Book Review: A Window To Her Dreams

Book: A Window To Her Dreams

Author: Harshali Singh

Publisher: Readomania

Genre: Fiction

Pages: 320

Price: 299 INR

Blurb:

Aruna, a young divorcee, marries Bhuvan, an averagely successful young man. Both make promises of ever after with preconceived expectations—hers, freedom from a judgmental society and validation of herself and his, unconditional love and partnership.

Despite their best intentions, life plays rogue.

On the one hand, Aruna’s learned conditioning, developed as a result of her past, keeps coming in the way of their married normalcy and on the other, Bhuvan cannot fathom the signs of her distress.

Their good intentions are tried at every step until the day when Aruna’s past revisits her. Bhuvan’s silences, Aruna’s distrust and the resurrection of her troublesome past lead to a downward spiral in their life that shakes Aruna to the core.

As she stands on the precipice of a second failed marriage, Aruna tries one last time to take control of her life, something she had willingly surrendered last time.
Does she succeed in saving her marriage? Or is she held back by her own apprehensions, choosing to stay victim? 

A poignant story that will make you introspect about your own choices

"A Window To Her Dreams" is the story of a young divorcee, Aruna who decides to marry Bhuvan for her own selfish reasons. Although she is not ready for a marriage after a failed marriage that had bruised her physically, emotionally and psychologically, she decides to marry Bhuvan because the tag of a divorced woman chokes her and she wants a respite from the prying eyes of society by marrying a man who will love and respect her. 

But if the foundation of a marriage is weak, can it sustain long? 

Can a broken person dare to love again? 

Can a relationship that starts with dishonesty, flower with the passage of time? 

Is it easy to forget the past and move on? 

Is it possible to trust again, after your trust has been shattered in the most ruthless manner?

These are the questions that the author, Harshali Singh has dealt with, in the book with deftness. I really liked the way the author has sketched a few scenes where Aruna's dilemma is palpable. She understands the depth of Bhuvan's love, but a certain voice in her stops her from accepting his love and being transparent with him. But as the saying goes, love and only love can heal the most broken soul. 

However, there are many characters in the book. And the author has added a subplot for almost each of the characters which distracted me from Aruna and Bhuvan's story. Although I liked some of the characters like Aruna's mother, Uma and her sister, Charu, some of the characters and their stories weakened my interest in the book, at times. I loved the prologue where the haveli narrates the story of the people living in it, but in some chapters, the haveli's narration seemed unnecessary. 

The book is beautifully written, with a good vocabulary. Some of the lines are so well written that it was a treat reading them. 

"There has to be a special name to this pain...the pang that squeezes a mother's heart at the sight of her despondent child. Is there ever an end to it or do mothers die with this ache? Is it universal or is it only mothers who are cursed to feel this deep agony" (Chapter 1)

It is not a fast paced book as I mentioned that there are so many characters and their stories in it. The cover does complete justice to the book. I will recommend it to the ones who enjoy reading women's fiction. Aruna's story and choices will definitely make you introspect about your own choices. 

I am going with 3.5

'I received a copy from Writersmelon in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.'