Book Review : "Is This Love" & "Autumn-The Last Leaf"

This is the first book review I am writing in my blog. Arti Honrao’s “Is This Love?” and “Autumn- The Last Leaf” are two wonderful stories and I read them in a single sitting.

Her art of expressing human emotions to such depth deserves appreciation. The feeling of friendship flourishing into love with time is the centre stage of both the stories. What crossed my mind while reading the book is- the dilemma people often face when it comes to matters of the heart, the failure to reveal emotions at the appropriate time and the eventual consequences and crushing wave of pain that creates turmoil in the concerned person.

“Is This Love?” is a story that depicts how two souls loved each other right from the start but failed to confess it to one another at the right time. The level of closeness between Vishaal and Sheetal – their constant extension of support to each other when it was needed, the maturity and composure in Vishaal’s character and the plight of Sheetal as she was invaded by confusion as to whether Aman really loved her ; are all described beautifully. The ultimate acceptance of Sheetal by Vishaal even after he knew what had transpired between her and Aman provides ample evidence of his true love for her. The story was gripping from the start till the end. One can actually understand the crux of Sheetal’s situation and it provides an insight of the ability of the author to pen down emotions marvelously.

In “Autumn- The Last Leaf”, the main protagonist, Neha has a rare power to see dreams which transform into reality. She wanted to confess her feelings for her friend, Kedar but it was too late and he married Samiksha. Though at first it was difficult to make out whether Kedar loved Neha, at the end it becomes clear that he married Samiksha just because his parents forced him to. Neha’s initial heart ripping pain and eventually ‘rising again like a phoenix’ (as the author has put it) is described vividly. The twist at the end and the revealing of the real culprit of Samiksha’s murder are executed in a smooth and expert fashion. Loved the way the author has compared Neha to a tree.

The title of the story couldn’t have been more apt. The story starts off with a gruesome murder ( which was actually a dream) but as it progresses, it makes the reader feel that it’s a blend of emotions, mystery and a strong plot( plus a hint of supernatural power-as Neha’s dreams used to convert into reality).

Two stories worth reading. Great reading experience. Thank you Arti di for sending a copy for me. Keep writing..  JJ Hoping to read more books by you…..