BOOK REVIEW OF- In This World: The Saga of an Eternal Journey
By- Santosh Deshpande
· Paperback: 264 pages
· Publisher: Notion Press, Inc.; 1 edition (28 March 2018)
· Language: English
· ISBN-10: 1642495018
· ISBN-13: 978-1642495010
THE PLOT IN BRIEF-
Haunting dreams, chasing dangers, and amidst these, the enigmatic Soul left her clueless about her destiny. Nevertheless, there came one such day, when she had to witness Anand Devaditya unravelling his mysterious life. However, his silences kept her confused till she battled in blood.
Her every path led her to Anand Devaditya, and his guilt never allowed him to accept her.
And finally, there was a day, where helpless Anand Devaditya cried out loud, “The purpose you In this world… is for me…”
Why her destiny was Anand Devaditya?
And what was he guilty about?
“The Purpose of you…” Saga revolves around the cryptic life of Anand Devaditya, and the young innocent girl stranded in love.
THE TITLE-
The word “World” used by the author in the title itself reflects the central theme of the plot. We are all born and someday we’ll all die. Most likely to some degree alone. What if our aloneness isn’t a tragedy? What if our aloneness is what allows us to speak the truth without being afraid? What if our aloneness is what allows us to adventure – to experience the world as a dynamic presence – as a changeable, interactive thing? The title also speaks of a journey which made me think about the journey I have been on and why I might be here in this lifetime. I’m here to not repeat patterns. To not live on other people’s terms, but on my own terms. To stop trying to please everyone at the expense of myself. So here I am, to find me. In this lifetime, to bare my naked soul and my scarred skin. You can love me or hate me. Or be somewhere in between. But I am who I am. We all have many scars from just living. From living life, feeling love, hurt, loss, pain. Maybe instead of hiding those scars this time I can turn them into beautiful tattoos of experience on that naked skin.
Yes, the title is beautifully plotted. There is no finish-line on the path to soul growth- there is no race, no perfect place to get to where life is easy. We can release judgement and fear-based thinking when we entertain that life is a journey with many pit-stops along the way and we are responsible for finding the beauty at every twist and turn.
REVIEW OF THE BOOK-
Dream itself is a very interesting aspect in this plot. Haunting dreams is what the protagonist face. analysing the context, we deal with so many nightmares on a regular basis. When I’m watching a horror movie, there’s a pattern, a sense of control in them. I’m just an observer, not having to deal with any of the repercussions. It’s a nice dream to think monsters play by the rules, that they’ve got a pattern you can unlock and follow. Real life’s messy, and the chaos leaves you devastated in the wake. The next aspect is Danger which the protagonist describes. It is not the homeless, mentally ill or extremely cunning people that we have to be afraid of. When someone loses everything that meant something to them is when people should get very afraid. A person that has nothing to lose is the scariest person on earth. The author has beautifully highlighted the two negative viewpoints in contrast to Destiny.
The connection of the soul to the eternity was well mapped by the author. Your soul knows the geography of your destiny. Your soul alone has the map of your future; therefore you can trust this indirect, oblique side of yourself. If you do, it will take you where you need to go, but more important it will teach you a kindness of rhythm in your journey.
There are powers far beyond us, plans far beyond what we could have ever thought of, visions far more vast than what we can ever see on our own with our own eyes, there are horizons long gone beyond our own horizons. This is courage- to throw away what is our own that is limited and to thrust ourselves into the hands of these higher powers- God and Destiny. To do this is to abide in the realm of the eternal, to walk in the path of the everlasting to follow in the footprints of God and demi-gods. The hardest part for us is the letting go. For some reason, we think ourselves big enough to know and to see what’s good for him. But in the letting go, is found freedom. In the letting go, is found the flight!
The author had wonderfully described the protagonist of the plot. From Destiny till Love, the author had incorporated every relative aspect to the protagonist which we may feel is superlative. It is not lies or a lack of loyalty that ends a relationship. It is the agonizing truth that one person feels in their heart on a daily basis. It is realizing that you are coping and not living. It is the false belief that there is a verse, quote, phrase or talk that will magically make you feel content, complete or not care. However, it doesn’t last longer than a few days, before your mind and heart goes back to what it wants. It is the moment you realize that you left without ever leaving. It is the moment you realize that fear, shame or guilt is the only thing standing in the way of the life God meant for you to live.
And Yes, Love is the main turning point in the plot. Anand’s character and the ‘Purpose of life’ can be reflected on a single plane which we may define as the Soul Mate. People think a soul mate is your perfect fit, and that’s what everyone wants. But a true soul mate is a mirror, the person who shows you everything that is holding you back, the person who brings you to your own attention so you can change your life. A true soul mate is probably the most important person you’ll ever meet, because they tear down your walls and smack you awake. But to live with a soul mate forever? Nah. Too painful. Soul mates, they come into your life just to reveal another layer of yourself to you, and then leave. A soul mates purpose is to shake you up, tear apart your ego a little bit, show you your obstacles and addictions, break your heart open so new light can get in, make you so desperate and out of control that you have to transform your life, then introduce you to your spiritual master.
Although the plot is thrilling, it has a taste of philosophy, love, anguish, grief, sorrow, pain, joy and ultimately eternity. I truly believe we can either see the connections, celebrate them, and express gratitude for our blessings, or we can see life as a string of coincidences that have no meaning or connection.
For me, I’m going to believe in miracles, celebrate life, rejoice in the views of eternity and hope my choices will create a positive ripple effect in the lives of others.
And of course, I loved the way the author has portrayed Destiny before his readers. Destiny is real. And she’s not mild-mannered. She will come around and hit you in the face and knock you over and before you know what hit you, you’re naked- stripped of everything you thought you knew and everything you thought you didn’t know- and there you are! A bloody nose, bruises all over you, and naked. And it’s the most beautiful thing.
YOU SHOULD READ THIS BECAUSE–
1. THE BEAUTIFUL AMALGAMATION OF DESTINY WITH EMOTIONS.
2. THE THRILL SURROUNDED BY PHILOSOPHY.
3. THE BEAUTIFUL CONCEPT NOTE OF LIFE IS A TRAVEL THROUGH TIME.
RATINGS-
Overall I would like to rate the book 42 on a scale of 50.
4 stars out of 5
1. Originality of the plot and sub plots- 9/10
2. Net emotions in the story- 8/10
3. Usage of words and phrases-8/10
4. The title, cover and the illustration-8/10
5. The net impact on the readers- 9/10
KUDOS TO Santosh Deshpande- It was really a beautiful plot.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Known to the world, as an entrepreneur, founder of Samsdegorec Software Services, Santosh Deshpande is keen in exploring the world beyond his profession.
Inspired by several mythological stories and garnering fantasies, he decided to create a fantasy of his own, connecting the dots of love, destiny and death. Thus, carving the saga – “The Purpose of You…” introducing himself to the world as an author.
Reviewed by-
Sayan Basak
Kolkata
