#BookReview : Dark Circles by Udayan Mukherjee

Ronojoy's mother dies alone in the Ashram she had abruptly retreated to twenty-eight years ago, leaving him - then only twelve- to fend for the emotional needs of himself and his six-year-old brother.  When the cremation rites are complete, Ronojoy is handed a letter from his mother that is not so much a farewell as a confession. As before, it is left to him to decide whether to share the disturbing contents with his brother, whom he has always sought to protect. Thus, begins another tumultuous cycle in the lives of the two brothers who already carry deep scars from their childhood; their fragile minds ever at risk of succumbing to the dark. Written in spare, stark prose, Dark Circles deftly weaves past and present, offering tantalizing glimpses of bottled truths buried deep in the recesses of repressed memory; brilliantly exposing the dark undercurrents that swirl under the seemingly placid lives of families.

Dark Circles is the debut book of Udayan Mukherjee, published by Bloomsbury India. The author had a two-decade career as a television anchor/editor and continues to be an occasional commentator and newspaper columnist. He divides his time between the Uttarakhand Himalayas and Mumbai.

The story revolves around two brothers, Ronojoy & Sujoy who are very close to one another. As they lose their mother at a young age, Ronojoy being the elder son feels the burden of taking care of his younger brother but he is also burdened with a secret which his mother wrote in her last letter to him. A secret which has the possibility to break the harmonious relationship between the two brothers. Should such a secret be kept so in order to keep the family intact or should it be shared in order to keep transparency? Get this book here to dive into their lives,

The book starts with a shocking note which sets the tone for the whole story. It speaks about the family dynamics, how circumstances force people to be more mature for their age & how small ripples have the power to destroy their families. The story explores several dimensions of life & is beautifully portrayed though at times I felt left out in need of more details. The language used is simple, the cover is beautiful & the title is well suited. Surely something that shouldn’t be missed.