Ekta | wisdomekta

“Everything is not black and white; the world is grey.” The lawyer turned author Simran Dhir, presents her debut novel, which incorporates all the elements that an elite Delhiite might encounter: politics, love, marriage, vandalism, history, and intellect. This narrative revolves around four main characters: Gayatri, Akshay, Nandini, and Amar. Gayatri is a 32-year-old self-aware, independent, and lovable bachelorette who fights for her beliefs, all while facing constant pressure from her family. Her younger sister, Nandini, has recently married Amar, a man from a well-respected business and politician family, and is a younger brother of Akshay. While Gayatri has always been a free spirit, having left her corporate law firm to pursue a career as a historian, Akshay holds completely different views. Without revealing the intricate details of this drama reminiscent of OTT series, I want to commend the author for the delicate way in which she addresses domestic issues and house...

“The feeling that she had never really lived in this world caught her by surprise. It was a fact. She had never lived. Even as a child, as far back as she could remember, she had done nothing but endure. She had believed in her own inherent goodness, her humanity, and lived accordingly, never causing anyone harm. Her devotion to doing things the right way had been un-flagging, all her success had depended on it, and she would have gone on like that indefinitely. She didn’t understand why, but faced with those decaying buildings and straggling grasses, she was nothing but a child who had never lived.” This tragic gem begins with a dream. Let me begin this review with the conclusion : This dark allegorical novel, winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize, is not for the faint-hearted. It carries a trigger warning due to its intense themes of trauma, violence, and repression while providing valuable insights into societal structures and personal struggles. The Vegetarian is a story in th...