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A Forgotten Affair
Sagarika Mehta walks out of her nine-year-old marriage, meets with a near-fatal accident and goes into a deep coma all on the same day. After six months, she wakes up with no memory of her past. When she is discharged from hospital a year later, Rishab, her husband, whisks her away to an unfamiliar address in Gurgaon to convalesce.
There, in that plush apartment, with people waiting on her hand and foot, Sagarika can’t shake off the feeling that something is wrong.
Why does the scent of a particular cologne unsettle her? Why does the innocuous word ‘cheeni’ bother her? And why is Rishab so evasive in response to her queries about her past?
'A Forgotten Affair' is a gripping story of a woman caught between two worlds.
There, in that plush apartment, with people waiting on her hand and foot, Sagarika can’t shake off the feeling that something is wrong.
Why does the scent of a particular cologne unsettle her? Why does the innocuous word ‘cheeni’ bother her? And why is Rishab so evasive in response to her queries about her past?
'A Forgotten Affair' is a gripping story of a woman caught between two worlds.
200 pages, Paperback
Published August 25, 2016
11 people are currently reading
113 people want to read
About the author
Kanchana Banerjee
7 books33 followersAs far as I can remember I've wanted to write a novel. I began with writing for companies and publications; always hoping I would write a book some day. After 18 years as a freelance writer I finally did that in 2014. My debut book - A Forgotten Affair was published in 2016 by Harper Collins.
I now write fiction, well into my second book. I enjoy writing about relationships and complexities in them. I believe the beauty of relationships lie in the complications because they deal with human emotions. I like to deal with these complications in the stories I write.
When I'm not writing I like to read, watch TV shows, films and try my hand at gardening.
I now write fiction, well into my second book. I enjoy writing about relationships and complexities in them. I believe the beauty of relationships lie in the complications because they deal with human emotions. I like to deal with these complications in the stories I write.
When I'm not writing I like to read, watch TV shows, films and try my hand at gardening.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
September 7, 2016
As far as my reading is concerned, the rule is simple. I don’t like romances and I don’t read romances. I read my first Mills and Boon during my college years. Halfway through, I realized I could just not read any further. Mushy romances are not my genre. This was why I read and reread the blurb of ‘A Forgotten Affair’ by Kanchana Banerjee a dozen times before picking up the book. It didn’t seem like other romance novels and… it was not!
Sagarika is not a heroine that is looking for her knight in shining armor. In spite of all her troubles, she has the capacity to stand up for herself, face her troubles and live her life. At every twist and turn, Kanchana has you praying and rooting for Sagarika.
The book is well-written and the distinct voice of each character stands out. Rishab’s anger and arrogance, Amrita’s care and concern, Deepa’s duplicitous dishonesty, Sagarika’s mother’s helplessness—everything pulls you into the story refusing to let go. You keep turning the pages till the final climax has you nodding your head in approval.
A Forgotten Affair will be a book you wouldn’t be able to forget.
Sagarika is not a heroine that is looking for her knight in shining armor. In spite of all her troubles, she has the capacity to stand up for herself, face her troubles and live her life. At every twist and turn, Kanchana has you praying and rooting for Sagarika.
The book is well-written and the distinct voice of each character stands out. Rishab’s anger and arrogance, Amrita’s care and concern, Deepa’s duplicitous dishonesty, Sagarika’s mother’s helplessness—everything pulls you into the story refusing to let go. You keep turning the pages till the final climax has you nodding your head in approval.
A Forgotten Affair will be a book you wouldn’t be able to forget.
October 10, 2016
A Forgotten Affair by Kanchana Banerjee
'There's only one thing worse than being treated as an object of sexual desire: not being seen as one by the guy you like.' Kanchana Banerjee gives a channel for the volcanoes inside the soul to erupt in an elegant flow. The book here exposes the innermost desires and hurt, however ugly faced they are.
Cover page
On the cover are beautiful flowers intertwined with the text. The flower has a significance in the story and the typography is elegant. It makes one of those covers that you come around to love for their simple and elegant design. The spine is divided in half by two colors. It comes out to be a little dull as compared to the top and end covers. But overall it is an elegant design nevertheless.
Characters
The book dictates the story of Sagarika. Her life turned into a blank screen after Mumbai suffered a series of bomb blasts, of which she is a victim. She loses her memory and a lot more. She now looks frail with her tall and broad frame. Her face is pale and eyes sunken. She is now dependent on someone or the other all the time. Rishab, her husband, is one of them.
After going through several hardships in the relationship, he wants a fresh start now. He is a calm person with a hurricane in his demeanour. He never shouts but his tone is enough to send a chill down the spine. There is something that he doesn't want Sagarika to find out, but slowly it's slipping away for everyone to see.
Akash is thirty-eight-year-old bachelor who loves his life. A lively person liked by everyone he met. Not traffic stopping handsome, but pleasant-faced, with straight silly hair cut short and black eyes that had a naughty shine in them.
These three distinct characters come together to weave a thrilling, heart-wrenching story of love, deception and realisation. The characters are easy to read about. The author has done a stunning job of giving each of them their uniqueness with all their flaws and goodness.
Content
The story begins with Sagarika in a hospital recovering from the head injury and memory wipe-out after the bomb blast in Mumbai. While she is annoyed with her brain's resistance to let any memory in, she is intrigued by how everyone who comes to meet her praises Rishab. It is like shoving down a portrait of Rishab, dissolved in a concoction of an ideal man, down her resistive throat. She is trying hard to remember everything that she was before the blast, but all in vain. Memories come back but in flashes.
During the course of the story, things start to fall in place. Sagarika realised that Rishab is not the husband everyone wants her to believe he is. But she was happy earlier. With someone else. She is determined to find that happiness but someone doesn't want her memories to be back.
The story is thrilling. Each chapter leaves you with an astonishing revelation and you are left craving for more. All goes well until towards the last 50 pages of the book where the soul of a dead beat movie script seems to take over a pious body of a self-contained novel.
The grand escape Sagarika makes lands her right into the arms of her saviour. He beats up the goons and saves her. Everything after this gets predictable.
Thus a good story gasps for air towards the last quarter of the book but eventually succumbs to a painful death.
Language
The author has a way with words, that's quite clear. Her descriptions let you wander in her world enjoying every bit. She conveys the feelings like an ace. Here is a glimpse.
Laughter filled the air. The room was warm enough to allow pashmina stoles and leather jackets to be casually thrown aside. The scent of faint perfume and the aroma of fine wine mingled merrily with the sound of amicable, light-hearted banter. Well-manicured fingers held delicate stems of Murano wine glasses while finely cut scotch tumblers swirled in some others. Muted mood lighting threw shadows of figurines, statues on the walls. Men gaily flirted with the women and the latter sportingly returned the favour. The sharp bitter cold outside didn't bother anyone. Central heating and the company of friends kept it at bay.
The graceful description of the mood of the evening is enchanting here but sadly the obsessive use of passive voice and unnecessary usage of the redundant words kill the narration towards the end. The book appears to have suffered a shift in the mood of the author, which irks.
Good points
The cover page is beautiful. It's subtle as if it is reminiscent of a sweet memory. The characters are very interesting to read about. They all have their dark sides, making them human. The content seems to have a flow. The language is simple. It makes the book easy to read.
Bad points
The book seems to be a little rushed towards the end. A shift in the temperament of the story can be clearly seen. The narration starts out to be engrossing but towards the end feels like a drag. The story starts getting unrealistic.
Overall
Overall, the book is engrossing. It is a great first attempt by the author. Definitely, puts her on the map. I will be waiting to see what she writes next.
Who do I recommend this to
This book is for those who enjoy a quick read with lots of drama. Those who like strong female characters are going to love this too.
'There's only one thing worse than being treated as an object of sexual desire: not being seen as one by the guy you like.' Kanchana Banerjee gives a channel for the volcanoes inside the soul to erupt in an elegant flow. The book here exposes the innermost desires and hurt, however ugly faced they are.
Cover page
On the cover are beautiful flowers intertwined with the text. The flower has a significance in the story and the typography is elegant. It makes one of those covers that you come around to love for their simple and elegant design. The spine is divided in half by two colors. It comes out to be a little dull as compared to the top and end covers. But overall it is an elegant design nevertheless.
Characters
The book dictates the story of Sagarika. Her life turned into a blank screen after Mumbai suffered a series of bomb blasts, of which she is a victim. She loses her memory and a lot more. She now looks frail with her tall and broad frame. Her face is pale and eyes sunken. She is now dependent on someone or the other all the time. Rishab, her husband, is one of them.
After going through several hardships in the relationship, he wants a fresh start now. He is a calm person with a hurricane in his demeanour. He never shouts but his tone is enough to send a chill down the spine. There is something that he doesn't want Sagarika to find out, but slowly it's slipping away for everyone to see.
Akash is thirty-eight-year-old bachelor who loves his life. A lively person liked by everyone he met. Not traffic stopping handsome, but pleasant-faced, with straight silly hair cut short and black eyes that had a naughty shine in them.
These three distinct characters come together to weave a thrilling, heart-wrenching story of love, deception and realisation. The characters are easy to read about. The author has done a stunning job of giving each of them their uniqueness with all their flaws and goodness.
Content
The story begins with Sagarika in a hospital recovering from the head injury and memory wipe-out after the bomb blast in Mumbai. While she is annoyed with her brain's resistance to let any memory in, she is intrigued by how everyone who comes to meet her praises Rishab. It is like shoving down a portrait of Rishab, dissolved in a concoction of an ideal man, down her resistive throat. She is trying hard to remember everything that she was before the blast, but all in vain. Memories come back but in flashes.
During the course of the story, things start to fall in place. Sagarika realised that Rishab is not the husband everyone wants her to believe he is. But she was happy earlier. With someone else. She is determined to find that happiness but someone doesn't want her memories to be back.
The story is thrilling. Each chapter leaves you with an astonishing revelation and you are left craving for more. All goes well until towards the last 50 pages of the book where the soul of a dead beat movie script seems to take over a pious body of a self-contained novel.
The grand escape Sagarika makes lands her right into the arms of her saviour. He beats up the goons and saves her. Everything after this gets predictable.
Thus a good story gasps for air towards the last quarter of the book but eventually succumbs to a painful death.
Language
The author has a way with words, that's quite clear. Her descriptions let you wander in her world enjoying every bit. She conveys the feelings like an ace. Here is a glimpse.
Laughter filled the air. The room was warm enough to allow pashmina stoles and leather jackets to be casually thrown aside. The scent of faint perfume and the aroma of fine wine mingled merrily with the sound of amicable, light-hearted banter. Well-manicured fingers held delicate stems of Murano wine glasses while finely cut scotch tumblers swirled in some others. Muted mood lighting threw shadows of figurines, statues on the walls. Men gaily flirted with the women and the latter sportingly returned the favour. The sharp bitter cold outside didn't bother anyone. Central heating and the company of friends kept it at bay.
The graceful description of the mood of the evening is enchanting here but sadly the obsessive use of passive voice and unnecessary usage of the redundant words kill the narration towards the end. The book appears to have suffered a shift in the mood of the author, which irks.
Good points
The cover page is beautiful. It's subtle as if it is reminiscent of a sweet memory. The characters are very interesting to read about. They all have their dark sides, making them human. The content seems to have a flow. The language is simple. It makes the book easy to read.
Bad points
The book seems to be a little rushed towards the end. A shift in the temperament of the story can be clearly seen. The narration starts out to be engrossing but towards the end feels like a drag. The story starts getting unrealistic.
Overall
Overall, the book is engrossing. It is a great first attempt by the author. Definitely, puts her on the map. I will be waiting to see what she writes next.
Who do I recommend this to
This book is for those who enjoy a quick read with lots of drama. Those who like strong female characters are going to love this too.
September 8, 2016
A Forgotten Affair is a deep, lyrical, and unsettling read for a love story yet it explores so many emotions and feelings as it shares another shade of love. Sagarika is struck in a world where everything is new, different and distant. No memories, domineering yet ambiguous husband, and a nonexistent family adds to her feeling lost as do the servants who spy. As she tries to make sense of her new self-obstacles litter her path.
The cover is what caught my fancy, so fresh, different and classy. The significance of the flowers, the reason for the title of the book and what is Sagarika truly searching for come through in the book. Kudos to Kanchana and HarperCollins, Harlequin imprint for this evocative cover.
On the surface, this book reads as a love story should. I felt the rage and pain that Rishab suffered as he fought to bring his wife from the brink of death. I felt the fear and sadness Rika experiences while she tries to recover, tries to love her husband and tries to remember what she is being told is important. Yet all is not what it seems, slowly the cracks appear and Kanchana entangles the reader in the abyss that Rika seems to be falling. Friends who want to help but are shut out. I could see the girl is in trouble, that the husband is definitely weird yet I could only read page after page, hoping for her safety, hoping for a miracle.
The book is fast paced, even as it is based in just one house where Rika is recovering, searching for the love she is reminded of, looking for the feelings she must have. Painfully, poignant as the pressure of words like ‘cheeni’ and fragrances, flashes of the past that threaten to bring her under as she struggles to find herself. I followed Rika eagerly as she stumbled and falters trying to find her life in an alien city.
There is infidelity, abuse, and neglect – rich or poor, these vices find means to entrench themselves. Deepa, the cousin who is too sweet. Roohi, the friend who seems so weird. Akash, the man who seems weak and strong at the same time – can he be trusted if her own husband is failing?
This book reminded me that like love, pain can go everywhere. Like truth, lies and deceit find home at the same places. A Forgotten Affair is a book to be savored, as it divulges the sinister human nature. What could have happened if she had not met with the accident, how far would the men in her life go to possess her?
The writing is very expressive, the conversation helps the story move and add a touch of reality to her story. This the first novel by Kanchana but it sure does not read like one with the smooth language, flowing sentences and crisp expressions.
What I felt that Akash and Rishab could have spoken. Shekhar was a friend but whose friend is he really? Sagarika really stands up for herself yet it felt a bit surreal. She was one lucky girl!
Instead of Jay, maybe Shekhar could have been more proactive saving the day. Also, I want to know Shekhar better, he plays an important role and I fell he has grown from a secondary character to an important one – I want to know his story. The mist is still lifting as Sagarika reacquaints with her life.
Kanchana and her writing left me with a good feeling, A Forgotten Affair is passionate, different and memorable. Read it to remember that the most important things in life are easily forgotten. Cherish them, cherish yourself.
The cover is what caught my fancy, so fresh, different and classy. The significance of the flowers, the reason for the title of the book and what is Sagarika truly searching for come through in the book. Kudos to Kanchana and HarperCollins, Harlequin imprint for this evocative cover.
On the surface, this book reads as a love story should. I felt the rage and pain that Rishab suffered as he fought to bring his wife from the brink of death. I felt the fear and sadness Rika experiences while she tries to recover, tries to love her husband and tries to remember what she is being told is important. Yet all is not what it seems, slowly the cracks appear and Kanchana entangles the reader in the abyss that Rika seems to be falling. Friends who want to help but are shut out. I could see the girl is in trouble, that the husband is definitely weird yet I could only read page after page, hoping for her safety, hoping for a miracle.
The book is fast paced, even as it is based in just one house where Rika is recovering, searching for the love she is reminded of, looking for the feelings she must have. Painfully, poignant as the pressure of words like ‘cheeni’ and fragrances, flashes of the past that threaten to bring her under as she struggles to find herself. I followed Rika eagerly as she stumbled and falters trying to find her life in an alien city.
There is infidelity, abuse, and neglect – rich or poor, these vices find means to entrench themselves. Deepa, the cousin who is too sweet. Roohi, the friend who seems so weird. Akash, the man who seems weak and strong at the same time – can he be trusted if her own husband is failing?
This book reminded me that like love, pain can go everywhere. Like truth, lies and deceit find home at the same places. A Forgotten Affair is a book to be savored, as it divulges the sinister human nature. What could have happened if she had not met with the accident, how far would the men in her life go to possess her?
The writing is very expressive, the conversation helps the story move and add a touch of reality to her story. This the first novel by Kanchana but it sure does not read like one with the smooth language, flowing sentences and crisp expressions.
What I felt that Akash and Rishab could have spoken. Shekhar was a friend but whose friend is he really? Sagarika really stands up for herself yet it felt a bit surreal. She was one lucky girl!
Instead of Jay, maybe Shekhar could have been more proactive saving the day. Also, I want to know Shekhar better, he plays an important role and I fell he has grown from a secondary character to an important one – I want to know his story. The mist is still lifting as Sagarika reacquaints with her life.
Kanchana and her writing left me with a good feeling, A Forgotten Affair is passionate, different and memorable. Read it to remember that the most important things in life are easily forgotten. Cherish them, cherish yourself.
October 12, 2016
Right from the beginning of the story, Kanchana has our attention. Her narrative style is smooth and uncomplicated. There's nowhere in the book where we lose interest. This is a fast paced and gripping story...to be finished in one sitting. Men and marriage is not a means to an end in a relationship and Kanchana makes this point without much ado.
It is the women in this story who shine through all the story.
Though this is Kanchana's debut novel, she writes like a pro.
It is the women in this story who shine through all the story.
Though this is Kanchana's debut novel, she writes like a pro.
September 14, 2016
Why are some of our deepest memories associated with smell or a trivial word? And why are our so-called important moments lost to us? This is the dilemma that Sagarika faces after she wakes up in a hospital bed suffering from amnesia. As Sagarika struggles to find the clues to her life, she ends up discovering her true self. A well-written debut novel that gives you pause for thought.
August 11, 2021
No twists, no turns and no plotline. Random characters thrown in between with no significance. Filler plots and obvious characters doing really obvious actions. Weak attempt at generating sympathy for the negative lead.
Umm... this novel is a waste of time tbh. Badly made Indian serials are better than this.
Umm... this novel is a waste of time tbh. Badly made Indian serials are better than this.
October 19, 2016
In sum, this is an easy, breezy read.
I've understood one thing about reading books. They can inspire you, give you solutions, educate you or then, they can be read simply for entertainment, just to live inside a different head, for some part of time. Kanchana's book falls into the last category.
It's a glimpse into the life of a woman who has a dark secret, and because of an accident, she has forgotten her past. But then the point here is...that is her regular life any less dangerous than her secret? What will happen when her past comes back to collide with her present?
I'll be honest. Not a lot of Indian writers, some of which are being self-published, are worth wasting much time on. They are clearly novices who are fulfilling their dreams of being writers without working upon their craft.
Kanchana is from the field of writing and clearly, her craft is quite well honed, as it shows in the lucidity of her writing. With not many flaws to pick on, the story flows on smoothly, in terms of language and is an easy read without much use of pretentious words which make it difficult for most people to catch on. They just want to read a story mostly, and that's why I read this book too.
In terms of the story, it wasn't like it was something which I had not read before but at the same time, it hooked me on to make me read it till the very end. That's the talent of the writer. What's going to happen to the characters? That question egged me on till the last page.
I read this book with absolutely no expectations, having read some really mediocre books in the recent past and I was certainly pleasantly surprised.
Read this for a quick getaway.
I've understood one thing about reading books. They can inspire you, give you solutions, educate you or then, they can be read simply for entertainment, just to live inside a different head, for some part of time. Kanchana's book falls into the last category.
It's a glimpse into the life of a woman who has a dark secret, and because of an accident, she has forgotten her past. But then the point here is...that is her regular life any less dangerous than her secret? What will happen when her past comes back to collide with her present?
I'll be honest. Not a lot of Indian writers, some of which are being self-published, are worth wasting much time on. They are clearly novices who are fulfilling their dreams of being writers without working upon their craft.
Kanchana is from the field of writing and clearly, her craft is quite well honed, as it shows in the lucidity of her writing. With not many flaws to pick on, the story flows on smoothly, in terms of language and is an easy read without much use of pretentious words which make it difficult for most people to catch on. They just want to read a story mostly, and that's why I read this book too.
In terms of the story, it wasn't like it was something which I had not read before but at the same time, it hooked me on to make me read it till the very end. That's the talent of the writer. What's going to happen to the characters? That question egged me on till the last page.
I read this book with absolutely no expectations, having read some really mediocre books in the recent past and I was certainly pleasantly surprised.
Read this for a quick getaway.
October 22, 2016
3.5 actually.
It was a really interesting and engaging read. Intriguing start, very satisfying end. (But, there are certain things, questions hovering around, that disturbed me a little.)
If you enjoy reading romance or women fiction, you will like it for sure! Go for it.
Read the full review here: http://tarangsinha.blogspot.in/2016/1...
It was a really interesting and engaging read. Intriguing start, very satisfying end. (But, there are certain things, questions hovering around, that disturbed me a little.)
If you enjoy reading romance or women fiction, you will like it for sure! Go for it.
Read the full review here: http://tarangsinha.blogspot.in/2016/1...
September 25, 2016
A lovely book, with great characterisation. I could relate to the characters and almost visualise the story, such is the writing style. The pace of the book is perfect. All in all a well etched story. Highly recommended.
Looking forward to more books from Kanchana
Looking forward to more books from Kanchana
November 7, 2022
A very interesting concept let down by lacklustre writing and flat characters whose behaviour is more in sync with a person in their early twenties than someone touching forty.
Fortunately short, but also very thinly-written for that very reason.
Fortunately short, but also very thinly-written for that very reason.
August 16, 2020
This is a typical flick that one can read in one sitting. Astoundingly mediocre language and unidimensional characters.
February 14, 2021
Read it if you have absolutely nothing else. Tried it because it felt like a thriller, but it was pretty much a hindi movie.
October 23, 2016
On the over the book might seem like just another book involving love, extra-marital affair and then destiny having it’s own game. But it offers more than just that. It shows the struggle of the lady who has forgotten her whole life, the desperation of a man to keep his life in control, the faith of a person that love will find it’s way back, as it is said to be. Book surely offers something different from the regular chick-lit novels readers usually come through.
There aren’t many characters in the book but those few also do make a mark on the reader. The protagonist of the story Sagarika and her helplessness has been put brilliantly. Reader can feel through the turmoil of her heart as she struggles hard to find traces of her lost memory to reclaim the life that was. Rishab, who might have come out as a villain in the story but he is nothing but a person with more shades of grey in life than others. Some might not feel his behavior to be justified on the basis of his life’s prior experiences. Akash is every bit of a person most of truly want to be but never have the guts to be. The other characters also blend into the story pretty well.
Love being the central point, the book drives home the point that you can’t make anyone love you. It’s either there or it’s not. On one side, Rishab fights tooth and nail to keep his wife to himself and on the other side Akash does nothing other than to love freely. Although the story is more of predictable at times yet, it leaves the reader with the question in their minds, “What if we lose it all one day suddenly?” Moreover, many times story seems a little slow and not many major events happens throughout the story except a few major turns.
Bottom line: A short and breezy read about love, life and destiny.
There aren’t many characters in the book but those few also do make a mark on the reader. The protagonist of the story Sagarika and her helplessness has been put brilliantly. Reader can feel through the turmoil of her heart as she struggles hard to find traces of her lost memory to reclaim the life that was. Rishab, who might have come out as a villain in the story but he is nothing but a person with more shades of grey in life than others. Some might not feel his behavior to be justified on the basis of his life’s prior experiences. Akash is every bit of a person most of truly want to be but never have the guts to be. The other characters also blend into the story pretty well.
Love being the central point, the book drives home the point that you can’t make anyone love you. It’s either there or it’s not. On one side, Rishab fights tooth and nail to keep his wife to himself and on the other side Akash does nothing other than to love freely. Although the story is more of predictable at times yet, it leaves the reader with the question in their minds, “What if we lose it all one day suddenly?” Moreover, many times story seems a little slow and not many major events happens throughout the story except a few major turns.
Bottom line: A short and breezy read about love, life and destiny.
June 19, 2025
NO SPOILERS
The female main character has met with a serious accident which led to the loss of her memories even he does not remember her own name. She wants to discover about her past and who she was before the accident but her husband seems avoidant of her questions about before the accident. She starts remembering slowly and a certain word "CHEENI" seems to disturb her a lot. Does the female main character find out what she was looking for. This story is based on self discovery, toxic relationships and moving on to better things. The main characters are Sagarika and Rishabh a married couple who are seemingly happy. Every single character written has a good role and almost an equal weightage to all of them. This story is fast paced with a non linear storyline that makes it easier to read and almost complete it in a single sitting. The book is also less than 350 pages which adds to another factor making it easier to read.
3/5 but expected more and ended quickly.
The female main character has met with a serious accident which led to the loss of her memories even he does not remember her own name. She wants to discover about her past and who she was before the accident but her husband seems avoidant of her questions about before the accident. She starts remembering slowly and a certain word "CHEENI" seems to disturb her a lot. Does the female main character find out what she was looking for. This story is based on self discovery, toxic relationships and moving on to better things. The main characters are Sagarika and Rishabh a married couple who are seemingly happy. Every single character written has a good role and almost an equal weightage to all of them. This story is fast paced with a non linear storyline that makes it easier to read and almost complete it in a single sitting. The book is also less than 350 pages which adds to another factor making it easier to read.
3/5 but expected more and ended quickly.
November 17, 2021
It is the story about Sagarika who met with an accident and when she regained consciousness, she didn't remember anything about herself. Her husband Rishab was with her but she didn't feel comfortable with him as well which
was quite strange.
Was Rishab really her husband?
Or was he hiding something?
And who was Akash whom she knew very well?
This book is a romantic thriller. I liked the strong role of Sagarika and the way she fought hor herself. The story was so engaging that i felt connected with the character. The language was easy to read.The blurb was quite good and it attracted the reader in me instantly towards the story.This was my third book from this author after Nobody's Child and Eyes on You. And I would love to read more books in future as well.
was quite strange.
Was Rishab really her husband?
Or was he hiding something?
And who was Akash whom she knew very well?
This book is a romantic thriller. I liked the strong role of Sagarika and the way she fought hor herself. The story was so engaging that i felt connected with the character. The language was easy to read.The blurb was quite good and it attracted the reader in me instantly towards the story.This was my third book from this author after Nobody's Child and Eyes on You. And I would love to read more books in future as well.
November 6, 2016
That I managed to finish this book in two days says a lot about the gripping tale of Sagarika who is searching for her lost identity, quite literally. This book is completely an original tale with a peek into the mind and feelings of a woman who is fighting it out in a world that is unknown to her completely. Kanchana has very cleverly woven this tale into a page turner. That its her debut novel and is so refreshing and well written, we can only expect more such works from her in the future.
Highly recommended!
Highly recommended!
July 26, 2019
A young married woman gets severely injured during Mumbai train bomb blast and loses all her memory. After spending 15 months in a hospital her husband moves her from Mumbai to Gurgaon where she struggles to remember her previous life.
A different type of a book, quite interesting brings out an obsessional husband with all his negativity.
The newage lady also has a boyfriend giving a twist to the story.
A different type of a book, quite interesting brings out an obsessional husband with all his negativity.
The newage lady also has a boyfriend giving a twist to the story.
August 28, 2017
Finished reading on my Kindle. it has smooth flow of thoughts, best is Sagarika the heroine of the book breaking away from everything for her individual freedom. But what i missed is Rishabh diluting at the last minute, we needed something more substantial, Another thing i missed is not much is written about why Sagarika boarded the train that day , coz of which there is a whole turn of events.
March 26, 2018
A Forgotten Affair is a light read which will make you ponder on how uncertain life can be. A forgotten affair can be related to a lot of things from the need to find oneself to the lost love. After all, isn't it this what we're doing? Trying to find the lost love with something or someone in our lives? This book is sure to push you into a lot of thinking. :)
September 13, 2025
Sugarcoating cheating and using someone for their money until you find another backup, portraying the cheater as the victim while painting the one who was cheated on as some kind of psycho—a deliberate attempt to villainize the very person who was used and betrayed.
July 23, 2017
A well written woman centric story.
For a complete review, please click on the link below:
https://onerightword.blogspot.com/201...
For a complete review, please click on the link below:
https://onerightword.blogspot.com/201...
July 8, 2022
The ending broke my 💔💔
August 16, 2018
Sagarika walks out of her marriage and meets a horrible accident. After this accident she is not able to remember anything out of her past life.
She is here as a woman who lost her identity, she is struggling to find herself back...
But there is someone who doesn't want her to have it..and tries every possible way to achieve it.
Why would he want that??
This is a good book which will make you feel how horrible it is to lose one's true self.
Nice book
She is here as a woman who lost her identity, she is struggling to find herself back...
But there is someone who doesn't want her to have it..and tries every possible way to achieve it.
Why would he want that??
This is a good book which will make you feel how horrible it is to lose one's true self.
Nice book
October 17, 2016
Remarkable Keyhole Storytelling. Literary “Tense’ Is A Character in This Novel
This book has such a gripping pace that I just couldn’t put it down. Finished reading it in four hours. And this despite the fact, I don’t read romantic fiction at all. In fact, for years I haven’t read any fiction. It took me a while to pin its genre. It’s a thriller!
A Forgotten Affair has a nonlinear narrative with shifts between the past and the present. These narrative shifts are so smooth, inconspicuous and seamless that I wondered if the author had used the “tense” as an unseen character that abundantly enhances the suspense in the book. Unlike the extended chunks of flashbacks we are used to, in this book one finds the scene shift tenses several times on a single page, without ever realising it.
Allow me to divert to A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. It has a tense shift at a great moment of the story. After the trial and after Sydney Carton has taken the place of Charles Darnay in jail, the drugged Darnay and his family are fleeing in the stagecoach from Paris. Suddenly we find that the story is in the present tense.
If not something like that, but perhaps more recurrently, Kanchana employs the tense gear change. Every writer knows that this is difficult to write— Kanchana Banerjee has achieved a remarkable feat! The story may at times seem ordinary but the telling is clearly extraordinary.
The characters in this book are so well etched out that they fairly leap out of the pages.
Even the minor character of the maid such as Vina and Dr Sharma are clearly defined.
Simply loved Sagarika. Loved her graph. Her subsequent strength and the unusual strong ending. The use of nicknames throughout the book without sounding forced gives the story a very personal and intimate feel.
The entire segment which traces the journey of Akash and Sagarika is like a soft beautiful romantic poem. We empathise and understand their attraction and love for each other.
The unexpected bolts of humour made me almost laugh out aloud.
Example:
“So, you are an artist?” he said pulling an empty chair as he sat down. The woman looked up at him and he flashed his best smile.
‘By the way, Akash.’
‘No, I am not an artist. I’m actually baking a cake.’
She flashed an equally cute smile. ‘Sagarika.’
They both laughed.
Or when Roohi asks Sagarika how many men are you seeing.
There’s an exemplary use of fragrance as a memory trigger in the tale. I’m sure the Kanchana must have either known or researched that the olfactory centre in the brain is right next to the memory centre. It’s impressive to see that the gender stereotype has been flipped by the author. Here the man's perfume is the centre of story as against the clichéd ‘scent of a woman’. Now I am curious to sample Essenza Di Will Mikkel!!
The descriptions of places, people, food, crockery, weather, clothes are outstanding. They make the narrative pulsating and alive.
The suspense of the book kept me on the edge right through.
The way the memory slowly seeps back in Sagarika, in bits and pieces, was brilliant. Especially the way she cracks her facebook password. We see the world from the fractured memory of Sagarika and we feel her pain loneliness and desperation. This is another feat in what I’d call ‘keyhole storytelling’. Psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham would pat the author’s back for the part use of Johari windows in presenting this narrative!
I loved the non-judgemental presentation of the author. Though the central characters are woven in an illicit relationship, the thrust of the book is about a woman finding her own self and gaining self-worth. Really enjoyed reading it.
This book has such a gripping pace that I just couldn’t put it down. Finished reading it in four hours. And this despite the fact, I don’t read romantic fiction at all. In fact, for years I haven’t read any fiction. It took me a while to pin its genre. It’s a thriller!
A Forgotten Affair has a nonlinear narrative with shifts between the past and the present. These narrative shifts are so smooth, inconspicuous and seamless that I wondered if the author had used the “tense” as an unseen character that abundantly enhances the suspense in the book. Unlike the extended chunks of flashbacks we are used to, in this book one finds the scene shift tenses several times on a single page, without ever realising it.
Allow me to divert to A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. It has a tense shift at a great moment of the story. After the trial and after Sydney Carton has taken the place of Charles Darnay in jail, the drugged Darnay and his family are fleeing in the stagecoach from Paris. Suddenly we find that the story is in the present tense.
If not something like that, but perhaps more recurrently, Kanchana employs the tense gear change. Every writer knows that this is difficult to write— Kanchana Banerjee has achieved a remarkable feat! The story may at times seem ordinary but the telling is clearly extraordinary.
The characters in this book are so well etched out that they fairly leap out of the pages.
Even the minor character of the maid such as Vina and Dr Sharma are clearly defined.
Simply loved Sagarika. Loved her graph. Her subsequent strength and the unusual strong ending. The use of nicknames throughout the book without sounding forced gives the story a very personal and intimate feel.
The entire segment which traces the journey of Akash and Sagarika is like a soft beautiful romantic poem. We empathise and understand their attraction and love for each other.
The unexpected bolts of humour made me almost laugh out aloud.
Example:
“So, you are an artist?” he said pulling an empty chair as he sat down. The woman looked up at him and he flashed his best smile.
‘By the way, Akash.’
‘No, I am not an artist. I’m actually baking a cake.’
She flashed an equally cute smile. ‘Sagarika.’
They both laughed.
Or when Roohi asks Sagarika how many men are you seeing.
There’s an exemplary use of fragrance as a memory trigger in the tale. I’m sure the Kanchana must have either known or researched that the olfactory centre in the brain is right next to the memory centre. It’s impressive to see that the gender stereotype has been flipped by the author. Here the man's perfume is the centre of story as against the clichéd ‘scent of a woman’. Now I am curious to sample Essenza Di Will Mikkel!!
The descriptions of places, people, food, crockery, weather, clothes are outstanding. They make the narrative pulsating and alive.
The suspense of the book kept me on the edge right through.
The way the memory slowly seeps back in Sagarika, in bits and pieces, was brilliant. Especially the way she cracks her facebook password. We see the world from the fractured memory of Sagarika and we feel her pain loneliness and desperation. This is another feat in what I’d call ‘keyhole storytelling’. Psychologists Joseph Luft and Harry Ingham would pat the author’s back for the part use of Johari windows in presenting this narrative!
I loved the non-judgemental presentation of the author. Though the central characters are woven in an illicit relationship, the thrust of the book is about a woman finding her own self and gaining self-worth. Really enjoyed reading it.
September 19, 2016
A Forgotten Affair by Kanchana Banerjee is published by Harlequin, an imprint of Harper Collins. Since it is a Harlequin romance I was expecting something else, but I was pleasantly surprised from the very moment I started reading it. At the risk of sounding clichéd, I would still say this book is refreshingly different from the recent romances that I have read.
Banerjee weaves a tale of love, loss and despair with an élan only seen with seasoned writers, it is hard to tell that this is her debut book. From the first line to the last never does it once feel forced, the story takes such a classic beautiful natural flow.
The story revolves around, Sagarika, a character you feel immediately drawn to for her vulnerability. She is beautifully drawn by the author, she is like a hauntingly melancholic painting done in transparent watercolour. It is intriguing to see how Sagarika struggles to put back the pieces together after she recovers from a near-fatal accident and a complete memory loss, there are two distinct portrayal of her character, the vibrant effervescent one before the accident and the confused vulnerable one coming to terms with her mind’s blank canvas.
This book deals with an extremely sensitive issue, that is of emotional abuse in domestic quarters, we tend to overlook this and most of us are still very uncomfortable talking about it. Through Sagarika, Banerjee has taken the readers to this uncomfortable zone and made us question ourselves, how many times we have been emotionally abused by someone close, yet we have chosen to keep quite.
The characters are the strength of this book, it is more than the situations, it is the emotions and actions of the characters which drive the book. The portrayal of Rishab, Sagarika’s emotionally abusive husband is extremely real, I had a constant feeling of unease every time his character appeared in the book. The best friend, the lover, the mother all of them have their share in the story.
Banerjee’s language is flawless, the narration smooth and the transition of time between Sagarika’s memory loss and the time before is done without breaking the chain of the tale. The simplicity of the words used adds to the powerful emotion it carries, I am glad she has chosen a simpler vocabulary to tell her story.
The editing is commendable.
The cover is beautiful.
Banerjee’s A Forgotten Affair will remain one of my favourite books that I have read this year, for two main reasons first being a that this book left me with a feeling of love and hope at the end and the other being a strong emotional connect that I felt towards the main character who I felt an immense urge to protect myself.
Overall an excellent debut!
Banerjee weaves a tale of love, loss and despair with an élan only seen with seasoned writers, it is hard to tell that this is her debut book. From the first line to the last never does it once feel forced, the story takes such a classic beautiful natural flow.
The story revolves around, Sagarika, a character you feel immediately drawn to for her vulnerability. She is beautifully drawn by the author, she is like a hauntingly melancholic painting done in transparent watercolour. It is intriguing to see how Sagarika struggles to put back the pieces together after she recovers from a near-fatal accident and a complete memory loss, there are two distinct portrayal of her character, the vibrant effervescent one before the accident and the confused vulnerable one coming to terms with her mind’s blank canvas.
This book deals with an extremely sensitive issue, that is of emotional abuse in domestic quarters, we tend to overlook this and most of us are still very uncomfortable talking about it. Through Sagarika, Banerjee has taken the readers to this uncomfortable zone and made us question ourselves, how many times we have been emotionally abused by someone close, yet we have chosen to keep quite.
The characters are the strength of this book, it is more than the situations, it is the emotions and actions of the characters which drive the book. The portrayal of Rishab, Sagarika’s emotionally abusive husband is extremely real, I had a constant feeling of unease every time his character appeared in the book. The best friend, the lover, the mother all of them have their share in the story.
Banerjee’s language is flawless, the narration smooth and the transition of time between Sagarika’s memory loss and the time before is done without breaking the chain of the tale. The simplicity of the words used adds to the powerful emotion it carries, I am glad she has chosen a simpler vocabulary to tell her story.
The editing is commendable.
The cover is beautiful.
Banerjee’s A Forgotten Affair will remain one of my favourite books that I have read this year, for two main reasons first being a that this book left me with a feeling of love and hope at the end and the other being a strong emotional connect that I felt towards the main character who I felt an immense urge to protect myself.
Overall an excellent debut!
October 4, 2016
“A Forgotten affair” is a storyline that is straight, linear and uniform. And fast paced.
The prologues and the opening chapter throws a flash forward into a couple of snapshot scenes, showing us how the regular life of the protagonist characters are over certain new year eve party scenes. Past the prologue and just a couple of chapters, the book now opens into a scene in a hospital ward. A lady named Sagarika. An accident, a bomb blast in a local train. In Mumbai. A fatality. A cut mark on her head. A return from the dead. A journey, in which she has left her memory behind. A loss, unaccounted. Yet, has her past left her too?
The flow is smooth and structured. The descriptions are meticulous and detailed, as is the set-up against which the story is carved. Though we do not get to see much of the two cities where the two cities take us, noticeable care has gone into describing the ‘where’ and the ‘what’ of the scenes, dialogues and people. The author takes us along, with ease, from one setup into a next without falter.
With an unpredictable beginning blending into a smooth flow. The main characters are three. A wife, Sagarika, who has a talent for art but – unhappily but without much fuss - gives up exhibitions for foreign vacations. A lover, a dreamer kind of a young boy, who meets, greets and falls into a relationship that they keep at “conversation and sex” only, for matters of mutual convenience, until the girl goes missing and the boy in hindsight realizes that he misses her. And a husband, who is devilish in his ways and deals, too crude to be even civil or diplomatic. Together, they form a story which can be perhaps be called a textbook case of a domestic abuse and woman emancipation. However the twist is in the fact that the protagonist lost her memory and is struggling with life thereafter. And the ending is open ended. It leaves the reader with a streak of hope as the protagonist, Sagarika, chooses the path of self dependence over playing a damsel in distress that she had perhaps been playing all her life so far. At the end, she leaves in search of finding herself back instead of riding the horseback with the charming prince.
The book is an extremely easy read. Even though the story is linear, there is no point at which it feels anything close to a drag. The eventfulness at every turn of page helps you to go over it smoothly and quickly. It is on average a two to three sittings read, cover to cover. The writing style is indeed one of a practiced hand. Given the eloquence with which the author structures and narrates the story, it is any day a pleasant read. Smooth and fast.
Good luck to Kanchana, and power to your pen!
The prologues and the opening chapter throws a flash forward into a couple of snapshot scenes, showing us how the regular life of the protagonist characters are over certain new year eve party scenes. Past the prologue and just a couple of chapters, the book now opens into a scene in a hospital ward. A lady named Sagarika. An accident, a bomb blast in a local train. In Mumbai. A fatality. A cut mark on her head. A return from the dead. A journey, in which she has left her memory behind. A loss, unaccounted. Yet, has her past left her too?
The flow is smooth and structured. The descriptions are meticulous and detailed, as is the set-up against which the story is carved. Though we do not get to see much of the two cities where the two cities take us, noticeable care has gone into describing the ‘where’ and the ‘what’ of the scenes, dialogues and people. The author takes us along, with ease, from one setup into a next without falter.
With an unpredictable beginning blending into a smooth flow. The main characters are three. A wife, Sagarika, who has a talent for art but – unhappily but without much fuss - gives up exhibitions for foreign vacations. A lover, a dreamer kind of a young boy, who meets, greets and falls into a relationship that they keep at “conversation and sex” only, for matters of mutual convenience, until the girl goes missing and the boy in hindsight realizes that he misses her. And a husband, who is devilish in his ways and deals, too crude to be even civil or diplomatic. Together, they form a story which can be perhaps be called a textbook case of a domestic abuse and woman emancipation. However the twist is in the fact that the protagonist lost her memory and is struggling with life thereafter. And the ending is open ended. It leaves the reader with a streak of hope as the protagonist, Sagarika, chooses the path of self dependence over playing a damsel in distress that she had perhaps been playing all her life so far. At the end, she leaves in search of finding herself back instead of riding the horseback with the charming prince.
The book is an extremely easy read. Even though the story is linear, there is no point at which it feels anything close to a drag. The eventfulness at every turn of page helps you to go over it smoothly and quickly. It is on average a two to three sittings read, cover to cover. The writing style is indeed one of a practiced hand. Given the eloquence with which the author structures and narrates the story, it is any day a pleasant read. Smooth and fast.
Good luck to Kanchana, and power to your pen!
October 16, 2016
In the book "A Forgotten affair",author Kanchana Banerjee has woven a beautiful extra-marital affair love story which has exceptionally realistic characters. The major positive about this story is the characters created by the author are well-crafted. Each of her characters have their idiosyncratic traits and we would have met almost every character in our real life.The story and characters are highly expressive and author's style of writing makes easy for us to visualize the scenes.
The first and foremost attraction towards this book is the simple and elegant design of its front cover as it stirs an interest in the mind to experience this book. The book's prologue starts like a typical romance story but once it progresses the story gains ore freshness and uniqueness. This story is about a married woman who forgets her past life completely after an accident. She is taken care of by her husband and she totally forgets about the kind of relationship she had with her husband. She tries to remember her past but fails to get back the memories. When the story travels, many other characters enter her life and she slowly starts to know the truth about her husband and the story gets more cheese when her best friend and lover enters her life. With all these characters, Kanchana crafts an artistic and lyrical love story with ample amount of suspense prevailing throughout.
The beauty of the story is its non-complex and brilliant narration and author is able to engage the readers completely into the story and the story progresses rapidly from one point of time. Her narration is highly effective as it soaks the readers into the book and keeps them guessing throughout. Another positive thing in the book is that every main character in this story has a back story which sketches the nature of those characters at present. The story shifts between past and present with a great ease and this non-boring story is not at all draggy till the end.
When it comes to downsides, the story is rushed a bit at the end and could have been bit longer. More scope could have been created for the characters like the protagonist's mother and also for the doctor who treats the protagonist.
" A Forgotten affair" is a highly captivating and attractive book from Kanchana. As a debutant, she has done a brilliant job with her realistic and exceptional writing and has the power to tie up the readers from her narration. She is an author to watch out for and more splendid books are expected from her.
The first and foremost attraction towards this book is the simple and elegant design of its front cover as it stirs an interest in the mind to experience this book. The book's prologue starts like a typical romance story but once it progresses the story gains ore freshness and uniqueness. This story is about a married woman who forgets her past life completely after an accident. She is taken care of by her husband and she totally forgets about the kind of relationship she had with her husband. She tries to remember her past but fails to get back the memories. When the story travels, many other characters enter her life and she slowly starts to know the truth about her husband and the story gets more cheese when her best friend and lover enters her life. With all these characters, Kanchana crafts an artistic and lyrical love story with ample amount of suspense prevailing throughout.
The beauty of the story is its non-complex and brilliant narration and author is able to engage the readers completely into the story and the story progresses rapidly from one point of time. Her narration is highly effective as it soaks the readers into the book and keeps them guessing throughout. Another positive thing in the book is that every main character in this story has a back story which sketches the nature of those characters at present. The story shifts between past and present with a great ease and this non-boring story is not at all draggy till the end.
When it comes to downsides, the story is rushed a bit at the end and could have been bit longer. More scope could have been created for the characters like the protagonist's mother and also for the doctor who treats the protagonist.
" A Forgotten affair" is a highly captivating and attractive book from Kanchana. As a debutant, she has done a brilliant job with her realistic and exceptional writing and has the power to tie up the readers from her narration. She is an author to watch out for and more splendid books are expected from her.
October 16, 2016
Review of “A Forgotten Affair” – Kanchana Banerjee
A forgotten affair is the story of Sagarika/Rika/Reeks/Cheeni as affectionately called by others. She, having woken up from a six month long coma is told by Rishabh, who calls himself her husband, that she was a victim in the Mumbai bomb blast. She has lost her memory and is totally dependent on him to guide her through her past. However, he is intent on keeping her away from it. Rishabh moves her away from their Mumbai home to an opulent highrise in Gurgaon and she feels lost still with nothing from her old life to remind her about her past. Her servants are under strict orders from her husband to report to him. Little things like the word cheeni and a certain cologne smell makes her ponder more deeply about her past but to no avail. One day she chances upon her old facebook account and strikes up a conversation with Akash who tries to remind him her of her past and their shared intimacy. She is divided as to who to believe. Akash visits her city and they do meet. She realises that her husband is spinning a web of lies and is trying to keep her trapped and away from her past acquaintances. Her dilemma and the quest to find who she is form the essence of the story.
The cover of the book is alluring and impactful. Not the same for the story because it’s quite predictable. However, the end is quite unique. The leading lady loses her memory and now must find what was in her past. A bipolar husband, a passionate lover, a go-to best friend, a dependable nurse/maid and a chummy cousin who is not so believable are some of the main characters. The flow of the story is linear with little surprises except for the ending. The characters are nicely described and well written. There are a few intense exchanges but are short lived and could have been elaborated to give the book a fine form.
My take: The most striking part about the story is that despite having lost her memory, Rika tries her best to regain her lost self and has the bearings to identify between what is good for her and what not. A good read for all those romantics at heart who shall have to read the full book to see if Rika finds true love in the end.
Book courtesy: WritersMelon
A forgotten affair is the story of Sagarika/Rika/Reeks/Cheeni as affectionately called by others. She, having woken up from a six month long coma is told by Rishabh, who calls himself her husband, that she was a victim in the Mumbai bomb blast. She has lost her memory and is totally dependent on him to guide her through her past. However, he is intent on keeping her away from it. Rishabh moves her away from their Mumbai home to an opulent highrise in Gurgaon and she feels lost still with nothing from her old life to remind her about her past. Her servants are under strict orders from her husband to report to him. Little things like the word cheeni and a certain cologne smell makes her ponder more deeply about her past but to no avail. One day she chances upon her old facebook account and strikes up a conversation with Akash who tries to remind him her of her past and their shared intimacy. She is divided as to who to believe. Akash visits her city and they do meet. She realises that her husband is spinning a web of lies and is trying to keep her trapped and away from her past acquaintances. Her dilemma and the quest to find who she is form the essence of the story.
The cover of the book is alluring and impactful. Not the same for the story because it’s quite predictable. However, the end is quite unique. The leading lady loses her memory and now must find what was in her past. A bipolar husband, a passionate lover, a go-to best friend, a dependable nurse/maid and a chummy cousin who is not so believable are some of the main characters. The flow of the story is linear with little surprises except for the ending. The characters are nicely described and well written. There are a few intense exchanges but are short lived and could have been elaborated to give the book a fine form.
My take: The most striking part about the story is that despite having lost her memory, Rika tries her best to regain her lost self and has the bearings to identify between what is good for her and what not. A good read for all those romantics at heart who shall have to read the full book to see if Rika finds true love in the end.
Book courtesy: WritersMelon
October 13, 2016
A reader doesn’t get much of an idea from the first few pages of the book. In that sense, A Forgotten Affair proved to be different. I had barely got past the first few pages and was already captivated by the writing style!
The story is about Sagarika, who is married to Rishab, a successful businessman. More than a year after a near-fatal accident, she is still grappling with memory loss and trying to regain a big part of her life. After a prolonged stay in the hospital in Mumbai, Rishab relocates with her to Gurgaon eager to have a fresh start and with the hope that Sagarika would recuperate faster.
In this entire melee, Sagarika senses something amiss. Through strategically placed clues – familiar scent of a cologne, utterance of the word cheeni, and the masterly use of facebook, the protagonist is able to slowly unravel her life and verily enough, the “past”.
So, is there more to Sagarika’s life than meets the eye? Is this whole world of perfect husband and home a hogwash? Is Deepa, her “cousin” trying too hard to paint a rosy picture of her life? Page after page the book takes a thrilling turn as Sagarika tries to piece together everything. With the help of Vina, her house-help, she comes closer to (re) establishing the important people and connections in her life.
Words flow effortlessly in the book; emotions are vividly portrayed minus the drama or the sleaze. With a gripping plot (suspense), engrossing narrative and fine language she has stirred up a perfect combination. The element of suspense is brilliantly played out, unfolding not too little or too much at a time. I held on to the intrigue factor without getting bored or losing interest. There’s an interesting line in the book – “Sometimes you need to forget everything to recognize what matters the most”.
Though oft-repeated in the narrative, it comes across as profound and meaningful each time!
The ending is heartwarmingly beautiful. There is no walking into the sunset moment but there is no parting either. Confused and curious? Ditch that Sunday afternoon nap and pick this book instead!
The story is about Sagarika, who is married to Rishab, a successful businessman. More than a year after a near-fatal accident, she is still grappling with memory loss and trying to regain a big part of her life. After a prolonged stay in the hospital in Mumbai, Rishab relocates with her to Gurgaon eager to have a fresh start and with the hope that Sagarika would recuperate faster.
In this entire melee, Sagarika senses something amiss. Through strategically placed clues – familiar scent of a cologne, utterance of the word cheeni, and the masterly use of facebook, the protagonist is able to slowly unravel her life and verily enough, the “past”.
So, is there more to Sagarika’s life than meets the eye? Is this whole world of perfect husband and home a hogwash? Is Deepa, her “cousin” trying too hard to paint a rosy picture of her life? Page after page the book takes a thrilling turn as Sagarika tries to piece together everything. With the help of Vina, her house-help, she comes closer to (re) establishing the important people and connections in her life.
Words flow effortlessly in the book; emotions are vividly portrayed minus the drama or the sleaze. With a gripping plot (suspense), engrossing narrative and fine language she has stirred up a perfect combination. The element of suspense is brilliantly played out, unfolding not too little or too much at a time. I held on to the intrigue factor without getting bored or losing interest. There’s an interesting line in the book – “Sometimes you need to forget everything to recognize what matters the most”.
Though oft-repeated in the narrative, it comes across as profound and meaningful each time!
The ending is heartwarmingly beautiful. There is no walking into the sunset moment but there is no parting either. Confused and curious? Ditch that Sunday afternoon nap and pick this book instead!
October 6, 2016
The story is of a young woman Sagarika who has had a near fatal accident and after being in coma for 6 months, is now awake but can't remember anything from her past. While this is very Bollywood, I liked the fact that the story isn't preachy. It is about a woman of today and as you read you can identify with her expectations from her marriage. Gone are the days when woman preferred to be a timid second to their husband.
The story is very modern, with ample twists. Though I felt the end was a little rushed and some things just happened on cue like Bollywood, overall it's a good read. It is a story of relationships and love but more than that it is also a story of self discovery. I liked a sentence in the book "Sometimes you need to forget everything in order to recognize what matters most." This is so true in our daily life too. There is so much happening, that it is very easy to lose focus of what is really important and something similar happens to Sagarika.
While Sagarika's husband Rishab, ensures that she is well taken care of in the hospital and then back at home, he seems elusive about their past and that is something which is very unsettling for Sagarika. He seems to be hiding something and she can't figure it out. The character of Sagarika, her vulnerability, her stark contrast personalities are something that Kanchana Banerjee, the author of the book has etched very well.
I would have loved to see more depth to the characters of Rishab and Akash, but they are personalities that you can identify with. I like stories which are about today, which dwell in today's problems and are human enough that we could relate to or atleast believe that such people are possible and that is what Kanchana has managed to bring out. All the characters are very believable and that is another reason which keeps you hooked to the book.
I loved the end. I won't say it, but I would not have liked the book any other way.
The story is very modern, with ample twists. Though I felt the end was a little rushed and some things just happened on cue like Bollywood, overall it's a good read. It is a story of relationships and love but more than that it is also a story of self discovery. I liked a sentence in the book "Sometimes you need to forget everything in order to recognize what matters most." This is so true in our daily life too. There is so much happening, that it is very easy to lose focus of what is really important and something similar happens to Sagarika.
While Sagarika's husband Rishab, ensures that she is well taken care of in the hospital and then back at home, he seems elusive about their past and that is something which is very unsettling for Sagarika. He seems to be hiding something and she can't figure it out. The character of Sagarika, her vulnerability, her stark contrast personalities are something that Kanchana Banerjee, the author of the book has etched very well.
I would have loved to see more depth to the characters of Rishab and Akash, but they are personalities that you can identify with. I like stories which are about today, which dwell in today's problems and are human enough that we could relate to or atleast believe that such people are possible and that is what Kanchana has managed to bring out. All the characters are very believable and that is another reason which keeps you hooked to the book.
I loved the end. I won't say it, but I would not have liked the book any other way.
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