Thursday, June 02, 2011

Ret - A review

Harjeet Atwal is a novelist of front row in Punjabi literature. He is not a only novelist but he has marked his presence as a story teller, as a poet as well.

I got a chance to explore his novel "RET". This is a superb novel, and you can say a novel set in modern times.
Whenever I used to read English Indian writers books' about the lives of Indians abroad, I used  to wonder where are the Punjabi writers writing about the Punjabi diaspora abroad. Fortunately I found about Harjeet Atwal, and how his novels are set in London.

RET is a story about a couple Ravi & Kanwal, and how their egos destroyed their loving marriage. It is not about the rights and wrongs, but about the perspectives towards life and family of two different people.

Also it describes the lives of Punjabis abroad, their work, their hardships, the family values etc.

Atwal's writing is beautiful, precise and bonds you with the central characters. I was able to relate with Kanwal and Ravi as they were like my next door neighbors.

You can follow Harjeet Atwal through his blog:
 http://harjeetatwal.blogspot.com/