I did not read anything like this before… I must admit it at the outset. Diary narrative may be a new concept for Indian literature in English but it has been executed wonderfully by the novelist here. And therefore, The Memoirs of a Nobody is a novel that many will enjoy.

Indian English fiction is evolving, gradually but certainly. And this evolution can be witnessed by reading contemporary novels by the authors who are not following the tail or merely copying someone else – someone established, for that sake. In the same line, I recently read the novel by an emerging lady novelist, Sam P. Her book is titled The Memoirs of a Nobody. It is a dual-layered narrative which offers the readers the main story in a diary version and the present story in a different layer. Aarav represents the events of the present and Ambi is the protagonist who dominates the past-narrative. Aarav reads a diary and he discloses the events in the life of Ambi to the readers. Ambi and Arth’s love story is intriguing, interesting and also curiosity builder that keeps the readers indulged. However, there are many unexpected turns in the novel that will surprise the readers on many fronts. The conclusion is an absolute hype which will leave nobody from wanting the next part of the novel. In a nutshell, this is the way readers will find what, how, why and when in The Memoirs of a Nobody.

I can say it is a romantic novel. I can also say that it is a coming of age fiction that records the evolution of Ambi as a person – she starts right with the board exams, teenage years, early days at her workplace and then her acquaintance, troubles and tacit confessions of love with Arth, a guy who is mostly known as T.G (Tabla Guy). However, there is more to it. There are emotions; there are thoughts; there are human situations in the novel. The Memoirs of a Nobody discusses what youths in India feel. TMOAN discusses why youths are becoming the way they are; what youths feel about events like marriage, relationships with parents, love, friendship and all… The author’s attempts are indeed commendable.

Coming to the story of the novel, it is about Ambi and her perplexing feelings for Arth. The narrative reveals very sentimental aspects of the multi-faceted personality of Ambi. Her thoughts are layered. Her emotions come up in different versions. Her ideas are rebellious at times and very simple as well. The readers will get the author’s opinions on her own narrative by reading Aarav’s thoughts at the end of each of the included diary entries. However, at times, the interpretations, conclusions and opinions formed by Aarav might not reflect what a reader thinks personally. This happened with me many times and it might compel a reader to move ahead with the entries only rather than reading the afterthoughts by Aarav.

The language used by Sam P is contemporary and we can find the usual ‘fuck’, slangs, teenage-lexicon on many occasions. Almost in a frequency that might seem too much. 🙂 Ideas move at a pace which might not be uniform. The chapters (or diary entries) are logically followed by each other. Overall, The Memoirs of a Nobody make a good impression upon the critical mind of the readers who look for nuances as well as the conclusive impact.

So, my impression for this book is – a very suitable book for readers of romantic novels, psychological novels, emotional fiction, and modernist Indian fiction. Get a copy now and ideal time will be weekends because you need to read this work in a go. Instant-read, compelling narrative and satisfactory conclusion which will keep you waiting for the next instalment in the series. Get a copy from Amazon India by clicking the link below:

Buy the novel from Amazon India – click here 

Review by Anand Shiv for Indian Book Critics