The Sameness in a Consistent Change by Sujay Malik

The Blurb Says:

The wheel of time is a fascinating force. Sometimes it seems to only crawl along, while at other times it simply hustles. And when you tend to look behind, you expect that most puzzles would fall in place. But do they eventually?

Ramanuj, a village boy is confused about most things. He shares a strange rapport with his father, who, despite financial issues doesn’t stall his education. But Ramanuj has no idea what to do with himself.

Then one day things change and change permanently. There is no looking back from this bend; there cannot be. He meets Mr. Shrirangpure, through a chance meeting in a hospital through his daughter Pallavi. Something prompts him to appear more ambitious than he would like to have been.

Impoverished and submissive, he manages to rise above the shackles with time, even though everything is still stuck to his past. But now he cannot get back. He doesn’t want to. Until a revelation, prompts him to go back to his roots again. To the same tree, with which he shares a bond; to the drain water, with which he has shared many a memory; and to the same surrounding, which formed his core once.

This is a story of a boy who tried to end his life once. He loved as well and tried to rise to a level to become worthy of it. A boy, whose journey is all about mostly looking back.

‘The Sameness in a Consistent Change’ is a story of this interesting journey. A journey, devoid of a destination, perhaps. But the fun, sometimes, lies only in the journey.

How I Felt About the Book:

The Cover:

I kind of found the cover page quite creative after reading the book and understanding the context. But then, if I would pick it up in a book store? I am finding it difficult to answer it, so I would say may be.

The Book:

“The Sameness In A Consistent Change” is a short story and can be well finished in 1 single sitting. I however, took a few days to finish it – Yes, I belong to slow reading club.

Coming to the book, it was a simple story with almost no twists and turns. The author – Sujay Malik has used few complex words out of his vocabulary, which made me feel that I might need a dictionary! But at the same time, they are blended the lines and story line which did not make me go back to the dictionary every now and then.

I found the story line and characters quite average. Little more details about the characters other than Ramanuj might have made the book more interesting.

At the same time, there were few instances which could emotionally connect. For example, below extract where one could easily relate to being able to share the successes with your parents:

“when he achieved his dream of becoming something in his life after clearing the coveted Civil Services Exam, his was sapped of all energy and excitement. He was thankful but restrained. The Ramanuj of old would have reacted differently. But this was not the Ramanuj of old. He wanted to go to meet his father. It was not possible. He wanted to go to meet Mr. Shrirangpure.”

It was a one time read for me and before I finish, here are a few lines I highlighted.

He was no less a bird, who had come back to his nest in the evening. The evening of his life!

Life went on and he fell behind trying to leap ahead.

Written in so simple words yet so powerful!

Truths are good. But most falsities are better.

The sound of silence is beautiful.”