"Story of Tublu" is well.... :) The story of "Tublu". It speaks about a boy, Tublu's journey through the decades, his journey through life and its complexities. Using a very simple language, Jahid Akhtar presents this story of the mundane life of a commoner, yet it is this mundaneness that draws one to start liking Tublu, aka Tanmay Bora, for it is a story that you and I so readily identify with.
Set in the laps of the washlands of the River Brahmaputra in Assam, the author takes you through the boyhood journey of Tublu, who is a regular boy-next-door character. He is not too ambitious, but is definitely someone who wants to work and settle in life; Not back out, but live life sincerely.
From the time he moves in with the Sharma family, they, in a sense, become the central point in his life; what with Maina becoming the focus of his attention. Maina is the daughter of the Sharmas, and although she is not Tublu's obsession, she is also not someone that Tublu can picture his life without.
This is a story of an endearing boy whose life begins with a setback, but he is set on sincerely getting his life in order with an engineering degree and a steadily progressing career. What starts as a figment of fascination in Tublu's mind at a very young age, ultimately converts into a reality thanks to the twists and turns that life brings with itself.
This short novel is a quick and enjoyable read. Having said that, there are parts of the book that really need a tighter narrative and better editing, which are the only parts that reveal that this is the work of a first time author.
I will go with a 3.75 out of 5 stars for this book. The novel has a slightly drab start, but catches on as the story progresses. Here's wishing Jahid Akhtar the best, and looking forward to future works from this author from Assam.
The details of the book -
Title - Story of Tublu, an amazing journey called life
Author - Jahid Akhtar
Publishers - LiFi Publications, New Delhi
ISBN 13 : 9789382536758
The book was received as part of Reviewers Programme on The Tales Pensieve.
You can buy the book on Flipkart from here
