There are books where so much happens in the first few lines or paragraphs that set the mood of the entire story. There is that shock-and-awe factor that captivates the reader and then the anticipation goes a notch up as the storyline picks up the pace traveling from page to page, jumping from narrative to narrative. Then there are those books where hardly anything worthwhile happens in the first pages, let alone in the opening lines or paragraphs. The plot moves slowly but steadily to an unexpected showdown. The storyline flows like a river that looks smooth and calm on the surface but has several undercurrents to catch a novice sailor off guard.

The book I am reviewing today called ‘Ghachar Ghochar’ written so brilliantly by Vivek Shanbhag falls in this second category. As a reader, we are listening to the woes of our unnamed narrator talking about his missed chances in love and companionship.  But gradually the story takes a turn like an astonishing bend in the river and takes to a family home built on ugly secrets running like undercurrents through its inhabitants.

The story of this dysfunctional family has a humble beginning. Like most of their working-class neighbours and relations, they were struggling to make ends meet. This all comes to a surprising end when the protagonist’s uncle decides to enter the spice trade. Without any trading background or business acumen it’s difficult to succeed, that’s the best judgment given by his immediate family. But he is determined to take on the challenge and prove them wrong.

He eventually does that and manages to change the family’s fortunes successfully. But money comes with all the vices like audacity, familial tensions, relationship strains, and other financial stress. It brings profound changes in their family dynamics and brings forth hidden character flaws out in the open. Things get to a point when it seems like people are living together for the sake of money rather than affection. This entire transition from rags to riches and its implications on a family’s value systems and behavioural aspects is worth reading firsthand.

The author gives enough weight to all the plots and subplots making his characters carved out of flesh and blood. We could have met one or more such people in our everyday lives or even in our families and this realisation of how much it resonates the real-life scenarios hits hard. This book filled with nuanced characters trading unfamiliar circumstances is seriously worth your time.