Hold My Hand..

Now books and writing have become a part of my life. If I don't read or don't blog my mind keeps reminding me that I need to take out time for this too. I have realized it actually gives me happiness and satisfaction. Luckily in September 2013 I took part in a giveaway and won a signed copy of Durjoy Datta's Hold My Hand. I have read his earlier books and getting a signed copy made me excited. 

The story is about 'Deep' who is obsessed with books and a beautiful girl 'Ahana' who has a rare congenital disease leaving her blind. The story has four parts. Part One explains how much Deep is fond of books and cannot imagine his life without them. The character has been described as a geek who is not at all fashionable and is the dimmest end of the spectrum going by the current standard of being hot or good looking. But he gets a chance to go to Hong Kong to study and test the library cataloging software at the head office of ATS Technologies. Deep meets Ahana on the lift of the Hotel for the first time and after few unexpected meetings together they explore Hong Kong. Aahana guiding with the smells and sounds of the wondrous city and Deep bringing to life the sights he sees. Part Two is from the Blind Girl's perspective. Part three and four unfolds the story further which has a Happy End. Overall the plot is good. Its a nice weekend read but there was something about it that it couldn't be the best. I think the author had all the ingredients to prepare an awesome platter but unfortunately he could not. Nevertheless every experience teaches something and may we get to read better stuff from him.

Honestly I have never read a story that had a blind character and through this book I realized how it feels to miss life's simple joys. How we never appreciate and pay gratitude that all our organs are functioning properly instead we constantly discuss things we don't get. There are few things that I really liked in the novel : 

• In chapter 5 how nicely Deep answers his ex-girlfriend Archana when she says I don't know why you had to be so into books and he says Books make us better people. Books only taught me it’s important to empathize with people because people are complex and beautiful and often irrational & hard to understand and so are you. It was books that helped him get over her even after she cheated him.
• Part Two explains Ahana's feelings. The way she wishes that her blindness should have come with a notice period and how frustrating it is to learn about something she can't see. In chapter 19 she says I wish to be like others, fall in love, hold someone's handnot because I have to but because I want to; a normal life where I can grow old with someone. It really made me sympathetic towards the character.
• Also in chapter 26 when Ahana's father goes missing while he was on a test flight it made my eyes moist because its so painful to lose a person you solely depend on. Fortunately he din't die and Ahana could smile again.

Would like to end my post with a line quoted in book : She too has dreams to be married to someone who will always be with her in thick and thin.!

Connect with the author : 

• Twitter : Durjoy Datta