Pyjamas Are Forgiving
Book Review
Overall Rating: 2/5, Genre: Fiction, Indian Literature
Author: Twinkle Khanna
Set in Shanthamaaya spa for rejuvenation of the body and mind, this novel by Twinkle Khanna is tough to put down yet strangely discomforting to read. I quite like her style of writing which is laced with dry humor and sarcasm, as she dissects the various characters that weave in and out of her pages. I have read “The Legend of Lakshmi Prasad” and found the same sort of wit that Twinkle Khanna is famously known for. Kudos for that. Also, the subject she has chosen is quite interesting — how the past has a way of clinging on when you believe in your mind that you have had the closure you needed. In her own words “sometimes the only thing we have left is hope. Hope that every tomorrow hurts a little less than yesterday.”
The premise is solid, and the conflict in the protagonist Anshu’s mind is quite evident, and her helplessness and neediness at arms with her self-respect and principles have been written beautifully. However, I wasn’t quite a fan of how several characters were there just for creating a menagerie that did not quite come to life. Some of it even seemed forced and cliched. Whether it’s the doctors or the other patients, I do not think the book capitalized on what could have been more than a somewhat single-tracked story. Characters such as Vivaan, Jenna, and Javed could have added so much more flavor to this novel. So, I was left wanting more depth and breadth in this otherwise emotional book.
Sharing some of the quotes and nice words from the book:
“The mind knows it deserves better; it is the heart that forgets.”
“In order to find yourself you have to leave the world behind.”
“While blood is thicker than water, it has a tendency to congeal unpleasantly.”
“An allegory of life, sometimes there is a crown on your head, sometimes a crow about to defecate.”
“I realise that want is a bin liner. It accepts scraps willingly.”
“Blame is a bullet that the world fires at an already wounded victim.”
