Book Review 44: Shillong Times by Nilanjan P. Choudhury.





Shillong Times: A story of Friendship and Fear by Nilanjan P. Choudhury tells us the story of fourteen-year-old Debojit Dutta also known as Debu and his growing up in Shillong. The story is set in the 1980s when the calm and serene Shillong was experiencing a rise in hostility and intolerance towards the residents who are not natives of the place.

This coming of age story takes us back in time and reminds the readers of their childhood days and presents before us a vivid picture of the beautiful and strong bond of friendship that the protagonist shared with his friends, Clint Eastwood and Audrey Pariat. Together they experience many fun things, which introduces Debu to a completely new and different life. With them, he feels the joy of certain little incidents happening in life - the Chinese restaurant forbidden by his mother, the revolutionary music of Pink Floyd. The three of them embark on many adventures. But, the tension between the Khasi and the Bengali communities is on the rise.
To know what happens next, you have to read the book!

The book is beautifully narrated. The picturesque scenery of the Shillong has been very skillfully described. It reminded me of my visit to the beautiful place a few years back. The pace at which the plot proceeds is perfect. The language too is lucid. However, the book required careful editing. There were a few errors here and there.

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. Totally recommending this amazing book! You'll absolutely love reading it.


About the author : Nilanjan P. Choudhury’s most recent novel is "Shillong Times", a coming of age story set against the insider-outsider conflict in Shillong in the 1980s. His debut novel, a mythological thriller entitled “Bali and the Ocean of Milk”, was a (very) brief best-seller. His subsequent writings include “The Case of the Secretive Sister” a contemporary detective caper set in Bangalore and "The Square Root of a Sonnet", a pioneering play on the history and science of black holes, both of which received wide critical acclaim. 
Nilanjan confesses to having studied at IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Kanpur and hopes that this will not be held against him. He grew up in Shillong and now lives in Bangalore with his family. 


My rating : 4 of 5 stars.
Publisher : Speaking Tiger. 
First Published : September 2018
Pages : 238
Price : ₹350/-
 This book review is a part of "The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program and Blog Tours, for details log on to thereaderscosmos.blogspot.in"


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