#Book Review: The Oleander Girl by Chitra Banerjee Divakurni

My first acquaintance with Chitra Banerjee Divakurni’s work was through her novel The Spice Mistress. The film had released by the time I had started reading the novel but I opted not to watch the film, as I believe a film adapted from a novel can never entirely capture the essence of a writer’s emotions.

Being a Bengali, any story set in Bengal has always fascinated me. The Oleander Girl is a quest of a young Bengali woman and her journey to find her identity. Korobi orphaned at birth, is brought up in a traditional household by adring over protective grandparents. She spends seventeen years of her life in her ancestral home, 26 Tarak Prasad Roy Road, which characterizes the old charms of the beautiful city of Kolkata. On the other end of the spectrum is the rich party boy Rajat, confused about his love for Korobi and his ex-girl friend Sonia. Though Korobi and Rajat have nothing in common but after certain point the readers are made to wonder how these two opposite people fell in love with each other.

But outwardly beautiful Korobi is not only beautiful but intelligent and headstrong at the same time. It is her strong conviction and curiosity about her past that propels her into a journey across the world to find her father, half of her identity and puts herself and her loved ones in dangerous circumstances.

Though the novel starts in a slow note, the progress of the novel totally lives up to your expectation. You can’t help but admire Korobi and get thrilled while she experiences her highs and lows. The novel becomes very gripping as the secrets of the past are unraveled. The other characters like Jayashree, Sarojini and Mr. Bose also add depth to the novel. Another interesting part of the novel is the special relation which driver Asif shares with ‘missy’ Pia. The relation bears subtle undertones that love goes beyond conventional warnings and social prejudices. Throughout the novel, the reader is held in thrall as the problems pile up and secrets unfold.

However The Oleander Girl is much more than a tale of suspense; it is also a story of tender relationships that reach beyond race, religion and class. There are special touches in this book that make it heartwarming and reinforce your faith in nature. Overall, it is an extremely enjoyable read and Chitra’s lyrical style of writing makes the whole experience worthwhile. Banerjee is gifted for making the art of storytelling a magical experience and somewhere the dynamic facet of Korobi will definitely touch a chord in your heart.

Publisher : Penguin Viking