Book Review: A Pleasant Escape by Piyush Rohankar
A Pleasant Escape by Piyush Rohankar looks like a stereotype romance novel, but it turns out to be a book of an extraordinary substance. The story features Alok Shirke from Maharashtra. He lands up in Delhi, in the old lanes of Rajendra Nagar to prepare for the IAS (Civil Service) exams.
From this point, readers get the grim reality behind ambitions and life goals that keep one’s heart churning. Students are not there for fun, they have their own cherished dreams and promises to fulfill in the garb of being an IAS aspirant. Life is tough for them. Expectations are high. They are racing against time and destiny. Those who pass, move on with memories. And those who fail–they do anything to sooth their mind. This novel bites all of us with reality that is hardly glorifying but mostly embarrassing.
Staged mainly against Delhi, the novel is credibly well-painted with pragmatism. I think it tells us why students fall for drugs and depression in the heat of competitive exams. But subtly I also felt the author tried to convey that probably self-control and self-discipline can save them from a lot of hellish things. I felt bad for Manish and his sister Rashmi.
The story of Ankit and Sakshi is of another level. Their failed relationship depicts that the society seeks equal equation for marriage. Even when Alok falls in love with Sarah, things were indicative that their love affair is another dead end. From the stories of others and his own, the author touched many points and pains. Life is something different when one comes out of his/her comfort zone and tries to pursue his/her dreams with all possible gusto.
An amazing novel with a heady mix of romance and contemporary societal issues, I had read it leisurely to enjoy it most. I hope you too like it for its unique and fresh story.
