Book Review 106: Brink by S.L. Bhyrappa

Brink is the English translation of the popular Kannada novel 'Anchu' by S.L. Bhyrappa. Translated by R. Ranganath Prasad, Brink is a psychological fiction which addresses an important issue - mental health.

The plot centres around two lives - Somasekhar and Amrita. Somasekhar, an architect by profession,  is a widower, Amrita a university lecturer, is an estranged woman. She lives with her two children. The two fall in love with each other. But their journey is not an easy one as Amrita goes through bouts of depression, sudden mood swings and suicidal tendencies. Somasekhar loves Amrita unconditionally and tries to anchor her life, while she goes through a whirlwind of emotions. The book gives a detailed description of Amrita's feelings, the pain she goes through, and how Somasekhar tries to help her with his sincere love for her.

The plot is really interesting and profound. However, there's one major aspect of this book which made it quite a tedious read - the translation. This 400-page novel became a tiring read for me due to the translation. It failed to bring out the real essence of the story. The story seemed to lack the flow. Translated texts are very important because they introduce the readers to unknown ideas and cultures, and helps global interaction. I enjoy reading translated works. But a good translation that brings out the original essence of the text is very important.

About the author: S.L. Bhyrappa, the Kannada novelist, is regarded as one of India’s foremost writers. His works are unique in terms of theme, structure, and characterization. Bhyrappa participated in the freedom struggle but believes that Indian independence was just political freedom and that real independence is the intellectual freedom which is nurtured by the strong foundations laid in the teachings of rich Indian culture and values. Bhyrappa has been honoured with many awards including the Sahitya Akademi Award for Daatu in 1975 and Saraswati Samman of K.K. Birla Foundation for Mandra in 2010. His novels have been translated into almost all Indian languages. He retired as a Professor of Philosophy from Mysore University and lives in Mysore. 

About the translator:  R. Ranganath Prasad worked for a public sector bank. He resigned voluntarily halfway through and took interest in translation (English, Kannada, and Hindi). Eventually, he sought out true scholars – Dr S.L. Bhyrappa and Dr R. Ganesh – to benefit from their knowledge and wisdom. He participates in literary study circles, wherein classical Sanskrit and Kannada literature is studied under the guidance of Dr R. Ganesh. Initiated to metrical versification, he has penned about a thousand verses and participates in the performing literary art called Avadhanam.

My rating: 3of 5 stars.

Publisher: Niyogi Books.

First Published: September 2020.

Pages: 420

Price: ₹595/-

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Thanks to the publisher, Niyogi Books, for the review copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.