Book Review | Murgesh Prem Kumar | Evincepub Publishing

A person’s life is developed by the events that happen, and the people surrounding him/her. On the basis of this, they make their choices in their lives later. An example of how events in a person’s life impact them is seen in Murgesh Prem Kumar’s work, “Little Tin God.” Through the story of the protagonist Sahana, the readers get to witness a postmodern technique of examining the psychological impact of happenings in the life of a person.

The story begins from the early stages of her life when she is a ten-year-old and develops further as she grows up from a girl to a woman. Kumar’s insightfulness into the female psyche and the way they perceive things is something that the readers will notice immediately. He gives the first-person account from the eyes of young Sahana and, at the same time, also tells the readers of the thoughts that she has without conveying them directly. This is one of the aspects that becomes the salient feature of “Little Tin God.”

Kumar packs the work with a stream of emotions that Sahana goes through in her life from the beginning as a child and as a grown-up. He shows the psychological complexities in a smooth manner. Showing the changing she undergoes from childhood to becoming a teen, and then a woman gives an introduction to the artistic talent of Kumar and his deep understanding of the complexities of the psychology of the opposite gender, keeping in mind the intricate details.

Other essential things that the readers can notice in “Little Tin God” is how Sahana’s decisions are affected by her childhood. This gives a clear indication that the childhood of a person is most instrumental when a person decides on anything. Also, the lessons that they learn in that time shape them into what they become as grown-ups. Sahana’s upbringing made her strong, independent, someone who would never give up, always trying to do the right thing, who would not run away from any trouble, life across borders, harassment of a person in physical or mental terms, the gender divide and balance of power in a home. The other themes that the author discusses in “Little Tin God” include the importance of family, the love and care they can give, the hypocritical nature of people, the double standards of society, etc. All such themes make the work important for the contemporary situation.

The character of Sahana is one on which Kumar has done a lot of work. He crafts her to be free from all shackles and become an individual with her own identity. The readers get to see all other people through her eyes and get to hear her thoughts. She does not manipulate anything to her convenience and lets the readers decide and incur on the basis of what they see. They see her evolve and grow as a person. They get to see her as a meek, submissive, silent girl and a strong, iron-willed woman who fights the battles of her life when the situation calls for it. This shows how Kumar builds her up and develops her into a round character. She lives in a world which is full of selfish people or the ones who do not care about her. These people surround her throughout her life but,  her vibrance, hopefulness, and aura of personality are what helps her win the hearts of the readers and develop an instant, long-lasting connection with them. This the reason that no matter what decisions she makes and the steps she takes, everything seems justified, and even if she makes mistakes, they only make her character more human and realistic.

“Little Tin God” is a book that all kinds of readers can try reading and will have different viewpoints on the complexities of the characters Kumar has built. Amidst these intricacies, they will also witness the plot development managed by the author at a comfortable speed with pauses to share the viewpoints of the characters. Some readers may finish the book in one sitting, while some may go on to read it in a few sittings. But the impact would be the same in both cases. The language that the author chooses is also where the readers would feel at home. Although, at some places, they may find new words that would help in updating their vocabulary, which is one of the important benefits of reading. The author keeps the structure of the novel not too tight nor too loose, and the readers do not lose focus of the plot even for once. Sahana’s life may be the cenosure, but the other inherent themes related to her or others ornament the fragment of the text in a fluid and impactful manner in “Little Tin God.”

Can’t wait to read it? Buy your copy of “Little Tin God” using the link below.
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REVIEWED BY: Akhila  at The Literature Today
PUBLISHER: Evincepub Publishing
RATING: 4/5

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