A Legacy of Sorrow

PANKAJ GIRI

Author: Sharda Chhetri

Publisher:  Salamander Imprints

A Legacy of Sorrow primarily focuses on Arati Thapa, who travels from Australia to her homeland, Darjeeling, in an attempt to resolve her childhood trauma, and other stories revolving around the Gorkhaland movement that has raged in the hills of North Bengal for several decades.

The first chapter focuses on Sumitra, a young woman who meets an untimely death due to an unexpected, bloody skirmish between the CRP jawans and the local crowd. It is beautifully written. Then we move on to the main protagonist, Arati, and the trauma that has haunted her for decades as she tries to break free from a cloistered existence in Australia.

I instantly developed a liking for Arati. She is a relatable character and someone worth rooting for. Ms. Chhetri has fleshed out Arati's character brilliantly, thoroughly revealing her inner emotions, fears, and demons. Her arc is heartwarming and well executed. The other characters are also decently written, but I feel there were too many of them. Some of them feel as if they were introduced to show a particular aspect of the movement or highlight a specific folktale, hill culture, or tradition. Due to the sheer volume of characters, I feel they couldn't be sufficiently developed in order to become memorable; sometimes, I would find myself struggling to recognize them, especially when they were introduced after a long time.

The descriptions are vivid, diverse, and magnificently written. I could picture everything lucidly, as if I were right there in the scene, viewing the artifacts and the billowing mist, smelling and tasting the dishes, and sensing the breeze rushing across my face. The language is also top-notch, underscoring Ms. Chhetri's extensive, awe-inspiring vocabulary and her exceptional command of the language. However, I did notice several punctuation errors. A light round of editing or proofreading was imperative to polish the script.

Another admirable aspect of the novel is that it almost captures the Gorkhaland movement in its entirety, a testament to the comprehensive research done by Ms. Chhetri. The novel also successfully delves into the unimaginable horrors inflicted by the movement on the people of Darjeeling.

The climax and the ending are also decently executed, tying up most loose ends and providing closure to a few important characters. However, I feel the story lacked significant central conflicts and a proper build-up of emotion and tension that one expects from a profound piece of fiction.

Nevertheless, A Legacy of Sorrow is a great choice for readers who crave a good, well-written political literary fiction, especially those who wish to know the entire history of the Gorkhaland movement.