Book Review: Travails of Entrapment

Book: Travails of Entrapment

Author: Himadri Roy

ISBN: 978-93-81836-01-9

Publisher: Frog Books

No. of pages: 486

Cover Designer: Mishta Roy

About the Book:

Rohan De is a single child born in a class-conscious, academic family of Nainital. Growing up in an atmosphere of arguments and quarrels between the parents, he nurtured in the ideologies of his governess, Meena. He became a recluse child suffering innate traumas and disturbances emotionally. Ragging and physical abuses of the seniors became a part of his everyday life. Later, he comes close to one of his seniors, Nikhil, with whom his realisation of a bondage of friendship proliferates.

Despite his parents’ disagreement, he moves to Delhi for his higher studies in the University of Delhi. Soon he befriends two of his class mates, Monisha and Paras. With passage of glorious time of his new friends and friends of Nikhil, he falls in love with Paras exploring his real self.

 Struggling between friendship and love, time favours his love over his friendship. Rohan’s life encompasses both pains, agonies, tears, bruises, and smiles, happiness, bliss.

About the Author:

Dr. Himadri Roy was born in a small town, Siliguri, in West Bengal. He currently resides in New Delhi. He is an Associate Professor in the School of Gender and Development Studies, Indira Gandhi National Open University, New Delhi. He teaches Queer theories, liberation and movements, Literature and Arts and Media to the Post-graduate students of MA in Women’s and Gender Studies.

Travails of Entrapment is Himadri’s first novel and he can be contacted at himadri14@gmail.com or himadriroy@ignou.ac.in

Review:

Let me begin with few words about the cover page. The cover page, designed by Mishta Roy is good but not very attractive. I would have suggested a bigger font size for the title. It is not looking catchy. May be some bright color for the title would have worked well.

Travails of Entrapment is a book which covers all kind of emotions that a boy undergoes in his life. The book covers 486 pages, which I felt quite elaborate in few places. Through a simple language, the author has given life to the story. The story revolves around Rohan De who is a single child born in a class-conscious, academic family of Nainital. The scenic beauty of the place is very well described. His parent who are professors, take no care for their child. Rohan’s longing for their love and his hatred towards his father for his cruel punishment is written very emotionally.

 I liked Meena di’s s character. Though she is just a servant in De’s place, she nurtures Rohan with love and care. Nikhil is Rohan’s first and best friend. Their bondage brings them very close. Nikhil stands against everyone who harms Rohan. Being a senior, Nikhil leaves to Delhi after his exams. Just to be with his only friend, Rohan also joins a college in Delhi after his exams. They stay together in a rented place. Their relationship is beautifully addressed here.

In college Rohan befriends two of his class mates, Monisha and Paras. He is attracted towards paras and finally falls in love with him. Knowing that their relation will be against the society, they decide to live together throughout their life. Other characters like vaibhav, ruchika, kunal, karan and seetha move along with the story well. And the part in which Paras and Rohan convince their parents for their relation is written in very emotional way. Mrs. De finally realize that his child was longing for her love and care.

To conclude my review, Mr. Himadri Roy has put lot of effort to give a different story which talks about friendship, love and homosexuality. I appreciate his courage to write a book on gay story in a very decent way. I give 3 out of 5 for this book. I’m looking forward to read his next book soon and I recommend this book. All the best Mr. Himadri Roy.

                       

 You can buy the book at Flipkart and Homeshop18.

Happy Reading :-)