Sita's Curse - Review

Strapped for 15 years in the stranglehold of a dead marriage and soulless household domesticity, the beautiful, full-bodied and passionate Meera Patel depends on her memories and flights of fancy to soothe the aches that wrack her body to quieten an unquenchable need. Until one cataclysmic day in Mumbai, she finally breaks free…

Bold, brazen and defiant, Sita’s Curse looks at the hypocrisy of Indian society and tells the compelling story of a middle-class Indian housewife’s urgent need for love, respect, acceptance – and sexual satisfaction.

About the Author

Sreemoyee Piu Kundu, a former lifestyle journalist with publications such as TOI, MetroNow and Asian Age and a PR head, is a full-time writer based out of New Delhi. An alumnus of Loreto House & Jadavpur University, Kolkata, Sreemoyee is also a prolific poet. Sreemoyee has just completed her third novel.

It’s not every day that I come across a book that leaves me in a dilemma – did I like it or not? To understand and respond to this question, we have to acknowledge the fact that this book is meant to be an erotica, and deals with an Indian woman’s need of love and acceptance along with sexual gratification. The story line might offend a few sensibilities, but then, if one has picked up a book and is well aware of its genre, it should be read keeping that in mind.

‘Sita’s Curse’ by Sreemoyee Piu Kundu traces the journey of Meera, right from her childhood, teenage and adolescence to her marriage with Mohan. Her life is plotted amidst urge and desire of being wanted, always seeking company and affection, embracing whatever life has to offer her. Her trysts with several men, and a woman, including her own twin brother and a God-man, might leave you cringing at times, but the book, aimed to be bold and brazen, does full justice on that front.

Meera, the protagonist, shines in every frame. She is the star of the show, ruling the words enclosed in the pages, making you feel her presence as you read about her life, the slight tinge of familiarity smiling back at you. Meera is sensual, beautiful, a dream and a fantasy, inviting you to know her better, to love her and to want her. Meera is the perfect character for a subject like ‘Sita’s Curse’.

The narration is top class, those beautifully designed words keeping you hooked to the book, and though Meera’s rendezvous with several men does get a tad monotonous towards the last few pages, you cannot stop wondering what would eventually happen to her. In a way, Meera turns out to be an addiction that you can’t get rid of easily.

And that brings me back to my first question – did I like the book? In parts, yes. I loved the fluency of the language and how Sreemoyee described the scenes vividly, as if you are watching a motion picture. The pages come alive and flow before you, immersing you in its spicy concoction. However, at times I did feel that the book had been dragged unnecessarily. But then again, if you ask me which sections should have been left out, I can’t point out any, since every frame of the book was necessary for providing it with the aura of completeness.

One thing about the book that disappointed me was the usage of Hindi lines. In my opinion, Sreemoyee shouldn't have had resorted to them as they somehow diluted the classy ambiance that she had created through her beautiful usage of language and words, the imagery profound and meticulous. However, if we ignore that part, considering that the Hindi lines were used to make the situation appear more realistic, then I would surely recommend ‘Sita’s Curse’ as one of the must read books this year.

However, pick it up only if you are comfortable with the genre erotica, else the bold overtures may not go down well with you.

Title: Sita's Curse

Authors: Sreemoyee Piu Kundu
Publisher: Hachette India
Publication Year: 2014
Language: English
Binding: Paperback
Genre: General and Literary Fiction, Erotica
No. of Pages: 332
Price: Rs 350
My Rating: 4/5


This book review is a part of The Readers Cosmos Book Review Program. To get free books log on to http://thereaderscosmos.blogspot.com.