Friday 20 October 2017

Forever is TRUE by Novoneel Chakraborty: a review

Pulling my hand just an instance after pushing me, Novoneel whispers in my ear... 'Forever is True!' As I steady myself and look in expectation,  he is nowhere to be seen. "We are an echo of our wounds," his last words ring in my ears. A few months post that, as I hold Chakraborty's latest release in my hands, I can't help but smile. His 10th presentation, the concluding installment of the Forever Series, Forever is TRUE proves just that. The blurb of the book, gives an insight of the book...

According to the back cover: In book one, Forever is a Lie, Saveer pushes Prisha to her death. It is the price she pays for loving him with all her heart. However, she miraculously survives. But certainly. survival aren't easy and leave many unanswered questions in their wake. Why did Saveer attempt to kill Prisha? Is he really who he claims to be or is there more to this mysterious man that Prisha is yet to discover? By the time she closes in on the truth, Prisha's life is at risk again. Only this time she may not survive; this time she may lose Saveer too. In this concluding part of the Forever series, master of twists Novoneel Chakraborty takes you on a roller-coaster ride to the climax of the story, leaving you satiated yet hungry for more.

The blurb, I would suggest, doesn't really highlight what this book stands for. Picking up from where it left in the first installment, the prologue again speaks of the adrenaline rush that this book promises to give you. If book one was a built up to the mystery then this book is the layer and the climax. I had once heard that Novoneel aims to become a director. This story is surely the baseline of it.

Saveer: Undoubtedly one of my favorite characters in this series and this book is surely Saveer's journey. Anyone who comes near him or anyone he loves, dies. Is that the only premise of the story? Oh my sweet little one, read on to find out. 
Prisha: My darling. What seems like a supporting role in a movie in book one shines her way out in this part. Just as Saveer's story, Prisha brightens up the screen (err..the page) whenever she's there. 

As much as it is a thriller, it is a love story at the core. Emotions, relationships, bonds being tried and tested N number of times. I had mentioned, I presume, that this series is easily Chakraborty's most twisted take till date and rightfully so. You may keep guessing from Page 1 to Page 222 but you'll still not know what is going on. There are Novoneel Chakraborty quotes and his "skill in writing informal interactions that are so close to your soul" that make up the book. And yes, they make love too. 

You'll always be 'almost' there. The saddest word in the dictionary, isn't it? I knew at the end of this book that after a long time I've found one book where you can read and even tell somebody else the whole story, including the climax but when that somebody reads the book, he/she would not want to believe what you said is right. They'll have their conclusions. Well, right or wrong: I can't say.

The way the story has been written stays back in your mind as if you've watched a movie and that is one of the pro's of the book. The other pro of the book has to be the way questions remain unanswered. Speaking of the cons, some scenes were a bit abrupt. Or probably it came a bit abruptly because it was the need of the hour in the story. An interactive story indeed, I'm sure you as a person, more than a reader, would've wanted some other things to be happening.

The climax, the answer to Why would leave you thinking. Inspired from a real life incident, a social message engulfs the whole saga. This book will fuck your every happiness! I'll stop right here and not speak more about this 'almost' 5 on 5 book because someone had once told me that if you say everything you lose the magic...