Book: In the Shadow of the Flames by Rupsa Roy

Author: Rupsa Roy

Genre: Fiction

Format: eBook and Paperback

Publisher: The Café Table

Pages: 450 (Print Length) and 414 (eBook/Kindle Length)

My Rating: 4/5 *

About the Book:

The book aims to shed light on women who had to live their lives under the shadow of death and end their lives by the fire, alongside their dead husbands. The practice of Sati had been a part of Hindu customs for ages, although such a practice was non-existent in ancient India. The book tries to explore what the women must have had to live through, until the Sati Regulation Act was passed in December 1829.

About the Author:

A lover of rich narratives and untold stories, Rupsa Roy is a digital content writer by her day job and a passionate storyteller by passion. Her fascination with the past led to the publication of a historical novel that captures the heart of a forgotten era. Now, with one book on the shelves and many more on the horizon, Rupsa dreams of weaving together more tales that blend history with fiction. When not writing, Rupsa has an eye for the world around her, and dreams of traveling the world someday. Street photography is her secret passion, capturing the fleeting moments and vibrant stories of everyday life. Whether it’s the perfect shot of a bustling market or the quiet solitude of a rainy street, Rupsa finds beauty in the chaos and calm of city life.

Book Cover:

The only thing that I didn’t like about this book is its book cover. It is designed with burning flames, and only that is visible on the cover. However, if the designer had given more effort into depicting the Sati ritual, a woman burning in the fire, I believe it would have been more attractive and appealing to the readers.

What’s Waiting Inside:

Inside this book, you will be welcomed by a number of characters that feel similar to other rural people of Bengal from the past.

When young Moni gets married to the old zamindar of the village, everyone in the village becomes happy thinking that their daughter has become the RaniMaa now. But soon, Moni starts learning about the truths of the Zamindar family, their members, and their orthodox beliefs. When love blossoms between Krishnendu, the zamindar’s son, and Moni, both are unaware of their fate ahead yet they fall in love so beautifully that the purity of those two innocent hearts warms the heart of the reader.

As the story continues to intensify the main plot, the Satidaha ritual, starts entering the storyline. It is slowly revealed that the matriarch of the Zamindar family, Jagmohini, was relieved from this ritual years ago when her husband passed away. She was excluded because of her son. But what would happen with Mrinalini aka Moni? Would she find someone to protect her from participating in the ritual or she would have to sacrifice her life to the fire when the old zamindar died?

Here is the main plot of the novel ‘In the Shadow of the Flames’ that tells us the story of thousands of rural women who sacrificed their lives for the sake of becoming a ‘Sati’. We see the story portraying different phases of Moni’s life, how she deals with her losses, how she faces unwanted situations, how her life experiences the twists and turns, how she emerges into the new Rani Maa from a poor young girl of the village, how she witnesses the secrets of the zamindar house revealing to her, and how she binds herself with a pure relationship with the man whom she loved.

Writing Style:

The narrative is written lucidly with a poignant view of the protagonist Moni. Thus, readers never feel stressed or burdened with the historical set-up. However, I would suggest readers buy the paperback or hardcover copy of the book because reading a voluminous novel of as many as 450 pages may feel like a tedious job. On the other hand, reading the paperback or hardcopy version will offer an added level of charm to the reader while imagining the lives of the villagers of Shashipur.

A Glimpse of the Book:

Once you start reading the book, slowly, you will transcend to the world of the fictional village of Shashipur, and the lives of Moni, Krishnendu, Jagmohini aka Boro Maa, and the characters like NayebMoshai, Bimal, Madhabi, Kanaklata, Gokul Chandra, and Binti Pishi, all of them contribute to making the storyline feel more welcoming with such relatable characters.

A Quote to Remember:

“The caterpillar had instantly recoiled at the touch, turning into a spiral, like a baby still in the womb.”

– From ‘In the Shadow of the Flames’ by Rupsa Roy

What Makes the Difference:

Historical Fiction books are difficult to choose; if the narrative satisfies you by its style, you will love reading the book. But, if the book offers more historical information than telling you a story, it gradually lacks interest and ultimately fails to achieve success.

With this perspective, I will give the book ‘In the Shadow of the Flames’ full marks. Though based on the period which now we only read in History books, it successfully brings the essence of that period and offers readers a perfect rural backdrop of Bengal.

For the vivid imagery and portrayal of the scenes, while reading the book, it feels like I am watching a movie. Therefore, this book never feels monotonous, rather, it connects with the readers through the characters.

My Recommendation:

This book is a must-read for those who are both uninitiated and interested in knowing more about Bengal’s past and its rituals. For the beautiful writing style, fast-paced narrative, and simple language of the book, readers will not feel bored or stressed. Instead, the book offers a beautiful portrayal of the innocent characters and how their lives evolve around superstitious rural customs and practices. Therefore, I would strongly recommend my fellow reader friends to pick this book and give it a read.

Buy the book here.

(This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program. I received the review copy for an honest and unbiased review. All opinions are my own.)

(This post is part of the Bookish League blog hop hosted by Bohemian Bibliophile.)