Saumaya is 110% girl, saddled much to her embarrasment with an unisexual name. Her life in glitzy Delhi revolves around her friends, clothes, shoes and making sure he lands a high profile job where men and money come fast. Full of hopes for her job interview, inspite of her grades and lack of completed projects, she is interviewed and accepted much to her delight by Lala Steel. To her horror, she is posted in Toranagallu, a tiny place in Karnataka where her chances of showing off her Gucci handbags, designer dresses and capping a man are almost nil. The emotional journey she goes through and the lessons she learns from the sattelite township and the various people who inhabit it and whose survival depends on the steel plant, forms the gist of the story. Intrinsic to her development are two people Malappa – a fellow recruit, and Shubro – a focussed vagabond deeply interested in weed, wine and working on micro loans.
Initial shocks about the place, food, people being stared at for being the only female in the town and the fact that she has to wear a dowdy, shapeless uniform..soon give way to the horrors of her new position. As an assistant manager in the HR department in charge of the reaction team in the safety department, her job involves dealing with the relatives of people who have died or been maimed in accidents in the plant. She realizes much to her chagrin that every small action, word and reaction has life or death consequences. Her one source or comfort and stregth is Shubro, the MBA grad from Calcutta who is equally at home anywhere atleast for 3 months. How she finds her feet and her purpose in life forms the rest of the story.
The story line was definetly interesting, but Saumaya was reduced to a one dimensional caricature initially. Her stint in the HR department seemed too rushed and descriptions too inspired by the gore and macabre of B grade horror movies. So many accidents in such a short period of time should ideally earn Lala steel an inquiry into its practices and safety standards. The best etched and thought of character was that of Shubro, the hero of the novel. Says something about the writer who wanted to put a new spin on “chick-Lit.” There are many instances in the novel, when the story drags and characters are given banal, cliched lines to mouth. Grammar, spelling and editing is appalling to say the least. Coming from and IIT-MBA grad and a well know publishing house, it is absolutely unpardonable. Saumaya’s growth feels like it happens in fits and bursts and she seems not very convinced about the decision she finally takes. It could have perhaps been more strong if her stay with Shubro had been written more vividly. The last few chapters do give a different touch to regular books..almost Bridget Jonesish. Overall, an interesting read, but definetly not worth the buy.
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