HAPPY ENDINGS BY SUCHITA AGARWAL
Sameera, a cancer
patient, and a fan of Grey’s Anatomy is grateful at having a doctor like Dr. Punit
Khera who was “smart, funny and competent but most importantly, does not hide
from telling her what her next three months potentially looked like”. Her
parents are her “rocks in chaos”. For Sameera, the survivor, looks at her ordeal
with different eyes. This is a story told with great positivity by a gifted
writer.
Mayank has his own demons within, as he is stuck in a rut
even as his friends move on in life. His frustrations over his job, the lack of
love, and even the décor in his apartment with its red sofa and stark white
walls drive him almost to the point of suicide. The irony is that Mayank is not
unhappy, which isn’t the same thing as being happy. The story reveals how
different people react differently to the sight of the sea. Some project their
feelings onto it, others fear it. Yet others, like Mayank, feel a sense of
emptiness at the sight of the sea, the sunset and the beauty of nature. Will he
be able to move on and in the process of doing so, heal himself?
The third story is easily one of my favourites.
Avantika is a librarian who had fled from a big city, driven home to her
grandmother by a panic attack. The library was a magical place full of secrets and
mysteries. “It was a sanctuary. It was a place to learn. It was a place to
hide. It was a place to pause and take a breath.” Lines that are so relatable to
people who love to read! Avantika is a
24-year-old agony aunt who loves helping people, and when the dapper Raj, a
good friend of her dadi’s, comes into her life, wounded and confused, it is as
if both their problems run on similar lines. Even as they both “oscillate
between euphoria and despair”, they realise what it is that has complicated their
lives and strive to live meaningful lives.
Urmilla is a tale of two
sisters, one a popular Bollywood heroine, Renuka, and the other Urmilla, who
had grown up together without being close. The two have been estranged for nine
months. Suddenly, the scenario shifts when Renu dies of a heart attack, and
Urmilla sets out to fulfil her last wish, despite opposition from her own
husband, Avinash. What is the reason for the estrangement, what does Urmilla
discover about her sister, and how do all the passions surging within her get
assuaged? Another fascinating story with complex emotions!
The last story takes
a psychological turn, with Pranjal, the unlikely hero, sword and all, who
daydreams his way through life, slaying dragons and rescuing hapless maidens. His
parents constantly worry about how easily he slips into his make-believe word,
and it is Dr. Mahesh, a psychologist, who patiently listens to the boy,
dredging out memories that are buried deep within his psyche.
Thus, all five stories hint at turmoil and trauma in
varying degrees as people set out to grasp at happiness that seems elusive.
However, the title of the book ‘Happy Endings’ sends out the comforting message
that demons can be slain, and happiness attained at a cost. The cover image resembles
the marble bust of King Alexander the Great, the top of which is covered with a
sunflower and a leaf, and maybe a depiction of a vivid imagination that plays
such a significant role in the lives of people. The kind of imagination which
the talented writer of this ebook, Suchita Agarwal, most certainly possesses.
Thank you so much for this wonderful review Deepti! I loved how you have summarized all the 5 stories and I'm so glad you found it an engaging read.
ReplyDeleteYou are welcome, Suchita. I found all your stories extremely readable. Here's to many more!
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