Book Review of 'The Station Master' by Indranil Mukherjee

Introduction

This book is one of the most enjoyable and enlightening among my reads of 2020. I am looking forward to reading the second book by this author namely, Off The Pages as well.

It is the first time that I was able to read about the actual working of the Indian Railways and the multitude of people who work behind the scenes to ensure its smooth functioning. And I must admit that I learnt about the myriad roles and challenges of a Station Master, solely through this book.

Storylines

This compelling collection of short stories is unique in the sense of the common thread that runs through it - the motif of the railways and the station master. 

However, each story is completely independent and different from the last one. The first one, 'The Foundling', is the most endearing, while the 'Accident' and 'Kanausi' are disturbing reads. 'Murda Jaga' while presented in a humorous vein, evokes anger at the missing guard, a slave to alcohol. It highlights the brazen nonchalance of some of the personnel which affects the time, schedules and commitments of passengers. The loopholes inherent in the system, that need ironing out, are articulated with precision. 

Another key factor that induces pride and regret alike is the true portrayal of Indianism - not just in speech patterns, but also the behavioural traits of workers and passengers alike. 

The best parts are the unpredictable incidents depicted in the predictable world of the station master. 

Characterisation

The most interesting aspect of the characterisation is the realism in it. We know from the preface that Manab Banerjee is a real person, Manas Banerjee, and the experiences are real ones that spanned along his long career in the Indian railways.

What strikes us at once, are the achingly genuine characters, each more strangely 'familiar' than the other. All of us have hailed the odd porter or exchanged the time of the day at the corner chai shop or even a few pleasantries with the ticket inspectors during our train journeys. And yet, we may never have delved into their working lives or daily challenges. It is this aspect that is brought out with more clarity in the novel.

The characters are neither glorified nor sidelined, just presented exactly the way they are - in speech, body language and behaviour. Be it Manabji's honest angst or the lies or the drunkard's addictive traits, all of them charm us with their very predictability. 

Manab (Manas) Banerjee invokes our admiration, praise and respect with each story showcasing his competence and maturity. 

Narration

The book reminded me of 'Malgudi Days', where Narayan's magic brings the Indianness of rural India alive in the readers' eyes. 

The narrative is full of strong imagery - aural, visual and nasal - that adds charm to the tales. Some descriptions are a wee bit long in some rare parts, but may be perceived as important for readers who'd like to have the entire picture of the scene or details of the storylines.

The best facet is the slow but steady sense of foreboding that builds up in each story, because we know that something is going to go wrong, invariably so. And yet, one is unprepared for the intensity of what happens - neither the violence nor the deaths, or even the politics - that seem almost commonplace in the rural hamlets tucked away in the north-eastern states of the country. 

Language

The language is top notch and the vocabulary is a refreshing mix of English infused with some Indianism, plus the verbiage of the local railway community. It adds to the genuineness of the narrative, while retaining the standards of a well-written English novel. 

I'd have preferred the footnotes to have been done away with, in favour of a glossary for foreign readers. Alternately, they could have been in a smaller font, to reduce the space which may hinder an unrestricted reading experience. Most Indians familiar with Hindi would never need to consult the footnotes, although one must concede that it does offer the old-fashioned touch that gels with the theme of the novel.

Rating

I rate the book a 4.6 out of 5. A must-read for readers who like to savour true-to-life nuances of the common man in general, as well as memorable experiences of key railway personnel in particular.

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Happy reading, readers!

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Book Review of ‘Off The Pages’ by Indranil Mukherjee

My second read of 2021 is different from a lot of others in multiple aspects. For one, it is the first ever meta-fictional novel I’ve read. It is also the only novel that reads like the work of an English author. This is the best book amongst my Indian fiction reads since a long time.

Also, this is my second read of author Indranil Mukherjee, the first one being The Station Master, which was an excellent read. Off the Pages surprised me immensely because while it has the same high grade vocabulary, it is completely unidentical to The Station Master in many respects, especially the narrative style.

Characters

The characters are multilayered, literally. The protagonist is author Dev Narayan, whose charming personalities come to life, forgive the pun, on the pages. Tej is the almost complete James Bond, except that the suave charm that wins women with nonchalant ease is missing. Tej is the deliciously intriguing, hyper-amazing, surreal action hero, larger than life, but with his own set of foibles. Moozie is a complete charmer amongst the ladies and the other characters complement these main ones. Gomes, the villain is a fabulous spoof of the supposedly menacing antagonists, leaving us in splits at every other turn of the page.  

It takes time for us to get used to the idea of characters jumping off the book onto real life, but once we do, there is no looking back. Everything falls into place smoothly, and the way the characters explain away their very existence and situations in the book is convincing.

After all, what is fiction but an extension of real life?

Storyline

The story is a compelling juxtaposition of action, humour and adventure, with ample doses suspense and thrill rolled into it: a complete all-rounder. Dev the author finds himself face-to- face with his key fictional character, one fine day. The additional thrill occurs when his literary genres mingle to cause a series of complications arising from his own storytelling prowess.  Thus, we find sub-plots within the main plots that add a new dimension to the storyline.

Narrative

Alert readers will lose count of the number of guffaws that would escape them while turning the pages. There are umpteen subtle and not-so-subtle parodies of not just the characters but also the genres, predominantly the Mills and Boon type of romances that used to be the rage (and still continues to be so) amidst a section of readers. The fakeness/silliness of ‘perfect’ characters in countless love stories takes a gentle tap on the wrist throughout his unique style of narration. This is not limited to romances alone, but extends to the run-of-the-mill action dramas where the ominous villain is overly menacing.

Spoiler alert: The parts where Gomes tries to destroy his enemies is comical to the core, although the nature of his attack is extremely serious. Also, the sequences where Dev ‘overpowers’ Ranjan Rowdy despite no prowess or propensity towards violence, is hilarious. The parts where Dev narrates ‘poetry’ and some dialogues with Inspector 'Fataak' will tear readers apart with laughter.

However, the most noticeable aspect of the book is the style of narration. The flawless , top-notch vocabulary may easily be passed off as an Englishman’s work, merely if the Indian names and locales are replaced with those of England. It is rare to find work with zero grammatical errors or typos. The author has pulled off all these with finesse and verve.

The only nitpicking grouse that I can perhaps point out is that some readers looking for an extremely easy-going narrative, or those who are unaccustomed to reading English classics with high-end vocabulary, may find it a wee bit tedious to get through. For serious readers who love good work (especially those such as Wodehouse), this book is sure to be an absolute delight.

Conclusion and Rating

I rate the book a 4.7 out of 5. Plus points are for brilliant vocabulary and flawless editing.

Indranil Mukherjee is an underrated author. While we invariably come across a few errors, even in most top publishers' books (despite the efforts of editing teams), this novel is worth lauding for its rare flawlessly edited narrative. All regular readers know that novels by Indian authors with excellent vocabulary and zero errors are scarce. OTP is definitely a must-read, especially if you enjoy ‘Wodehousian’ genre of literature.

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Book review of Re-Kill by Indranil Mukherjee

This is my 16^th read of 2021 and the third book by this author. It was as enjoyable as his earlier works namely ‘The Station Master’ and ‘Off the Pages’. This one is a shorter read, however, being a novella.

Characters

The characters are most interesting, especially the protagonist. The plot develops within the first three pages and oddly enough the reader is compelled to side with the contract killer instead of his supposed victim. He is endearing in his self-deprecating shock and

The other characters offer the required narrative and dialogue to keep the suspense and story moving forward. A certain character is depicted as more annoying than the killer himself, which allows readers to feel less negative towards the protagonist despite his actions.

Story

The plot develops with some degree of suspense, where a victim escapes death. Although the confirmation at the end is only what a reader already suspects has happened, it is enjoyable to unveil the same.

The plot twist at the end is karmic and satisfying. It is fun to read another story set on a train, a moving one this time, similar to the railway theme of his subsequent novel.

Narration

Typical of Indranil Mukherjee’s unique style, one guffaws and smiles one’s way through the read. The ironic build-ups sustain till the very last line and one almost wonders how the humane element has overflowed even to the supposed negative characterization of the assassin, especially with regard to his ‘professional pride’. The language is top-notch and the vocabulary is flawless.

The touches of humour add a classic touch to the narrative and descriptive prose. I wanted the book to be longer, it ended too soon for me.

Conclusion

I rate the book 4.6 out of 5. Extra points for innovative plot-building, reminded me of Agatha Christie’s bestseller ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ although the length and suspense are easier to tackle.

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