LOVE ON THE ROCKS
Book Review
By
VIKRAM KARVE
THE BOOK
Title: Love on the Rocks
Author: Ismita Tandon
Dhanker
ISBN: 0143414682
ISBN-13: 9780143414681,
978-0143414681
Binding: Paperback
Publishing Date: 2011
Publisher: Penguin
Number of Pages: 224
Language: English
BOOK REVIEW
Sailors are known to tell
“Tall Stories”. The author Ismita Tandon Dhanker
is not a sailor. But she sure knows how to spin a yarn and her debut novel LOVE ON THE ROCKS bears testimony to her skill as an imaginative storyteller.
As I said Ismita Tandon Dhanker
is not a seafarer. But she is the better half of a merchant navy officer. She
has sailed with her husband on merchant ships, keenly observed the goings-on and
has put her sea experience (and “sea time”) to good use while writing this
novel where all the action takes place on the high seas. Maybe she was
fascinated by life at sea so much that she has chosen to set her debut novel LOVE
ON THE ROCKS on board a ship sailing in the pacific ocean.
This book is branded as a
“Metro Read” and it lives up to its imprint. It is best to read this book in
one sitting, start to finish, and it is quite easy to do so, for once you start
reading, the gripping suspense will keep you engrossed till the very end – in
fact, I found the novel quite “unputdownable”.
Ismita writes well and
knows how to hold attention of the reader. What I liked most was the way the
novel is constructed as a symphony of different voices. LOVE
ON THE ROCKS is composed in multiple narrative voices reminiscent of the
storytelling style in the multi-narrator novel My Name Is Red by Orhan Pamuk and in a
similar manner, the novel’s main characters intermittently weave in their own
stories, adding to the intrigue and culminating in the climax, and like a good
“whodunit” the suspense lasts till the very end, in fact till the very last
page.
The novel is described as
a “romantic thriller” but to be frank there is less of romance and more of
thrill. If you are expecting a mushy love story or amorous sensual romance you
are in for a big surprise. The author relies more on gory violence rather than
on passionate romance to inject the element of thrill. Whereas gruesome violent
scenes are described in graphic detail, the author is coy when describing love
scenes (or avoids them altogether) and
maintains quite a cut-and-dried writing style while describing romantic
relationships. I wish the author had delved more deeply into the mysterious inchoate
infatuation between Harsh and Sancha and injected intense ardour and intimacy into
the tumultuous marital relationship between Aaron and Sancha – a bit of emotion,
passion and romance would surely have spiced up the story.
The
characterisation is quite outlandish, to say the least. The Master is a
perverted debauch, the Chief Engineer is a hopeless alcoholic, the Chief
Officer is a strange volatile character, a screwball battling demons of his
past but desperately trying to come to terms with himself, the First Engineer
is portrayed as a weird maverick, and the cadet is a rather queer and quirky creature.
An uninitiated reader may get an impression that seafarers on merchant ships
are eccentric oddballs, which is certainly far from the truth. The only
“normal” characters are the two “landlubbers” – Sancha, the nosey parker
protagonist, and Raghav, the investigator. But then, one must grant the
first-time novelist some literary licence though one dreads to imagine what
will happen on a ship crewed by such wacky types. Of course, crazy things do
take place in the story.
Since LOVE
ON THE ROCKS is a murder mystery I will not spoil your fun by telling you
the story – for that you must read the book. Also, I must not forget to mention
the rather appealing impish illustrations which are in tune with the atmosphere
of the story.
LOVE
ON THE ROCKS is a welcome change from the ubiquitous run-of-the-mill campus
romances proliferating like hobgoblins on the Indian literary scene and the
debutante author deserves credit for daring to chart new territory. I commend
this “murder mystery thriller”. It is an ideal pick-me-up for enlivening a
boring journey or a lazy hot afternoon – the story, with its twists and turns,
will keep you spellbound till the very end. Get a copy. You will enjoy reading
the book. You can take my word for it.
VIKRAM KARVE
Copyright © Vikram Karve 2012
Vikram Karve has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this book review.
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
AMAZON
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005MGERZ6
SMASHWORDS
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/87925
Foodie Book: Appetite for a Stroll
If your are a Foodie you will like my book of Food Adventures APPETITE FOR A STROLL. Do order a copy from FLIPKART:
http://www.flipkart.com/appetite-stroll-vikram-karve/8190690094-gw23f9
About Vikram Karve
A creative person with a zest for life, Vikram Karve is a retired Naval Officer turned full time writer. Educated at IIT Delhi, ITBHU Varanasi, The Lawrence School Lovedale and Bishops School Pune, Vikram has published two books: COCKTAIL a collection of fiction short stories about relationships (2011) and APPETITE FOR A STROLL a book of Foodie Adventures (2008) and is currently working on his novel and a book of vignettes and short fiction. An avid blogger, he has written a number of fiction short stories, creative non-fiction articles on a variety of topics including food, travel, philosophy, academics, technology, management, health, pet parenting, teaching stories and self help in magazines and published a large number of professional research papers in journals and edited in-house journals for many years, before the advent of blogging. Vikram has taught at a University as a Professor for almost 15 years and now teaches as a visiting faculty and devotes most of his time to creative writing. Vikram lives in Pune India with his family and muse - his pet dog Sherry with whom he takes long walks thinking creative thoughts.
Vikram Karve Academic and Creative Writing Journal: http://karvediat.blogspot.com
Professional Profile Vikram Karve: http://www.linkedin.com/in/karve
Vikram Karve Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/vikramkarve
Vikram Karve Creative Writing Blog: http://vikramkarve.sulekha.com/blog/posts.htm
Email: vikramkarve@sify.com
© vikram karve., all rights reserved.
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