Book Review: The Elephant Chaser's Daughter by Shilpa Raj

The Elephant Chaser’s Daughter
Author: Shilpa Raj
Publisher: Rupa Publishers There is something incredible about the coarse honesty- it is a perfect blend of bittersweet- arousing pleasure with a hue of pain and sadness! It takes a lot of courage and confidence to relive your past publicly and the authoress has earned my respect through this book. Engaging and interesting- this is what comes to your mind when you finish reading ‘The Elephant Chaser’s Daughter’. This book is a good work of reality. Fluid and careful narration incarcerates a story that reeks of genuine emotions and sleek characterization.

With near-to-perfect technical details, the writing style of the authoress doesn’t fail to impress. The memoir is strong. The way the authoress has divided the content into different scenes is commendable. However, the lack of consistency in certain sections might act as a turn off. Where one chapter describes the emotional trauma the protagonist goes through as an after effect of a sudden death in the family, the very next chapter talks about the life-changing and unprecedented opportunity the protagonist gets that turns out to be a benefit in disguise for her. In the process of absorbing the sudden demise of her sister, the reader soon loses the connection with the character because of abrupt change in scenes. Characterization of the protagonists is balanced. The language is lucid and narration is flawless. The authoress has succeeded in making the readers live every scene of the book. The twists and turns are sure to give you jitters.

The story pokes various societal issues like atrocities against girl child and Untouchability. With so much going on in her life, Shilpa finds herself between the devil and the deep blue sea. The choice between soaring high or getting buried under the orthodox notions of her family/ neighbours tears her soul apart and forces her to take the reins in hand and control her life. She makes a life-changing decision that not only helps her strike a balance with her chaotic mind but also leads her onto a path of self-discovery.

Overall, a good book with lot of intense emotions which offer moments of heartache and sadness!

Best wishes to the author!
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