The Distance

‘The Distance’  by Saborna Roychowdhury

It was merely a hunch that made me pick this book up from Flipkart, of course on cue from a facebook friend.  

One who has walked past Esplande , New Bazaar, Saltlake, only  a couple of times, would feel such proximity to this city that smell of fish and Bengali sweetmeats would cover me with so much of nostalgia ,  was unimaginable till I finished the last page. ‘The Distance’  eventually emerges as possession worthy to show off.

Mini  was not just ordinary middle class girl , she was strong and decisive young woman. She did what she decided. Always.  Saborna sketched not just the life of Mini with quick broad strokes , she drew a ‘Google  street map’  with micro-details that overwhelmed me with déjà vu of sort as I was made to live her life riding on story form drawn so beautifully . That too with such  concise,  compact style !

Saborna appeared  as if she shadowed some real Mini for years living in her soul and capturing her aspirations ,  noting down her bold acts and pain. Story telling ability of Saborna  is definitely of a seasoned writer and held me captivated till last page.  Angry youth revolutionary Amitav or IITian expat Neel had their version of what life should be about, but it was tales of  women of Calcutta struggling to emerge out from cocooned middle class battles which Saborna narrated with distinctive  élan, that  book is actually about .

Mini epitomized that struggle with mind of her own.And I ended up loving her wishing to fill the vacuum left by Neel and Amitav. That's success of Saborna.