of their stature nor caste. And yet, allows him to marry her. Life goes downhill past wedding .Shakuntala makes sure, that the girl feels harassed all the time. Shakuntala's grandson,Aaryan becomes an alien to all & everything.His sister knows that grandmother has been most unkind to her mother. Her son stumbles upon the secret compartment of his great grandmother .He feels amazed as also shocked. Why ? What is the secret, which was known to at least one person in each generation & never shared with others ? Would it have made their lives different, from how it all turned out to be ? And would that be better or worse off ,than it already was ? And why ?
Was there no affection , concern , love or respect amongst the family members ? And if there was , then, why it never showed up ? Perhaps, it was love, that made Shakuntala marry that lad who kept staring at her.And again ,it was love that made Shakuntala's son pine for that girl whom he married.And yet ,that love hardly sustained.It turned into something else, post marriage. True, there was pro creation & yet beyond that, there was just tolerance , not love or affection.
A deserving read indeed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 27, 2016
Books from Indian authors are puppy romance. Is that the preset notion? Well, if that's the case, false ceilings will force us to stash our prejudices. A highly emotional, tragic drama in a family through generations will quench the thirst for something different and deep by the readers. For a first time author, Amit Sharma is quite matured, developed and well-read.
The storyline goes through several generations- from pre-independence era to the future. Multiplicity of genres without giving any feeling of loss. The narration exemplarily matches the level classics or the several award winning books. Though the readers will be at loss trying to join the dots initially, last two chapters wraps up well and the pieces fall in place perfectly. The historical events are linked seamlessly.
The readers might get confused at some areas, which in turn cause a drop in pace of the story. Author succeeded in maintaining the inquisitiveness in the reader, which is maintained throughout the story. Nevertheless, when the secret unravels, it doesn't keep up with how the whole build up is constructed.
Overall the book is highly recommended to the serious readers, who want something different yet enchanting. With a little more homework, it could have been one among the classics.
Reviewed for the publisher
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
The storyline goes through several generations- from pre-independence era to the future. Multiplicity of genres without giving any feeling of loss. The narration exemplarily matches the level classics or the several award winning books. Though the readers will be at loss trying to join the dots initially, last two chapters wraps up well and the pieces fall in place perfectly. The historical events are linked seamlessly.
The readers might get confused at some areas, which in turn cause a drop in pace of the story. Author succeeded in maintaining the inquisitiveness in the reader, which is maintained throughout the story. Nevertheless, when the secret unravels, it doesn't keep up with how the whole build up is constructed.
Overall the book is highly recommended to the serious readers, who want something different yet enchanting. With a little more homework, it could have been one among the classics.
Reviewed for the publisher
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book as a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
July 29, 2016
…the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places said Roald Dahl. In our case, the secret is one that is kept hidden by generations – one after the other for over a hundred years– and always close to where they are physically present.
False Ceiling takes us through the life of Shakuntala who is born as a pampered child of a wealthy builder, however the opening scenes belong to Aaryan who kicks off this story that takes us through the maze of generations and cross connections.
The reader travels with the story through the Delhi of yesterday, the beautiful Dalhousie creating a wave of nostalgia for those among us who have been acquainted with the place and a longing and near visual experience for those of us who are yet to step foot in those places of our country.
There are many chapters, each of which can stand on its own feet and worthy to be called a short story, but the brilliance of the writer Amit Sharma comes through in the complex connections he weaves between the half a dozen characters. Every chapter mentions something about the secret, piquing the reader’s interest and ultimately we cannot wait to find out what that little peice of poison is that has destroyed so many lives.
Read More
False Ceiling takes us through the life of Shakuntala who is born as a pampered child of a wealthy builder, however the opening scenes belong to Aaryan who kicks off this story that takes us through the maze of generations and cross connections.
The reader travels with the story through the Delhi of yesterday, the beautiful Dalhousie creating a wave of nostalgia for those among us who have been acquainted with the place and a longing and near visual experience for those of us who are yet to step foot in those places of our country.
There are many chapters, each of which can stand on its own feet and worthy to be called a short story, but the brilliance of the writer Amit Sharma comes through in the complex connections he weaves between the half a dozen characters. Every chapter mentions something about the secret, piquing the reader’s interest and ultimately we cannot wait to find out what that little peice of poison is that has destroyed so many lives.
Read More
March 9, 2016
This is a book you would not find many first-time writers writing. It is a complex book which is a family saga spanning generations. The book takes us through the tale of Shakuntala, a young girl, who has a dreamlike life despite some adversities in the beautiful town of pre-Independence Dalhousie when life changes completely due to a turn of events. The book takes you on a journey through her life and times, her children, grandchildren and beyond. The novel explores India of 1920s and spans to a period in the future till 2050. The tale moves ahead as India undergoes her own period of churning and evolution. The book is an epic tale about a dysfunctional family, as real as it can get and a family secret that binds them and destroys them.
This book is an engaging read. Its writing, characters and story are its strong points. As the story pans out across generations, it is sure to strike a chord with the reader. It is a mature human tale that must be picked up if you enjoy good writing.
Read the rest of the review at Book Review: False Ceilings by Amit Sharma
This book is an engaging read. Its writing, characters and story are its strong points. As the story pans out across generations, it is sure to strike a chord with the reader. It is a mature human tale that must be picked up if you enjoy good writing.
Read the rest of the review at Book Review: False Ceilings by Amit Sharma
June 27, 2016
The story line of False Ceilings travels through generations … from past to well into future.
The main protagonist of the story is a wooden almirah with holds a secret compartment in its ceiling. And this secret compartment hides a secret wrapped in a yellow piece of cloth, which is handed down from one generation to other not as a blessing but as a cursed piece of possession. False Ceilings starts in an era where each household used to have secret cellar in a room or a compartment in their almirah or bookcase.
False Ceilings is a little slow read, with characters from each generation going into flashback in past or fast forward in future. The author has incorporated many pre-independence and post-independence era happenings and many other incidences which had happened nationwide, which had caused uproar in lives of many people in past. The way author has used them is his story to show how the characters have been affected or influenced by those incidences is noteworthy.
The author has also depicted various relationships of a family and how it effects the next generation in creating an opinion about that person or individual.
The main protagonist of the story is a wooden almirah with holds a secret compartment in its ceiling. And this secret compartment hides a secret wrapped in a yellow piece of cloth, which is handed down from one generation to other not as a blessing but as a cursed piece of possession. False Ceilings starts in an era where each household used to have secret cellar in a room or a compartment in their almirah or bookcase.
False Ceilings is a little slow read, with characters from each generation going into flashback in past or fast forward in future. The author has incorporated many pre-independence and post-independence era happenings and many other incidences which had happened nationwide, which had caused uproar in lives of many people in past. The way author has used them is his story to show how the characters have been affected or influenced by those incidences is noteworthy.
The author has also depicted various relationships of a family and how it effects the next generation in creating an opinion about that person or individual.
May 10, 2016
The story spans across generations and mainly focuses on the pre-independence and post-independence days. The story talks about the hustle and bustle of life and particularly about a family who has a false ceiling. The mystery lies in the false ceiling but throughout the entire story the false ceiling remains a mystery to be unearthed.
I felt like the story is trying to keep the elements of the false ceiling a secret. The story shows the lives of horror and uncertainty during the Independence days and how tough is it to take decisions in those turbulent times. You will feel the heat as you go through the pages and how a life can turn upside down when you have no idea about what will happen next.
Read the entire review on my blog http://levyingkishan.blogspot.in/2016...
The things in the false ceilings unearth itself in the last part of the book, and then will you understand why it was kept hidden for decades.
I really had a great time reading the novel and had a glimpse of the days people must have faced during the Independence days.
I felt like the story is trying to keep the elements of the false ceiling a secret. The story shows the lives of horror and uncertainty during the Independence days and how tough is it to take decisions in those turbulent times. You will feel the heat as you go through the pages and how a life can turn upside down when you have no idea about what will happen next.
Read the entire review on my blog http://levyingkishan.blogspot.in/2016...
The things in the false ceilings unearth itself in the last part of the book, and then will you understand why it was kept hidden for decades.
I really had a great time reading the novel and had a glimpse of the days people must have faced during the Independence days.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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