'99 Moon Avenue' is a novel in English written by Anumita Sharma. It was published by Redgrab books in year 2020. Here are the online shopping links to get it:
99 Moon Avenue: Buy 99 Moon Avenue by Sharma Anumita at Low Price in India | Flipkart.com
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99 Moon Avenue by Anumita Sharma - Redgrab books
The novel tells two parallel stories. One of the stories moves in the current time, set in year 2001, where a girl (Sarojini) comes to Delhi to study in a newly established private university. The university has not yet got its academics settled, and her department has got a tyrant as its director who picks on Sarojini to vent his anger, compounding her challenges. There is another character called Jalaj (interesting name), a journalist, and their paths cross and friendship develops. Then, near the end of the novel, there is a shocking tragedy which changes the course of their lives.
The second parallel story is around the life of a woman named Cornelia and is set in the colonial era when the British used to control India. It is a "ghost story". Both stories converge because of the venue, which is "99, Moon Avenue", a locality with colonial era bungalows situated in Delhi.
Story of Brave Sarojini
Now, if I speak about the stories without revealing any "spoilers", I loved the first of the parallel stories very much. Story of Sarojini could have very well been a separate novel in itself. It is a powerful story of coming of age, rising against all odds, realism, tragedy, a girl fighting against a hostile society, and many more. The writer gets 10/10 in this.
I don't know why feminist or women-centric platforms have not yet identified this author despite her showing extreme talent in weaving unique women-centric stories one after the other. This is her fourth book that I have read. In all her books, she brings up such strong female characters. At the same time, she is not a typical male-hating intellectual either. If you read this book, she has not done injustice with the second lead Jalaj who was a male character trying to compete with the main character in the matter of space. The author has this brilliant balance of mind.
Superb Sense of Humor
Although this novel is about struggle, ghosts, history, and tragedy, I could not miss the author's astute sense of humor especially in the first half of the book. Have a look yourself:
On page 59, she describes a "flea attracting" pet dog in the most hilarious way possible:
I had a great time going through these pages. If you notice, the author is god in the appropriate use of "adjectives"; which gives the sentences a completely unique sense of feel.
I have also noted down a few of her sentences from the initial pages of the book:
The interviewer was the iron-grey haired, wrinkled senile
Ashwin Singh, Director of the Advertising department. No doubt, a retired
specimen picked from an erstwhile reputed firm. He seemed to be suffering from
age-related amnesia for he jolted down everything in a small pocketbook…
Mr. Singh consulted the pocketbook when Sarojini entered his
chamber and grinned as if a playful pixie had traversed through his jottings
and entered his sunken mouth to bid her welcome, “So, you are Mr. Upadhyay’s ward?”
(P-36)
***
“… …”, informed the clerk Mr. Venkatasundaram of Equity
Professional University, a young man quite in variance with the pre-historic
Director, a lad of breeding steeped in the ignorance of youth, overly excited
to be holding a position of importance for the first time in his life.” (P-36-37)
***
In the tantalizing hour just after sunset, Mrs. Rai’s guests
began appearing one after the other through the darkening foliage of the stately
trees haphazardly dispersed in the front yard. The homing birds were whistling
their evening ditties and the flowers were cooling off in the tepid breeze.
Sarojini was given the task of opening he door and welcoming seven talcumed and
perfumed ladies. They poured in the sea of blues, reds, greens, yellows,
exchanging greetings and effusively complimenting each other for the applique work,
zari work, kantha work in their friends’ sarees, alluring shapes of heir dainty
sandals, ethnic make of the kundan jewelleries, as if they only saw beauty…
(P-38)
***
Ending
I liked the ending of the story which was open to the way things could have gone in future.
Historical Content
The "historical" content in the book was also nice. We get to know many new things about Delhi and its history including things like Mughals, eunuchs, British men and women from the colonial era, or the construction and development works. It makes the book enriching and gives it depth. At the same time, it tells the richness and profoundness of the writer's knowledge and research too.
Criticism
When it comes to constructive criticism, I wish this book came in the form of two separate books. Although, the author gets full credit for her experimentation and boldness of merging two stories into one. I also wish the pages with "adult" content were "censored" in next edition or made more subtle. It won't make much difference to the plot but will make the book accessible to readers of all age and encouraging for readers who do not like such content.
Recommendation
Overall, '99 Moon Avenue' is a brilliant tale you are not going to forget forever after reading it. If you like reading novels, go for it.
- Rahul
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