black shoe

by Yogesh Tak

“black shoe” is a work of dramatic fiction in a background of western classical music, with themes of tragedy and touches of surrealism. The story observes the lives of two unlikely companions in the form of Mr. Arun Mascarenhas, a revered conductor, and young Ron, a prodigy, and the meeting of two because of a common thread: the book dives into the phenomenon of past, ever a subject of philosophy - profound, effective and ever-present. The entirety of the journey past and present is sprinkled with music, another thing that dictates their lives, which takes the center-stage as the story reaches its last third.

235 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2020

Reviews

[Prerna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This beautiful, beautiful book. I am speechless and yet I have so much to say about it.

Black Shoe by Yogesh Tak revolves around Ron, a young man in his twenties, haunted by the ghosts of his past. Burdened by them to the point that he has to leave home, and the marvellous master of classical music Mr Arun Mascarenhas. Both of these people find themselves drawn to each other with tragedy and their love and passion for music being the only thing in common.

The writing is beautiful, no graceful, it just MARVELLOUS. The words flowed like poetry. I loved how the smallest of things were written about with such elegance, beauty and just this raw bitterness. From the headaches to his love and pure joy when he heard music, the musings in Ron's head were not only different but very creatively and eloquently put. This book had such a wonderful character set. From small to main characters, each and every one of them was unique and built up amazingly.

I will say that the plot was a little slow-paced at first but, that was required. I loved how this book made me commit to it. I loved how the author has perfected the art of telling a story within the story. I love how I now have a deeper sense of respect for music. I love how the author has written about biting loneliness and I loved how magically the relationship between Arun and Ron was weaved. So raw, so imperfectly perfect. There are so many words from this book that I want to write again. So many lines I want to narrate out and tell the world. So many, beautiful musings.

I am in awe of the plot and mostly the wonderful writing. Black Shoe is an amazing work of English Literature and I do not write this carelessly when I write it is because of these books that I became a reader in the first place. Amazing, astounding, beautifully aching. I just love this book.

[Naina Rajput · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Shoe is a dramatic fiction written by Yogesh Tak. This book revolves around two people, one is Mr. Arun Mascarenhas who is very respected conductor of classical music and the other is Ron, a genius. But due to some circumstances he has to leave his home. Music has a thing which bonds people, so it is very difficult to leave that bond.

This book is amazing, I've never thought of this when I picked up this book. But the good thing is always when you expected less and it turns out to be your favourite experience. I adored the way, author has written every minute details about each and every event. Even the characters are written with great description and have a great personality.

The writing style is very appealing and pleasant, the relationship between Ron and Arun was depicted perfectly. The love of music in the relationship just makes it more and more interesting. There were so many things I find perfect in this book. The plot and everything was great. Overall, this book was a perfect read.

[Muskan Gupta · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is really a great piece to read. The writing is absolutely amazing. The characters are wonderfully developed and the narration is beautiful. The plot also is different and attractive. And the cover makes so much sense after reading it, Simple yet so deep.

It holds many good traits of a classic and was absolutely something I was looking for in a book from a long time. There are many moments and lines from the book that have made a settlement in my mind for a long term now.

One of the deep lines I felt from it is -

“Just as tragedy has befallen upon the human spirit since the ages past,
The ship must sink as soon as the shore’s asight.”

The book sets a good example for story in story as well. It have writing, music, motions, love and basically everything that shows the beauty and deep meaning of art and literature. The letters in between are a bonus to it.

The best part of the book was you can feel it to the core. You can feel the pain and emotions it displays. You can hear that music in air and the musings in heart. You can understand how powerful those thoughts, feelings, guilt, love and emotions can be.

There are every minute details mentioned as of how the things progressed. That was at times a barrier for me along with the change of pov’s each time. It had me stuck at many places and broke my site But it was also something that had me hooked at times as well, leaving me to think and figure out things at last, wanting me to read more and find out what’s ahead.

An absolute marvellous recommendation to look for and specially to all the literature lovers out there. Definitely Not a piece to miss.

[Japneet (millennial_reader) · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know there are books that the moment you start reading you understand that there's some kind of urgency there. As you delve deeper you understand that there's intensity within it but the urgency never goes away and soon you understand that the urgency drives from the fact the idea was stuck in the author's head and he wanted the world to know about it. 'Black Shoe'by Yogesh Tak of @paperbackproject is one of those stories.

"Music and Literature are the worlds people use to escape the real world. It's not the other way around. It can't be and it mustn't be."

#japreviewslit

'Black Shoe'by Yogesh Tak is the story of Ron, a twenty something who is haunted by the ghosts of his past so much so that he is forced to leave home and of a revered musician, Arun Mascarenhas and the one element tying them together is grief which also is an important element in the story and their passion for music.

I would be lying if I said I loved the book because I didn't but that's the thing about it, this is not a book to be loved but to be understood. I loved how the book made me commit to it and how it made me understand a lot of things. I loved how the author talks about loneliness and how raw the relationship between Arun and Ron was. The storytelling format is story within a story which is my favourite format of storytelling.

The book also reflects upon how we are leading such lonely lives. This is a book that should be read, understood and so much more.

[readingfatima · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a fictional story with a pinch of surrealism revolving around the lives of a revered conductor and a young gifted musician 'Ron', the secrets and loneliness of their respective life and the throughline "music". Western classical music and melancholy are the motif here. The story runs a bit slow but the writing lures you to keep going. The story is in first person narration by the protagonist himself but each character is defined beautifully and their role solidifying as the story advances.

The book is filled with mournfulness and grief but the love for words and composition is what makes this book an excellent read. If you are a literature lover don't miss this book, the author's craft to observe the beauty of a petty surrounding and literary flair is evident in each page.

[iamprabaltandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

#qotd; Describe a great day. What are you doing that makes it special?

The music is easy to follow and well laid out, I have had this book very long Time & I can also relate with this story, so it will be a long and enjoyable journey for me.
Black shoe” is a work of dramatic fiction genre, with principles of catastrophe and whiffs of surrealism. The story talks about the life examines the lives of two unlikely companions in the form of Mr Arun Mascarenhas, a revered conductor, and young Ron, a prodigy, and the meeting of two because of a common person, I just took six continuous hours to complete it and I am thrilled with the story and characters. This book has been a perfect example of theatrical to be defeated by our self-encouragement. And it also reveals that the more we try to remove the scars, the darker it gets!! So just let them bend own your scars. Once you'll own it, you'll heal it soon. The entirety of the journey of past and present is sprinkled with music, another thing that sanctions their lives, which takes the centre-stage as the story reaches its last third.

(Pic credit: Pinterest )
✍✍(Points )

1) The cover of the book is beautiful. It is kindly and the fonts are of appropriately used.
2) The title of the book is apt and relatable to the content.
3) The plot of the story is unique and different. It talks about the behind story of the ripple working in a circus and why they were left by their own families and society. The author narrated this story in the form of connecting words with pages to pages. It is a perfect blend of drama and storytelling.
4) The language used by the poetess is impressive, lucid and rich in vocabulary.
5) The writing style is witty and captivating. He weaved his words like magic.
6) The cover picture look's very awesome and makes the book must be interesting.
7) Characterization is well developed and described by the author in each story.
8)The flow of the book is engaging page by page which keeps the readers hooked till the end.
9) Overall, a meaningful read.
@paperbackproject
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I highly recommend this book to all readers

[Oyndrila Roy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Shoe by Yogesh Tak revolves around two protagonists.
Musical legend Mr. Arun Mascarenhas and a young musical prodigy Ron. Ron has given up all connections with the relationships of his past and fled home but it still haunts him till date. Mr Mascarenhas on the other hand is living a dreadful present. He lost his son and his wife is in coma.
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Throughout the book we see two very separate and different lives , meet by accident, and become the unlikeliest of companions.
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I quite enjoyed reading this one. The plot is very different and interesting. I especially enjoyed the writing.
I loved how the author used his wide vocabulary. Not very often, in books nowadays, can one find the usage of strong expressive words.
The book starts a little slow paced but gradually it builds a beautiful plot. The genre is not one I pick up very often but I'm glad I picked this one up. Its a dramatic fiction.
The character building was beautiful as well.
Overall a beautiful read and I would recommend this to all literature lovers.

[Nan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Black Shoe by Yogesh Tak


“Music is not always played out there, you know, with the instruments, not always is it composed with sounds that can be heard. Find yourself alone in a room and try to hear it inside you.”

Every soul carries a hint of black, melancholy with it. This is a story of such souls that try and thrive with one another’s comfort and the soothing sense of music.

This book is character driven and all characters are designed with wonderful arc. Though it is a first person point of view narrative, other characters’ traits are bought out very well.

This book, however, is extremely slow paced. Over the course of book, you learn a lot about the characters, of course, but still the length of the same with nothing very engaging or gripping happening in story tests patience.

The language is delivered with such clarity to enhance both the story as well as the characters. Effort of author is apparent in the book and special appreciation for the same.

[Pooja (221lostlibrary) · Rating 5 out of 5]

~ "Some music needs to be guarded, for they would become less than ordinary and eventually nonexistent. People will squander it. I always fear it would be a huge loss. It's like, you wanna protect it under your cover, to see that it's not wasted, to see that it's appreciated and experienced in a way that would make it mean something " ~
― Yogesh Tak


Review - *NO SPOILERS*
Black Shoe revolving around the lives of two unlikely companions, Mr. Arun Mascarenhas, a revered conductor and Ron, who has nothing except music. The meeting of the two, is because of a common thread―music, but, that's not it, they have another thing in common, which is, sorrow, deep sorrow.
The book is filled with music, art and literature and a lot of emotions, especially dark emotions. There's sorrow, suffering, anxiety, loss, nostalgia and surrealism.
I felt myself getting to much involved in the story, it's like a black hole, the more I tried to escape, the more I was pulled into it.
The best part of the book was MUSIC! How beautifully music was described! I have listened to a very few of the songs mentioned in the book but, whenever I came across one, I googled and listened to it.
The choice of words, the sentence formation, the way the book is written, everything feels so beautifully perfect. There are so many lines from the book that I want to keep with myself forever. Beautiful poetry and musings as well.

I highly recommend this book to every person out there, especially who's life revolves around music listening or creating!

[Richa Sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

black shoe is a book decorated with poetic narration and bitter sweet characters. The story is wonderfully woven and touches a lot mental health topics, bringing forth a piece of literature worthy of experience. The author has a visionary take on writing with immersive details and graphic incidents.
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The story is about Ron, a man lost in grief, who is on the verge of giving up on his passion for music, he's going through life in pain. Comes in Arun Mascarenhas, a revered conductor with whom Ron finds a peculiar friendship. Brought together by grief and loss, Arun and Ron mourn the past. Past the ever profound and as it is said, the past shall govern our fates forever.
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The book has a one of a kind writing that will play with your senses. Some of the inner monologues of the main characters will be etched in your mind for long. The story begins slow, which I think was the demand of the plot. Once the past unraveles, you can't help but be sucked into the surrealistic journey of the characters.
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Music plays a very important role in this book. There are about dozens of mentions of classical music composers. The music sets the tone for the story. There's a touch of melody in each word when talked about music in the author's writing. I, for one, was thrilled about this. I got educated about various composers. In fact, even listened to them while reading.
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Ron is a complex character which requires a much deeper understanding. His actions in the story are disturbing and the pain felt by him, unimaginable. Lost soul, is what I thought about when I read this book. The book speaks to your inner turmoil. We have always thought long and hard about the past. We know circumstances are hardly fair, never fair in life, this work of Yogesh Tak emphasis on the journey of acceptance.
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[Suruchi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sometimes you find a book that's very simple but it strikes all the cords in your heart and you just feel like opening up your heart to it.
Black shoe is a simple narrative tale of two unlikely companions Mr. Arun Mascarenhes a famous pianist and Ron who has nothing with him except music.
They embark on a journey of Discovery, Discovery of self.
They both have one thing in common and that's music but there's also another thing that binds them and that's sorrow, sorrow of the extreme kind where one grows indifferent towards it.

This book is a masterpiece filled with music, art and literature. There's the theme of self identity, Nostalgia and emotional human suffering.
There's a sense of loss, the effects of Parenthood on kids, stress, anxiety, nightmares, the screaming inside your own head and surrealism.

I always felt a tinge of Romanticism around the corner while reading the book because everything is very descriptive and it filled my heart with joy reading everything that the naked eye of today's generation fail to notice.
Music ! Music has been described so Beautifully in this book that it's going to make your soul happy.
I've listened to some of the songs mentioned in this book before but after reading this book they made much more sense and made me see them in a different light.
That's the power of the author's writing.

I was awe with the choice of words, everything feels like Poetry.
Every line feels like music, every paragraph fills you heart with music tunes and every dialogue feels like coming out of the mouth of a singer.

[Archita Mitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

|3.5 stars|

"There is nothing more self-indulging than art. They say it's for the society and culture and humanity and the world and all that. But more than anything, it's for the artist himself. But there's nobility in its selfishness."

Some books are written because the author has a story stuck in his head that needs to be poured out on paper, and this story too shares that kind of intensity. In a lot of ways it reminded me of Charles Bukowski's works (only less misogynistic, which can only be a good thing).
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"And I sit here back in town where nothing makes sense and I'm homesick at my home in my bed and it feels overwhelming..."

'Black Shoe' is the story of Ron, a misanthropic musician who is running away from the many ghosts of his past. One day, while Ron is playing under a streetlamp, he is spotted by Arun Mascarenhas, a revered music conductor. Arun recently lost his family in a tragic series of circumstances, and his misery and loneliness finds a amiable echo in Ron. The two form a friendship, and together they must try and find hope, closure, and forgiveness.
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The book talks about how music, stories, and art can bring together people from different walks of life. It portrays how art is more adept at portraying our darkest emotions, better than mere words. It talks about how complicated Indian families are, and the threads of love, repentance, and forgiveness that knit us together all the same. For instance, read this quote from the last letter of a mother to her son:

"I suffered at times, yes. But I remember the good times too; don't you remember?"

What I Liked:
1. Language - the writer's grasp and mastery on his pen is truly commendable
2. Some of the poems in the book are truly worth multiple reads, and found myself poring over them again and again.

What I Didn't Like:
1. The length - it could have been more concise and still tell a compelling story

2. The abrupt change in narrator, and narrative style made it occasionally difficult to follow the story. At certain times, Tak's narrator is omniscient, while at other points he is fallible. As a reader, it takes some time to get used to this style of writing.

[Saurabh · Rating 4 out of 5]

"black shoe" by Yogesh Tak ventures into the deepest parts of human emotions; loneliness, ambition, nostalgia, and love. black shoe isn't afraid to ponder over upon such emotions longer than most books. But what that provides us is an excellent book which doesn't treat emotions as a mere product of a situation but rather something that is meant to be studied and felt.
The story provides us with some knowledge of excellent music. The protagonist being a musician, we get to see the world of music through an artistic eye. Often times slow, almost crawling, the book takes its time to ferment. But by the end of the book, what we can feel is more than just a story. We get to know the story as one might know a stranger met on a bus. Fleeting and yet completely.
It's probably one of my favourite books written by an Indian author. (No really, not saying this as a friend of the author) but I definitely recommend it

[Deepan Maitra · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that is so very lyrical, surreal and empathetic--is nothing less compared to a masterful literary piece. There is music in these lines as if flowing out of a lute, with the instrument humming tunes of harmony and continuity. 'Black shoe' is almost like a meditation on the art of sheer beautiful storytelling, with missing pieces of fuzzy thoughts somehow fitting together.

The whole approach to the book is entirely different. Catching my eye at the first glance, is the inclusion in the lines everything poetic that can be generated. There is a rhythm to the descriptions, facets of magical realism,a sense of vivid imageries dancing about everywhere and so much ethereal subtlety in all shades, that I loved the reading experience to the core. The book can be listened to, and not just read, because it is nothing short of a soothing song.

The pain and discord in this book has also been put into a symphony, and it gets rhythmised quite naturally. So much understanding, so much empathy and sensitivity has been poured into the book. The elaboration of feelings are grand but humane, heavy but so known. How would you feel if your closest emotions could be set to a tune, the tune that is your own--where you are the creator, the performer and you the listener? This book made me feel that.

This orchestra of deep-rooted humanity could have been turned into a flamboyant tale that could have encompassed a multitude of themes and characters. But 'Black shoe' does not. It never gets derailed to become overwhelming. A lot in this book is said through conversations, through casual retrospections--and it all feels homely and cosy. The pain here glitters with a distant melody of hope too. With limited characters and a slow story, this book is like listening to your old vintage song on repeat, where you have nothing to hide.

(Review copy)

[Rutuja Ramteke · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌿If you are a reader looking for something extremely well written and extraordinary that will tune in with your soul, I think this is it! When I started this book, I wasn't really sure of what it will serve because few times I felt clueless especially in the first few chapters but once I was into the plot and characters, the rhythm and melody, I was completely immersed and the way author transforms things, sets and characters, it's amazing. The most amazing and worth appreciating thing about it is the writing, it marvellous and I mean it, the lyrical writing sounds soothing and soulful, if you are reading this book and love a paragraph just read it loud, you will definitely feel the words written.
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With each passing page, the author adds something new, even though it's gradual, but it's too well planned, clean in terms of what the writer wants to show to the audience, the book isn't just a story but it's a journey of lives, matters and people who you will certainly get into while reading it. The way it talks about music and the way author walked that extra mile to make a significance of melody and music is amazing. To enjoy it all, read it slow but don't miss it.
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I will highly recommend it.

Rating: 4.5⭐️

[pristine.books · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ones who should write are those who have to write or they would go insane, wouldn’t survive.” It was this quote that truly made me understand the philosophy of the topic the author has written about-Music and past. Arun and Ron both reminiscence about their past. Arun is open about his life, his wife, her condition and why he doesn’t conduct music anymore whereas Ron’s exterior is impenetrable. Every time talk of his life comes up, he escapes.
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There are some brilliant poetry lines too. The supporting characters like Radhika, Tara, Max are equally burdened by life and each handle it differently. Radhika is trying her best to forget a trauma and Tara is quite chirpy and ponderous.
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There’s a long monologue of Ron’s at the end. I think that perfectly summarises what being human is, that it is okay to pour your heart out, it is okay to break down and it is okay to get back up at your own pace. The book is dark and gloomy but hopeful too. Good one time read.

[Sudeshna Panigrahi · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That's the thing about memories. They come in unexpected forms. Sometimes, they come gloomily and sometimes, cherishingly .You could feel bitterly about the people in those memories or you could feel the dearly. It's never constant."
- Yogesh Tak , Black Shoes
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Memories, past, unsaid words, regrets and hopes, cutting off from the old world and fostering new equations, tangled human relationships, gestures that neither hide your pain nor show your feelings, and a beautiful narration, and this book is the result. One word for this book would be SURREAL.
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Let's talk of the characters a bit. Ron, in his twenties, having so much inside him, an ardent music lover which introduces him and makes his connection with a violin maestro Mr Arun. Both burdened by their pasts, finding momentary solace in each other's company and their immense love for music, made them mates. The other characters are also so strongly built and they enhance the beauty of the story. The first few chapters were a bit slow but that made the story sit and then it started weaving its magic.
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Coming to the writing style, what an amazing writing style! So lyrical, poetic and magnificent. How can emotions, mundane situations, daily conversations be portrayed so beautifully and with so much rawness and feels. Words here are a window to conflicting but known emotions, words that make you feel upset but will put a smile on your face, words that flow, words that makes you ponder and wonder, words that are beautiful.
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So there's no waiting now, go grab this book as soon as possible.
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