Author/writer Deepti Menon shares her thoughts on Pyar Aur Poetry. Thank you for taking the time out of your super busy schedule to write this one. So very generous of you. A review of Pyar Aur Poetry- Roopa Menon One does not need to be a Literature buff to comprehend that the author, Roopa Menon, is a Sylvia Plath addict. ‘Pyar Aur Poetry’ is truly a romance steeped in poetry, an Indireads novella, in which Arundhati Basu waltzes across the pages, “her head not a little turned by her own belief in her naturally keen intellect, her bent for writing poetry and her eclectic tastes”. Born with a platinum spoon in her mouth, she conducts Literati evenings every fortnight on Fridays, along with her two friends, Deepa Shinde and Nisha Kumar, who, along with her, form the trio known in the prestigious St. Paul’s college as the ‘artsy sisters’. Arundhati, who has been winning the annual Ithaca Poetry Contest three years in a row, is rudely shocked when mystery student, D.G. Beckett, dethrones her, and goes on to win the contest. His winning poem, ‘The Potato Eaters’ provides a new level of clarity on Van Gogh’s iconic painting, impressing Arundhati with its insight, even as she is intrigued about his identity. She is also forced to share the stage to give the introductory speech on the college Founder’s Day along with Nikhil Menon, a gangly boy with unkempt hair, whose recent assignments have been rated “thought provoking and impressive”. The novel races along, delving into Arundhati’s mind, as she slowly abandons the “puffed up literary plumage that she wore with great aplomb”, and turns more human in the company of Nikhil, who introduces her to the simpler pleasures of pani puri and Rajani’s Robot. D.G. Beckett continues to intrigue her, his obscurity very appealing, as she mails him and waits avidly for his replies. Roopa Menon’s writing sparkles, and her description of Nikhil’s writing could well be true of her own. She waxes eloquent, describing his style as “written lucidly and structured so tightly that every sentence stood out like a gem”. Literary allusions are scattered across the novel liberally, with snatches of humour, as a dour Aaron Jacob sneers about Sylvia Psycho and Phattu Turkey, and Satan in Paradise Lost comes across as “an annoying pushy salesman who gives greasy, well-oiled speeches.” However, the author also strives to keep the novel contemporary as she puts in usages like “uski waat lag jayegi” and “dabaang”. The novel ends with a twist in its tale, as Founder’s Day opens up a cornucopia of revelations that throw Arundhati off balance. But only for a while, as she bounces back again, even as a beautiful Rossetti poem loops through her mind, retaining the element of ‘pyar and poetry’ till the very end! Verdict: An immensely readable tale that leaves the reader with a smile
Posted on: Mon, 08 Jul 2013 07:33:16 +0000
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