Book Review - Roots by Rahul Bhatt

Blurb-

“It is alright to cry” – says the soothing voice from the helpline. And the choked emotions come to the fore filling the line with his sobs… eventually making him confident enough to start reading his ancestor’s memoirs. From 1857 to 1984… the story of Delhi seems interwoven with his family history. It is a city that provided him with shelter, yet never was quite the home he yearned for.

‘Roots’ is the story of Ganesh, a priest and astrologer who makes a living predicting other’s future. Unknown to him, fate has woven a strange twist into his life. Concurrently, ‘Roots’ also tells the story of his hometown doomed to lose its existence in the march towards development. Who wants this development? Do the residents have any say regarding their future? Can there be any compensation for losing one’s home and hearth?

A suicide, a dam, a reality show… all come together in this gripping tale of longing and displacement that tugs at the heart for what could have been…

About the story-

The story revolves around a priest, Ganesh, and his ancestors. The story of his ancestors and the effect of their past on his present has been shown in this book. Mira and her daughter Sarita’s independent life and their zeal to live a happy life have been shown beautifully. The fact that every character is linked to one other and that too, without knowledge, is what that keeps the reader hooked till the end.

Writing and narration-

The language of the book is quite simple and is easily understandable. However, I didn’t feel any uniqueness in the style of narration. But, the story has the capability of keeping readers fixated till the very end of the story. Readers may feel curiosity to know what will happen next. In short, it is a page turner.

Title and cover-

The title of the book has done justice with its theme. Throughout the story, the roots of the main leads haven’t left its significance. Not just the story but Roots has many other things to explore. On one hand where the title is apt, I didn’t find the cover much fascinating. But, it depicts how a person will always remain glued to the roots.

My verdict –

The story is full of mysteries. It will captivate the readers for sure. I liked how the author has linked the characters with one other. The story will give many enthralling turns and twists. I was imagining something else, but the story didn’t prove my imagination correct, which is good. Kudos for the creativity to the writer!

Ratings – 4/5

You can buy the book here.