Forsaken Love is about Anna who is sick and cannot walk by herself. She is taken care of by Rita. Rita came to their household while she was still a child to take care of Anna’s daughter. The book takes us through Anna’s memories from her childhood through her adolescent years when she meets Nalong, her love. She is hit by various tragedies throughout her life and overcomes them to reach where she is right now.
The book was amazing. If I hadn’t known before, I never would have guessed that this was the author’s first book. She has done a wonderful job. Anna is a shy girl who lacks confidence. She is easily manipulated by those around her. But I still loved her character. Her hostel life in the boarding school reminded me of my hostel days while in college.
Anna really does not have an opinion of her own on most things. Every time she made a wrong decision, I was eagerly praying for her to see sense. The author was able to make me root for Anna despite her flaws. Or maybe it was because of her flaws that I was able to relate.
I loved how the author expertly moved between the different timelines without mentioning any date or year. I knew exactly which stage of her life Anna was in during each of the flashbacks. Another unique thing is that the entire book does not have any chapters. I did not even realize this fact until I was more than halfway through the book. It was surprising that I didn’t notice it since I almost always take a break at the end of a chapter.
What I missed in the book was Anna’s adult life. Almost the entire book covers her school life and a bit about her married life. I wish I knew more about her struggles as a mother and wife. Rita is mentioned only in passing when she is brought home by Anna. I really wanted to read more about her. The ending too seemed quite abrupt. I kind of felt like I didn’t get closure. We also get no glimpse of Nalong in Anna’s present life. I wanted to read about his attitude towards a sick Anna. These things would have made an already amazing book even better.
All the same, it is a remarkable book and all of you should give it a try.
My Rating: 4⭐/5.