Love is an uncanny emotion as it is ever evolving. Once in love, the troubles of the world appear minute. But fate has a different plan; it either turns the tables upside down or makes the life a bed of red roses. ‘Before the Sunset’, set in Southern India, is a poignant story of love, trust, and revelations.
A heartwarming story is what ‘Before the Sunset’ is all about. It portrays Raju’s exasperation and the emotional turmoil the people around him go through when they become aware of the complete truth. The characters have been woven so intricately that they complement each other so well. With a cushy and happy cover design, the book promises some real mental fracas and melodrama.
Struck by Cupid’s arrow, Raju, the protagonist of the story, elopes with Viji, embarking on a journey of life filled with love, laughter, and companionship. But happy life was only a nine-day wonder. The sudden death of Viji, leaving behind the newborn Deepthi, shocks Raju. Uncertain about the future of his daughter, he decides to help a childless couple. Deepthi grows under the care of Dr. Manoj and his wife, Shobha, unaware of the repercussions of her father’s actions. The main characters are strong but the characters of Tarun and Kiran appear as mere caricatures.
The story is a slow read in the beginning and it gets more interesting towards the end. A sharp/ substantial climax could have been better. The dialogues and organization of content are fine. The grammatical structure of the sentences is incorrect at many places. There is nothing wrong in using a simple vocabulary and the author’s chastity is admirable.
The story is a complete pot-boiler as it has all the necessary elements of drama. However, there are abrupt and awkward soliloquies that have not been framed using correct tenses. (I think) Use of Italics would have made the context clearer.
Overall, ‘Before the Sunset’ is a brilliant story that offers genuine moments of heartache and throws light on the harsh realities of life.
Best wishes to the author!
About the Author
Active blogger and writer, Enakshi Johri, is a regular author for Indus woman Writing. She is a postgraduate in Biotechnology. She has written several articles, stories and poems and most of her content has been published in the ejournal of IWW (Indus Woman Writing). She is working as a curator for ‘fiction magazine’ (an online magazine). She has contributed in six Anthologies so far. She is also a freelance book reviewer. She is a creative thinker and a passionate writer and loves to pour down her heart in form of words. She shares her experience and her perception through her website (http://aliveshadow.blogspot.in/).
