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Gulabi
Schizophrenia is challenging disorder often characterized by abnormal social behaviour and a significantly altered perception of reality. Its treatment largely depends on medications and psychosocial interventions but no single approach is widely considered effective for all patients. Through this book I offer my readers a glimpse into the multifaceted world of schizophrenia in the form of fictitious storyline revolving around two characters Monty (the psychotic part) and Virginia (the non psychotic part). The boundary between the two is permeable. Monty conjures up ‘Gulabi’, following his abrupt separation from his long time partner, while Virginia, having suffered from a personal loss sets out to follow her lifelong aspiration to travel the world.
74 pages, ebook
First published January 1, 2014
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 78 reviews
December 18, 2015
”There might be an invisible line between what is known to the senses and what is known through memories, thoughts and impressions. How did this invisible fine line exist?”
After reading this short story, I believe the author’s answer to the question above is simply, “IT DOES NOT EXIST.” This is a very perplexing read but compelling at the same time. The author made a very bold and risky move in creating a short story that will question your senses and perception of what is real and not. I have been struggling coming up with the possible meanings of the story in the entire course of my reading but alas!, at the end I could find none and I feel like this is the very purpose of the author. The interrelatedness of events and characters and the awkward transitions of sentences, I believe are meant to play tricks with the readers’ mind and it gave the reader a glimpse to the makings of a schizophrenic mind. It was very bothering but what’s even more bothering is that it affected me just the same. :/
This is recommended to anyone looking for a short, disturbing, escapist read.^^
Thank you, Pankaj Suneja for the copy of this short story in exchange of an honest review.
July 28, 2015
This book was unlike anything I have read in a long time, if not ever. I thank the author for approaching me to give his book a chance. I also admire his bravery in using writing as his experience of his own challenge with the much misunderstood mental condition of Schizophrenia. This was a wonderful piece of work that I could tell had a lot of heart and soul weaved through. Truth too.
Through this book I offer my readers a glimpse into the multifaceted world of schizophrenia in the form of fictitious storyline revolving around two characters Monty (the psychotic part) and Virginia (the non psychotic part). The boundary between the two is permeable. Monty conjures up ‘Gulabi’, following his abrupt separation from his long time partner, while Virginia, having suffered from a personal loss sets out to follow her lifelong aspiration to travel the world.
Those are the words of the author. The book can seem slightly disjointed, mind you that can also be the nature of the Schizophrenic mind, jumping from one thought or path to the next. We move between the two characters and of both story lines I preferred that of Virginia in her quest for connection (and perhaps) love in out of ordinary ways.
Sadness gripped me for Monty (knowing also this is a true representation of the authors own experience), with his conjuring of Gulabi, who is not a real person, but a projection of psychoses, emotions, desire, loss, love, lust, hope and so much more.
The writing style I found strangely hypnotic, and as it's not a long book if you like to try something eclectic and somewhat off the beaten track I would recommend this book. It surprised me. I am not going to critique the writing strongly or be too critical as really it's a very personal piece of work from the author's very own experiences with mental illness.
I say this to you Pankaj - keep writing and I would be keen to read more. Your book surprised me, enticed me and hypnotised me with it's lyrical words and stories unexpected. Something refreshing in my year of reading. There is a gift amongst the dark moments for certain.
3 stars for this book, I did like it, and I think it will sit for me for some time. I would LOVE to see what comes of Virginia's friendship/obsession with her new friend in a future book.
For more of my reviews, discussions, giveaways, see you at:
https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
Many thanks to you Pankaj for a copy of your book to read and review and share with others. Keep on writing!
Through this book I offer my readers a glimpse into the multifaceted world of schizophrenia in the form of fictitious storyline revolving around two characters Monty (the psychotic part) and Virginia (the non psychotic part). The boundary between the two is permeable. Monty conjures up ‘Gulabi’, following his abrupt separation from his long time partner, while Virginia, having suffered from a personal loss sets out to follow her lifelong aspiration to travel the world.
Those are the words of the author. The book can seem slightly disjointed, mind you that can also be the nature of the Schizophrenic mind, jumping from one thought or path to the next. We move between the two characters and of both story lines I preferred that of Virginia in her quest for connection (and perhaps) love in out of ordinary ways.
Sadness gripped me for Monty (knowing also this is a true representation of the authors own experience), with his conjuring of Gulabi, who is not a real person, but a projection of psychoses, emotions, desire, loss, love, lust, hope and so much more.
The writing style I found strangely hypnotic, and as it's not a long book if you like to try something eclectic and somewhat off the beaten track I would recommend this book. It surprised me. I am not going to critique the writing strongly or be too critical as really it's a very personal piece of work from the author's very own experiences with mental illness.
I say this to you Pankaj - keep writing and I would be keen to read more. Your book surprised me, enticed me and hypnotised me with it's lyrical words and stories unexpected. Something refreshing in my year of reading. There is a gift amongst the dark moments for certain.
3 stars for this book, I did like it, and I think it will sit for me for some time. I would LOVE to see what comes of Virginia's friendship/obsession with her new friend in a future book.
For more of my reviews, discussions, giveaways, see you at:
https://www.facebook.com/BookloverCat...
Many thanks to you Pankaj for a copy of your book to read and review and share with others. Keep on writing!
May 31, 2015
Where is it headed?
First of all a huge thanks to the author for providing me a copy of the book
Had i not read the author biography, this review would have been completely different. I guess the bio helped me understand the emotions and the background to the book a bit, but even being considerate the truth is that the book failed to reach its destination. In fact i am afraid it had a bad take off too.
Gulabi shows a parallel journey of two characters but the trouble is that both of their stories keeps interfering and overlapping in the whole narration. There is not a systematic order for where one person's story starts and to where other's.
The book is fast and in the speed avoids to tell us a whole lot of things that would have helped us understand the story, characters and what exactly is happening.
To me personally, i felt that the book had no objective to begin with.it seemed to be just one particular chapter from the lives of these two characters that are mentioned in the book. It lacked a proper start and introduction and everything is fast forwarded that you cannot relate what is happening. The whole book seemed to be just a part of an actual book because there was no head and tail that could tell me how all this started and even the ending was not sufficient to let me know what happened in the whole book.
But i really do see the brilliance in converting one's personal experience into an artistic form of fiction. The book just suffered from hasty treatment and the lack of depth. Till the very end when i stumbled upon the author bio and realized the origins of Gulabi, i was kind of disappointed and clueless as to where it all came from but reading how this book came from author's personal experience gave me a different perspective and that is why i chose not to touch on the story or the characters and in turn devoted the review to the treatment and narration
The book would have narrated a beautiful story had the treatment been a little more passionate and at least devoid of the haste that it shows now. i felt that the book was just a jist of an actual story and because of which suffered an absence of proper start and finishing. The book lacked the depth to engross its readers
First of all a huge thanks to the author for providing me a copy of the book
Had i not read the author biography, this review would have been completely different. I guess the bio helped me understand the emotions and the background to the book a bit, but even being considerate the truth is that the book failed to reach its destination. In fact i am afraid it had a bad take off too.
Gulabi shows a parallel journey of two characters but the trouble is that both of their stories keeps interfering and overlapping in the whole narration. There is not a systematic order for where one person's story starts and to where other's.
The book is fast and in the speed avoids to tell us a whole lot of things that would have helped us understand the story, characters and what exactly is happening.
To me personally, i felt that the book had no objective to begin with.it seemed to be just one particular chapter from the lives of these two characters that are mentioned in the book. It lacked a proper start and introduction and everything is fast forwarded that you cannot relate what is happening. The whole book seemed to be just a part of an actual book because there was no head and tail that could tell me how all this started and even the ending was not sufficient to let me know what happened in the whole book.
But i really do see the brilliance in converting one's personal experience into an artistic form of fiction. The book just suffered from hasty treatment and the lack of depth. Till the very end when i stumbled upon the author bio and realized the origins of Gulabi, i was kind of disappointed and clueless as to where it all came from but reading how this book came from author's personal experience gave me a different perspective and that is why i chose not to touch on the story or the characters and in turn devoted the review to the treatment and narration
The book would have narrated a beautiful story had the treatment been a little more passionate and at least devoid of the haste that it shows now. i felt that the book was just a jist of an actual story and because of which suffered an absence of proper start and finishing. The book lacked the depth to engross its readers
March 31, 2015
This was a book I received (from the author) through the giveaways/first-reads program.
Let me start off by saying that this is a really hard book for me to rate. Content--I really liked it! Would definitely rate this a 4.
Flow of reading, grammar, word choice, etc, were really difficult for me to get through. Would rate this a 2. However, it is important to note that the author's second language is English. The writing is certainly better than I could ever hope to do in a second language, but because the book was in English, I did expect the quality of the writing to be higher. I do wonder how this book would read in the author's first language (Hindi). I also understand that Indian English is different than American English, so this too may have had an impact on my ease of reading.
Content--I really enjoyed reading about Monty and Gulabi. As a mental health professional, it was a privilege to experience psychosis or a hallucination as the client might experience it. The author has experienced these and I am grateful he has chosen to share some of that experience with us, through the characters. I have to admit that I didn't really enjoy reading about Virginia. Because the writing was somewhat disjointed, it was hard for me to make the transition between Monty and Virginia. There were times when I wondered if they were actually the same person, perhaps switching between personalities (as in dissociative identity disorder). But, knowing Monty had schizophrenia, I thought they couldn't be the same person. And then I thought, "well, maybe the author is writing like this to give us an idea of what it is like to experience schizophrenia" (ie, confusing, disjointed). I am still not sure. I think some people liked reding about Virginia. I would have preferred to stick with Monty and Gulabi, unless I knew that they were all experiences of the same person.
Thanks so much to the author for sharing this book. I am amazed at all that you have been though and accomplished. I know you will touch many people who experience schizophrenia or psychosis. You are an inspiration to me!
Let me start off by saying that this is a really hard book for me to rate. Content--I really liked it! Would definitely rate this a 4.
Flow of reading, grammar, word choice, etc, were really difficult for me to get through. Would rate this a 2. However, it is important to note that the author's second language is English. The writing is certainly better than I could ever hope to do in a second language, but because the book was in English, I did expect the quality of the writing to be higher. I do wonder how this book would read in the author's first language (Hindi). I also understand that Indian English is different than American English, so this too may have had an impact on my ease of reading.
Content--I really enjoyed reading about Monty and Gulabi. As a mental health professional, it was a privilege to experience psychosis or a hallucination as the client might experience it. The author has experienced these and I am grateful he has chosen to share some of that experience with us, through the characters. I have to admit that I didn't really enjoy reading about Virginia. Because the writing was somewhat disjointed, it was hard for me to make the transition between Monty and Virginia. There were times when I wondered if they were actually the same person, perhaps switching between personalities (as in dissociative identity disorder). But, knowing Monty had schizophrenia, I thought they couldn't be the same person. And then I thought, "well, maybe the author is writing like this to give us an idea of what it is like to experience schizophrenia" (ie, confusing, disjointed). I am still not sure. I think some people liked reding about Virginia. I would have preferred to stick with Monty and Gulabi, unless I knew that they were all experiences of the same person.
Thanks so much to the author for sharing this book. I am amazed at all that you have been though and accomplished. I know you will touch many people who experience schizophrenia or psychosis. You are an inspiration to me!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 28, 2015
The author, Pankaj Suneja , sent me this e-book, Gulabi, in exchange of an honest review. Well, it was an extremely peculiar, dark book, I must admit. Very short too, merely 76 pages. Initially, I thought the language is average, but in certain places, the language and vocabulary shine too. Overall, I think the profoundness of the story overshadows the language, and the reader is immersed in the plot. The story of the schizophrenic patient, Monty is described adroitly. His characterization is good, too. However, what is actually happening with him and Gulabi is a trifle confusing. The other character, Victoria is also penned dextrously, even in a short novella, but the number of relationships and men in her life is somewhat difficult to digest. However, I felt that in the beginning, things happen too quickly which makes the narrative slightly irritating, but in the latter half the author settles down and the story continues in a proper pace. The ending is also good. However, the author should work on his language and improve his vocabulary to add more flavor. He writes well, his thinking is mature, and he has potential to pen profound, thought-provoking novels. All the very best. 3.5 stars for this effort (0.5 for the last page - About the Author section which throws light on the real life experience of .. I'd not like to disclose it here). All the very best for your subsequent book which is hopefully longer and better.
June 16, 2015
After the abrupt end of a relationship, Monty finds himself emotionally adrift and commits suicide. But does he, really? Because while his half-Kuwaiti, half-New Zealander friend Virginia goes off on a sabbatical, touring the world and trying to discover life and herself, Monty finds a confidant: Gulabi. Gulabi, whom no-one else but he can see or hear, but who is more real to Monty than anyone else.
The note at the end of Gulabi explains that the author Pankaj Suneja went through a psychotic episode in which Gulabi 'emerged', and this very short book is based on that.
While the core idea of this book is interesting (it offers an unusually intimate glimpse into the mind of a schizophrenic), I had several issues with the execution of it. Firstly, the length of it. The premise is such an interesting one that it needed a deeper exploration, a less swift progression of events (which, I must admit, did not always make sense to me). Secondly—and this was for me the biggest hurdle to the enjoyment of Gulabi—the language. Much of the language of Gulabi is too stilted, too clunky. The dialogues often sound unreal, and there's a general preponderance of the 'tell rather than show' style of storytelling. Too much of what happens in the lives of Monty, Virginia, and various other people they're connected to, is described hurriedly (and often repeatedly) by the author, instead of emerging through dialogue as it should probably have been.
What this needed, really, was a very good editor. There's potential in this book, but it's been hampered by sloppy (or no?) editing.
The note at the end of Gulabi explains that the author Pankaj Suneja went through a psychotic episode in which Gulabi 'emerged', and this very short book is based on that.
While the core idea of this book is interesting (it offers an unusually intimate glimpse into the mind of a schizophrenic), I had several issues with the execution of it. Firstly, the length of it. The premise is such an interesting one that it needed a deeper exploration, a less swift progression of events (which, I must admit, did not always make sense to me). Secondly—and this was for me the biggest hurdle to the enjoyment of Gulabi—the language. Much of the language of Gulabi is too stilted, too clunky. The dialogues often sound unreal, and there's a general preponderance of the 'tell rather than show' style of storytelling. Too much of what happens in the lives of Monty, Virginia, and various other people they're connected to, is described hurriedly (and often repeatedly) by the author, instead of emerging through dialogue as it should probably have been.
What this needed, really, was a very good editor. There's potential in this book, but it's been hampered by sloppy (or no?) editing.
January 17, 2016
2.5 Stars
This book disappointed me. The plot was very intriguing and unlike any I have ever read, and I am pretty sure that I would have enjoyed it more if it was well-written.
At first it was really difficult for me to grasp what was happening in the story, and it took me a while to understand. I had to go back and read the description of the story a couple of times to understand what was happening.
The writing was pretty bland, but at some places it was good, too. There were large chunks of info dumps at places that could have been smoothed out. The number of times I read the word 'said' actually annoyed me at one point. Also, the story doesn't give us a vivid setting. It was, to me, mostly two characters having a conversation and doing things on a white, blank canvas. It doesn't help to connect the readers with the characters.
This book is definitely not a 'masala story,' but this story failed to touch me emotionally, and the latter is what the book had claimed to do.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange of an honest review.
This book disappointed me. The plot was very intriguing and unlike any I have ever read, and I am pretty sure that I would have enjoyed it more if it was well-written.
At first it was really difficult for me to grasp what was happening in the story, and it took me a while to understand. I had to go back and read the description of the story a couple of times to understand what was happening.
The writing was pretty bland, but at some places it was good, too. There were large chunks of info dumps at places that could have been smoothed out. The number of times I read the word 'said' actually annoyed me at one point. Also, the story doesn't give us a vivid setting. It was, to me, mostly two characters having a conversation and doing things on a white, blank canvas. It doesn't help to connect the readers with the characters.
This book is definitely not a 'masala story,' but this story failed to touch me emotionally, and the latter is what the book had claimed to do.
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange of an honest review.
July 7, 2015
Very good. Author's conceptualization deserves accolade.
August 18, 2014
The books starts on sad note, “Monty” is a university student, he was in a long distance relationship with a girl and unfortunately parts ways with her. Now how does he cope up with the break-up? What happens to him? how does he come in contact with Gulabi and how his life changes? Many questions indeed… aren’t they ? While Monty has his set of worries , Somewhere, in a different place a beautiful young girl Virginia is feeling sad and is looking for a person to speak, the reason, her boyfriend left her. His marriage and his family were standing between her and him. Virginia loved his first wife and his family but then things did not proceed the way she wanted them to proceed. How do the lives of Monty and Virginia shape up? What does the future hold for them is something you ought to read from the book.
The 76 page can be completed in a single read, the pace of the book is fairly good. The language is good and helps the reader read the book quickly. A person who knows more about mental illnesses can speak more about the book and can make more sense, however, even for a layman this book is definitely a good read.
The USP of the book is the author, read about the author Pankaj Suneja in his own words here.
I have recently completed my Master of Arts in Psychology (Psychosocial Clinical Studies) from Ambedkar University, Delhi. In 2011- 12, I suffered from a psychotic episode and had to leave my studies. With the help of medication and the support of my family and teachers, I regained the health and resumed studies. In October 2013, during one of the experiments for my thesis work I attempted to survive without medications. The idea was to understand the occurrence of a psychotic episode in as authentic a manner as possible. Medication would have interfered with this process. In the winter break of the same year I experienced a painful breakdown of my long-term relationship. At the same time, my family also moved away after having spent some time with me. In December 2013, at the height of loneliness, I began hallucinating about ‘Gulabi’. She disappeared a month later. Soon after, I suffered from a psychotic relapse. My thesis work has been about understanding the experience of psychosis or schizophrenia.
A person suffers a psychotic collapse, fights it, comes out of it and writes a book about schizophrenia. Isn’t this great? The mere spirit of the author makes me bow to him in admiration. We see people who lose their confidence and life due to the mental illnesses, Pankaj Suneja stands out of the crowd and stands as an inspiration to all of us.
Do read the book it’s a good one, we get to read a story that depicts one of the toughest diseases of the world very very closely. It is a real good work by the author.
The 76 page can be completed in a single read, the pace of the book is fairly good. The language is good and helps the reader read the book quickly. A person who knows more about mental illnesses can speak more about the book and can make more sense, however, even for a layman this book is definitely a good read.
The USP of the book is the author, read about the author Pankaj Suneja in his own words here.
I have recently completed my Master of Arts in Psychology (Psychosocial Clinical Studies) from Ambedkar University, Delhi. In 2011- 12, I suffered from a psychotic episode and had to leave my studies. With the help of medication and the support of my family and teachers, I regained the health and resumed studies. In October 2013, during one of the experiments for my thesis work I attempted to survive without medications. The idea was to understand the occurrence of a psychotic episode in as authentic a manner as possible. Medication would have interfered with this process. In the winter break of the same year I experienced a painful breakdown of my long-term relationship. At the same time, my family also moved away after having spent some time with me. In December 2013, at the height of loneliness, I began hallucinating about ‘Gulabi’. She disappeared a month later. Soon after, I suffered from a psychotic relapse. My thesis work has been about understanding the experience of psychosis or schizophrenia.
A person suffers a psychotic collapse, fights it, comes out of it and writes a book about schizophrenia. Isn’t this great? The mere spirit of the author makes me bow to him in admiration. We see people who lose their confidence and life due to the mental illnesses, Pankaj Suneja stands out of the crowd and stands as an inspiration to all of us.
Do read the book it’s a good one, we get to read a story that depicts one of the toughest diseases of the world very very closely. It is a real good work by the author.
July 1, 2015
I would have given it five stars if only it was lengtheir. The author wrote a short story which described about schizophrenia or psychosis, the first time I came across this word was in my neighborhood. A kid of not more than ten is suffering from psychosis, she talks to herself , confuses over normal stuff, has problems in understanding people and most of the time , she smiles over ordinary things. She is young but looks at life better than us, grinning half the time and is the crux of her family's life. Monty and Virginia are two different people but both suffering from the same dilemma, a breakup.
Gulabi comes in Monty's life like a lit candle in darkness. She makes him aware about the real world, how to live it, how to see it. She tells him she is just his projection. She wants Monty to heal from his anger toward the world. She , though not a living person, gives him life, pure air to breathe.
Virginia on the other hand is a completely different case , she has been lied to and used by her ex-boyfriend who is now married with two kids. Virginia loved him , how can she live now?
But she does, by touring the world, finding friends, a certain waitress who also changes her view toward her life.
A very deep tale of two people, who were same but different , a oxymoron but true nonetheless.
I will ask and motivate the author to write more , make the stories lingering coz honestly I wanted to know more.
Gulabi comes in Monty's life like a lit candle in darkness. She makes him aware about the real world, how to live it, how to see it. She tells him she is just his projection. She wants Monty to heal from his anger toward the world. She , though not a living person, gives him life, pure air to breathe.
Virginia on the other hand is a completely different case , she has been lied to and used by her ex-boyfriend who is now married with two kids. Virginia loved him , how can she live now?
But she does, by touring the world, finding friends, a certain waitress who also changes her view toward her life.
A very deep tale of two people, who were same but different , a oxymoron but true nonetheless.
I will ask and motivate the author to write more , make the stories lingering coz honestly I wanted to know more.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 20, 2015
For me, this was like an interesting experiment because you have before you characters who normalize the abnormal; the unreal is real. Or rather only the unreal is real. I agree these are very subjective notions but this is what I felt after reading the first few pages of the book (and oh...I found this rather short.. I wished to read more)..
This is interesting, yet again, for another reason: Though I started reading expecting to find a schizophrenic character and an array of his psychosis, I think I happened to stumble upon something much more intriguing. This actually seemed like an intricate entangling of schizhophrenia with D.I.D . The character of Virginia seemed like the "other" of Monty..and Monty in turn conjures up Gulabi..
The emotions in this were very raw and relatable. The transitions were random and the narrative more or less nonlinear. I'll definitely suggest this to my friends, especially those who are interested in the workings of the human psyche.
Thank you for the free e-book, Pankaj Suneja! I enjoyed reading your book!
This is interesting, yet again, for another reason: Though I started reading expecting to find a schizophrenic character and an array of his psychosis, I think I happened to stumble upon something much more intriguing. This actually seemed like an intricate entangling of schizhophrenia with D.I.D . The character of Virginia seemed like the "other" of Monty..and Monty in turn conjures up Gulabi..
The emotions in this were very raw and relatable. The transitions were random and the narrative more or less nonlinear. I'll definitely suggest this to my friends, especially those who are interested in the workings of the human psyche.
Thank you for the free e-book, Pankaj Suneja! I enjoyed reading your book!
July 12, 2015
I received a free copy of this book from the author for an honest review. I think before reading this book, one should read exactly how this book came about. Interestingly, the author is schizophrenic and while completing his Master of Arts degree in Psychology, and while trying to understand the schizophrenic mind and write, stopped taking his medication. He hallucinated the person Gulabi. He then write a story ( I don't know that I'd call it a book at 76 pages) about a man Monty meeting Gulabi and so the story ensues. Quite the story it is! Read in one sitting, it was somewhat confusing, and fast paced. Too fast paced in fact. I suspect much like the mind of a schizophrenic person during a manic episode. It was a dark book, but that type of book never detracts for me. There were other people in the book, too many in fact, some irrelevant, or were so in my mind. Good overall first effort for a "book". Taking some time to flesh out the characters more and not relying on conversations between the characters would in my mind, be more enriching.
April 25, 2015
First of all I would like to thank Pankaj Suneja for sending a copy of his book for an honest review.
This book tells the story of two people: Monty and Virginia. Monty is a college student who just broke up with his long distance girl friend and Virginia's boyfriend just left her for his family. This story shows us how Monty and Virginia deal with their situations. As a student of psychology I loved the insight this book gave me on schizophrenia and psychosis.
Coming to my experience of reading the book, I liked the plot of the book. Considering it is a short story I read it in one go. It was a fast read. While reading the story I sometimes got confused due to abrupt changes in the narration between the two characters. Overall it was a good book. I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in knowing about schizophrenia or psychology in general.
This book tells the story of two people: Monty and Virginia. Monty is a college student who just broke up with his long distance girl friend and Virginia's boyfriend just left her for his family. This story shows us how Monty and Virginia deal with their situations. As a student of psychology I loved the insight this book gave me on schizophrenia and psychosis.
Coming to my experience of reading the book, I liked the plot of the book. Considering it is a short story I read it in one go. It was a fast read. While reading the story I sometimes got confused due to abrupt changes in the narration between the two characters. Overall it was a good book. I'd recommend it to anyone who's interested in knowing about schizophrenia or psychology in general.
October 27, 2014
Amazing read!
I read this book recently and I have to say, I am completely blown away. His writing style is fresh and unique. The writer exposes the stories in such a way that you are left thinking about questions you should have asked and questions you start asking yourself. This book left me in a thinking trance mode for days. I am looking forward to read more from him!
I read this book recently and I have to say, I am completely blown away. His writing style is fresh and unique. The writer exposes the stories in such a way that you are left thinking about questions you should have asked and questions you start asking yourself. This book left me in a thinking trance mode for days. I am looking forward to read more from him!
June 4, 2015
It was good. I liked it.
Though the writings were little lame and emotions were little loose. In fact sometimes intangible. But situations has taken them over and looked perfectly real.
The story, till from start to end, was gripping.
Nice read.
The world of hallucinations, of Monty, convincingly moved me in the spiral where he was slipping. I liked the word 'Modality'.
Though the writings were little lame and emotions were little loose. In fact sometimes intangible. But situations has taken them over and looked perfectly real.
The story, till from start to end, was gripping.
Nice read.
The world of hallucinations, of Monty, convincingly moved me in the spiral where he was slipping. I liked the word 'Modality'.
August 21, 2015
This is a must read!!!! It is very heavy and filled with difficult and painful experiences but its raw and real and perfect.
amazing, beautiful and heart wrenching book. At a couple points while reading this book I cried which doesn't usually happen to me. I loved reading this book and I definitely recommend it to all book lovers
amazing, beautiful and heart wrenching book. At a couple points while reading this book I cried which doesn't usually happen to me. I loved reading this book and I definitely recommend it to all book lovers
September 7, 2015
Review to follow soon :)
April 22, 2015
The book opens with a very good quote of Calvin in the movie Ruby Sparks. From that quote, you can easily comprehend the theme of the story. I will not mention the quote here for the sake of the story. This story strengthens the general notions about relationships; one, long distance relationships seldom work and two, as humans we have a constant desire to be in a relationship. It will seem like the author is experimenting with parallel narration, but you will get to know later that he is not. The author describes the thought patterns of a needy mind very well. He writes “As time passed, Monty grew needier. He began to expect a relationship to develop from every conversation. But he did not have the confidence to approach anyone. As soon as he would share a little bit of himself in a conversation, he imagined that he had fallen in love and expected the other to be his girlfriend/boyfriend.” You might feel abandoned by the author at points like where he simply lets you assume that Virginia and Monty exchanged numbers without mentioning it in the narration. You will also wonder why and how Waqas sent his wedding invitation to Monty though they didn’t know each other. Or did Virginia forward the wedding invitation to Monty? At points like these you will yearn for some clarification from the author. The first chapter shows two different characters; Waqas, who is happy living a life under his father’s control and Virginia, who is free to follow her will. In the second chapter, you are made to understand that any decision not taken at the right time will make others life hell. Here the author also talks about pseudo social stigma, its effect on victims and their survival. And from there on the narration goes with the flow. The author tells you about the strange thoughts that can occupy your mind when you are lonely. Such thoughts will make you wonder about the difference between your reality and fantasy. You will start seeking assurance from people around you. When you reach the end of the story, you won’t believe it is indeed the end. Only then will you receive clarifications for your initial doubts in the story and narration. Yet, by the time you finish reading the last sentence, new questions might have risen, in a good way, and you will be demanding for a lot of explanation and closure. Narration is simple and not overloaded with adjectives intentionally to decorate or prolong the narration. Characterization is neat. It will definitely make a good read for you any day.
April 22, 2015
Note: The author was kind enough to send me an e-book for review. Thanks Pankaj!
Rating: 3.5
Schizophrenia, I know, the term sounds too complicated. Everyone at a point of time must have had the symptoms such false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, auditory hallucinations (how many of us hear our cellphone ringing when it is not ;).
The author has taken an effort to breakdown the complexity of the disorder and gives us glimpse of the cause, the symptoms and its effect on an individual. Through Monty and Virginia, the author distinguishes the psychotic and non-psychotic lifestyle and how they give in or cope up.
A short introductory read into the world of schizophrenic mind and the book kindles your interest to know more about the disorder. The author has to be appreciated for bringing such a subject to light.
What did not work for me is the flow of the book, the transition between Monty and Virginia was confusing at times. Too many characters in the beginning chapter who do not fit in and felt that the story ended abruptly.
Though Pankaj suffered from psychotic relapse, I am glad that he did not give in and has managed to present it to us to understand the subject!
Rating: 3.5
Schizophrenia, I know, the term sounds too complicated. Everyone at a point of time must have had the symptoms such false beliefs, unclear or confused thinking, auditory hallucinations (how many of us hear our cellphone ringing when it is not ;).
The author has taken an effort to breakdown the complexity of the disorder and gives us glimpse of the cause, the symptoms and its effect on an individual. Through Monty and Virginia, the author distinguishes the psychotic and non-psychotic lifestyle and how they give in or cope up.
A short introductory read into the world of schizophrenic mind and the book kindles your interest to know more about the disorder. The author has to be appreciated for bringing such a subject to light.
What did not work for me is the flow of the book, the transition between Monty and Virginia was confusing at times. Too many characters in the beginning chapter who do not fit in and felt that the story ended abruptly.
Though Pankaj suffered from psychotic relapse, I am glad that he did not give in and has managed to present it to us to understand the subject!
June 9, 2015
Gulabi. As the name suggests, the story isn't at all rosy in any way yet it is one that tends to stay with you at the end and seriously make you ponder upon what you've read. Not only is the story crisp in its narration and downright to the point, the author maintains that tempo of mystery and the uncertainty that appears to cloud the judgment and thought-process of one and all from time to time.
Having read through the story, I felt wanting. I felt as if 'This can't be it.' and that in itself speaks volumes about the tale. Based upon the mental cacophony that is experienced by people throughout the globe (A major condition, if I may be bold enough to say) Gulabi is a refreshing representation of a story based upon the strange ways in which the mind functions. The separate narrations and the link established between the two major characters was appropriately vague indeed.
A great story that was crisp (and I shall repeat it as it resonated so in my mind) and kept one engaged, albeit a certain wane in the middle part. The writing was decent and enjoyable. I personally wanted a bit more. As they say 'The platter was delicious but not satisfying enough.'
Hope to read more of the author's work. A thoughts inspiring tale, indeed.
Having read through the story, I felt wanting. I felt as if 'This can't be it.' and that in itself speaks volumes about the tale. Based upon the mental cacophony that is experienced by people throughout the globe (A major condition, if I may be bold enough to say) Gulabi is a refreshing representation of a story based upon the strange ways in which the mind functions. The separate narrations and the link established between the two major characters was appropriately vague indeed.
A great story that was crisp (and I shall repeat it as it resonated so in my mind) and kept one engaged, albeit a certain wane in the middle part. The writing was decent and enjoyable. I personally wanted a bit more. As they say 'The platter was delicious but not satisfying enough.'
Hope to read more of the author's work. A thoughts inspiring tale, indeed.
December 29, 2015
It is one thing to maintain suspense in a story for the sake of its quality, but quite another to let the story perplex its readers. It might be because I’m not used to reading psychological novels that made it difficult for me to get a proper foothold. All I could do for most of the story is make random guesses hoping to get the hang of the plot, before the end of the story at least, which took a definite toll on my enjoyment factor.
I did, however, find no fault with the writing. The concept definitely gets points from me; but between the concept and the execution, the story lost me. I could not find much consistency in the flow of thoughts, and it made the story seem rather disjointed. I liked Monty’s character, in fact, his story is what made me read on. And while I could make a guess at what Monty's story wanted to tell us, I'm still not sure how Virginia's story is relevant in respect to the theme of the book. Her story seemed to start from nowhere and end in the middle of nowhere. But still and all, I think a little more clarity would have done wonders.
My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.
I did, however, find no fault with the writing. The concept definitely gets points from me; but between the concept and the execution, the story lost me. I could not find much consistency in the flow of thoughts, and it made the story seem rather disjointed. I liked Monty’s character, in fact, his story is what made me read on. And while I could make a guess at what Monty's story wanted to tell us, I'm still not sure how Virginia's story is relevant in respect to the theme of the book. Her story seemed to start from nowhere and end in the middle of nowhere. But still and all, I think a little more clarity would have done wonders.
My thanks to the author for providing me with a copy of the story in exchange for an honest review.
February 24, 2015
Thanks a lot to Pankaj for giving me the book for reading.
Its a different kind of book to the ones I read. Its interesting book to read.
Monty is out of his long distance relation with his girlfriend and is state of depression. Virginia is also out of a relation with a married partner.
Monty finds Gulabi and the sweet relation starts.
The feeling that you can see someone and not touch. That someone can leave you just by your thoughts is beautifully portrayed.
And then you realize that everything is happening inside a single mind is confusing and exciting at the same time.
As a reader we I might not get the Basic idea behind the book. The emotions which are felt and the thinking is something which is not something i can imagine.
A person who has felt it or meets people who feel this is better at understanding it.
pankaj has written a awesome book , which moves at great pace and has good language.
a book to be finished in a single sitting.
I give this book 4/5
Devil D
Its a different kind of book to the ones I read. Its interesting book to read.
Monty is out of his long distance relation with his girlfriend and is state of depression. Virginia is also out of a relation with a married partner.
Monty finds Gulabi and the sweet relation starts.
The feeling that you can see someone and not touch. That someone can leave you just by your thoughts is beautifully portrayed.
And then you realize that everything is happening inside a single mind is confusing and exciting at the same time.
As a reader we I might not get the Basic idea behind the book. The emotions which are felt and the thinking is something which is not something i can imagine.
A person who has felt it or meets people who feel this is better at understanding it.
pankaj has written a awesome book , which moves at great pace and has good language.
a book to be finished in a single sitting.
I give this book 4/5
Devil D
April 21, 2015
GULABI is an unusual read, a novella which unconventional to say the least. It’s a short read in which there are two protagonists who, for the most part, lead totally separate lives. Their lives to intersect at a point, but then one of them dies, continuing his life in an undead sort of way. And no, he’s not a vampire. After that, the paths diverge. Will they meet again? Do they even care if they do?
Gulabi, an Indian character, appears intermittently to one of the protagonists, when he crosses over to the other side of awareness. As his knowledge increases, her link with him decreases. As she disappears from his life, he begins to fret. He’s attached to her now. How will he cope if she disappears forever?
The questions will keep you turning the pages. The question which bedeviled me as I read was: is this a slice of life? Or a piece of fantasy? Or both?
Gulabi, an Indian character, appears intermittently to one of the protagonists, when he crosses over to the other side of awareness. As his knowledge increases, her link with him decreases. As she disappears from his life, he begins to fret. He’s attached to her now. How will he cope if she disappears forever?
The questions will keep you turning the pages. The question which bedeviled me as I read was: is this a slice of life? Or a piece of fantasy? Or both?
April 19, 2015
Well,
What can I say about this book??
To be honest, as soon as I got the book, I started reading it and as and when the story progressed, I started thinking as to who this author is and where is he taking the story but only in the end I could be able to realize the actual essence of the story.
This is a short story but has got few characters within it. Hence I would suggest the readers to finish it in one go because if you give a break and come back to read, you may not be able to take it forward freely. Also one need to give more attention to the characters and the sequences so that you will not feel like being lost.
Apart from this I wont say much because it would otherwise be revealing the actual story itself. Read it. I am sure most of you would appreciate....
What can I say about this book??
To be honest, as soon as I got the book, I started reading it and as and when the story progressed, I started thinking as to who this author is and where is he taking the story but only in the end I could be able to realize the actual essence of the story.
This is a short story but has got few characters within it. Hence I would suggest the readers to finish it in one go because if you give a break and come back to read, you may not be able to take it forward freely. Also one need to give more attention to the characters and the sequences so that you will not feel like being lost.
Apart from this I wont say much because it would otherwise be revealing the actual story itself. Read it. I am sure most of you would appreciate....
August 13, 2015
The author Pankaj Suneja sent me the pdf of his creation for a honest review, I thank him for that.
The story and the writing reminds me a bit of the magical realism of Haruki Marakami's novels, but as a whole the text and the characters feel a bit flat and not enough juice had been added into them. Although the chaotic state of mind the MC is being trapped in is interesting enough, there are rooms for improvement, 3 stars.
The story and the writing reminds me a bit of the magical realism of Haruki Marakami's novels, but as a whole the text and the characters feel a bit flat and not enough juice had been added into them. Although the chaotic state of mind the MC is being trapped in is interesting enough, there are rooms for improvement, 3 stars.
April 28, 2015
Note: The author was kind enough to send me an e-book for review. Thanks Pankaj!
a very very confusing book!!!!!
a very very confusing book!!!!!
December 5, 2015
A twisted version of Ruby Sparks
I have received a RC(Reading Copy) from the author to review the book; Gulabi.
Let me just get to the point:
I don't usually read dark novels because they end up taking a toll on me. But being in love with books, I couldn't stop myself.
It was surprisingly shorter than I expected.
The reason it took so long for me to review this is because I keep getting headaches every time I think about this book.
Not because it's bad or anything. It's just a little troubling.
The acknowledgment quote itself was from Ruby Sparks so there clearly wasn't any beating around the bush.
I got to experience something different with this book. Something a little more dark and daunting than what I prefer but still, I learned new things.
The problem I had here deals with the fact that I'm very emphatic. The things the characters said or did, didn't just stop on the letters on the paper. They were carried along with me and thought about frequently. During the time I read this book and a short time after, I just could not stop thinking about it.
I have read about what the author was going through when he was writing this book and he has said "It is in this withdrawing and isolated envelope I wrote and both writing and hallucination held me. The moment hallucination went away and I stopped writing, I suffered a psychotic episode."
The About The Author section mentions that Mr. Suneja attempted to survive without his medication for his thesis work to understand the occurrence of a psychotic episode.
It's amazing for a person to put their life on the line for science. I was shell shocked and bothered by this fact.
I didn't particularly like the way the dialogue was carried out and it seemed redundant. I'm not talking about the psychological aspects of the characters. It got boring reading:
"Virginia said..., Virginia was stumped, Virginia took a...., Virginia felt...., Virginia smiled at..., Virginia was.... etc."
This book is a peek into the depths of a human mind suffering from a mental disorder. In this case, schizophrenia. It's very intriguing and I recommend to anyone who's curious about the workings of an ill person's mind.
In conclusion, this book is most definitely not for me but I'm glad I had the chance to read it nonetheless.
Sometimes we should step out of our comfort zone to see what happens! :)
Notes I made while reading:
I find myself thinking 'That doesn't make any sense', 'What?!' or 'Why would you do that?'.
But thing is, not many things make sense to a person suffering from a mental disorder.
Finished the last chapter sitting in my car-
I feel sick to my stomach, reading such an upsetting book in the monsoon weather. The windshield wiper moves to and fro, clearing raindrops and I find myself sitting here contemplating life, Ruby Sparks and Gulabi.
I have received a RC(Reading Copy) from the author to review the book; Gulabi.
Let me just get to the point:
I don't usually read dark novels because they end up taking a toll on me. But being in love with books, I couldn't stop myself.
It was surprisingly shorter than I expected.
The reason it took so long for me to review this is because I keep getting headaches every time I think about this book.
Not because it's bad or anything. It's just a little troubling.
The acknowledgment quote itself was from Ruby Sparks so there clearly wasn't any beating around the bush.
I got to experience something different with this book. Something a little more dark and daunting than what I prefer but still, I learned new things.
The problem I had here deals with the fact that I'm very emphatic. The things the characters said or did, didn't just stop on the letters on the paper. They were carried along with me and thought about frequently. During the time I read this book and a short time after, I just could not stop thinking about it.
I have read about what the author was going through when he was writing this book and he has said "It is in this withdrawing and isolated envelope I wrote and both writing and hallucination held me. The moment hallucination went away and I stopped writing, I suffered a psychotic episode."
The About The Author section mentions that Mr. Suneja attempted to survive without his medication for his thesis work to understand the occurrence of a psychotic episode.
It's amazing for a person to put their life on the line for science. I was shell shocked and bothered by this fact.
I didn't particularly like the way the dialogue was carried out and it seemed redundant. I'm not talking about the psychological aspects of the characters. It got boring reading:
"Virginia said..., Virginia was stumped, Virginia took a...., Virginia felt...., Virginia smiled at..., Virginia was.... etc."
This book is a peek into the depths of a human mind suffering from a mental disorder. In this case, schizophrenia. It's very intriguing and I recommend to anyone who's curious about the workings of an ill person's mind.
In conclusion, this book is most definitely not for me but I'm glad I had the chance to read it nonetheless.
Sometimes we should step out of our comfort zone to see what happens! :)
Notes I made while reading:
I find myself thinking 'That doesn't make any sense', 'What?!' or 'Why would you do that?'.
But thing is, not many things make sense to a person suffering from a mental disorder.
Finished the last chapter sitting in my car-
I feel sick to my stomach, reading such an upsetting book in the monsoon weather. The windshield wiper moves to and fro, clearing raindrops and I find myself sitting here contemplating life, Ruby Sparks and Gulabi.
April 12, 2020
Thanks to the author for providing a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my rating/review in any way.
Around a week back, I had attended a class on psychiatry. The one thing that stands out particularly for me is that my faculty stressed repeatedly, by giving various examples from his own practise, the difficulties which people with schizophrenia face. What they face and go through cannot be imagined by anyone except themselves. Even their loved ones do not support them at times; sometimes going to the extent of calling them harsh names or pretending that everything is okay when it is not. Thankfully, the mentality towards this is changing and large amount of awareness has been created, thanks to social media, books and movies.
But all said and done, the images and situations conjured up in the minds in schizophrenia couldn't be more real to the people suffering from it.
This story focuses on Virginia, a young girl flitting from one failed relationship to another, desperately looking for love. A chance encounter with a stranger on a bus makes her realize that she had been looking in all the wrong places.
"It is strange that we seek a relationship to feel complete and whole. But we end up feeling incomplete and shattered."
The other character Monty was very confusing for me to understand. His mind was confused too. He had difficulty in accepting and understanding what his mind was trying to tell him (in its own way), till he decides to take control of himself. And forget the past. The truth about Gulabi.
"It was difficult to remember what no-one knew. Nobody knew Gulabi."
What could have been better: Probably a bit more organized points of view between Virginia and Monty, more detailed and atmospheric descriptions and more dialogues rather than internalizing would have made the book better according to me. The writing is stilted and more continuity is required.
Ultimately the story treads cautiously on the fine line between what's supposedly real and what's not. That is, if such a line even exists.
"There might be an invisible fine line between what is known to the senses and what is known through memories, thoughts and impressions. How did this invisible fine line exist?"
Around a week back, I had attended a class on psychiatry. The one thing that stands out particularly for me is that my faculty stressed repeatedly, by giving various examples from his own practise, the difficulties which people with schizophrenia face. What they face and go through cannot be imagined by anyone except themselves. Even their loved ones do not support them at times; sometimes going to the extent of calling them harsh names or pretending that everything is okay when it is not. Thankfully, the mentality towards this is changing and large amount of awareness has been created, thanks to social media, books and movies.
But all said and done, the images and situations conjured up in the minds in schizophrenia couldn't be more real to the people suffering from it.
This story focuses on Virginia, a young girl flitting from one failed relationship to another, desperately looking for love. A chance encounter with a stranger on a bus makes her realize that she had been looking in all the wrong places.
"It is strange that we seek a relationship to feel complete and whole. But we end up feeling incomplete and shattered."
The other character Monty was very confusing for me to understand. His mind was confused too. He had difficulty in accepting and understanding what his mind was trying to tell him (in its own way), till he decides to take control of himself. And forget the past. The truth about Gulabi.
"It was difficult to remember what no-one knew. Nobody knew Gulabi."
What could have been better: Probably a bit more organized points of view between Virginia and Monty, more detailed and atmospheric descriptions and more dialogues rather than internalizing would have made the book better according to me. The writing is stilted and more continuity is required.
Ultimately the story treads cautiously on the fine line between what's supposedly real and what's not. That is, if such a line even exists.
"There might be an invisible fine line between what is known to the senses and what is known through memories, thoughts and impressions. How did this invisible fine line exist?"
July 14, 2014
I am so much in awe at how brilliantly mental health patients can write. My understanding of the whole notion of mental health and 'patients', has forever been changed. This book, recounts through short and easy to follow fictitious stories, Monty's and Virginia's way of coping with what I will simply call Mental Illness. Although Pankaj thinks Virginia is the non psychotic character, I beg to differ on that because I see her manifesting some of those symptoms like not trusting people, instability in both physical and mental choices.
Monty, hallucinates and now has Gulabi, a firend and dare say lover who loves him unconditionally. The only problem is that Gulabi now threatens to hold him hostage forever by making a very difficult request. Monty really doesn't think he can make that promise and that is another trigger. The book is a mere 75 pages and l read it in one afternoon. It indeed held my attention for both personal and literary reasons.
l give this work a 4/5. I mean, I could have given him a five if only he went the extra mile of making it lengthier and more complete. All I know as an ending is that Monty passed out. Maybe he could have explained why in more details and how if at all, he got help to move on thereafter. Virginia's own narrative also stops as abruptly and this leaves a loop hole in my literary appreciation.
I however sincerely commend Pankaj for this work. When a patient and I stress a 'Mental Patient', takes the time to write his experiences as he/she lived it then, and how it played out mostly in the 'brain' where nobody could experience, we can only but conclude that all is not lost. Mental Illness is indeed not a death sentence and stigma only adds to brain damage.
Monty, hallucinates and now has Gulabi, a firend and dare say lover who loves him unconditionally. The only problem is that Gulabi now threatens to hold him hostage forever by making a very difficult request. Monty really doesn't think he can make that promise and that is another trigger. The book is a mere 75 pages and l read it in one afternoon. It indeed held my attention for both personal and literary reasons.
l give this work a 4/5. I mean, I could have given him a five if only he went the extra mile of making it lengthier and more complete. All I know as an ending is that Monty passed out. Maybe he could have explained why in more details and how if at all, he got help to move on thereafter. Virginia's own narrative also stops as abruptly and this leaves a loop hole in my literary appreciation.
I however sincerely commend Pankaj for this work. When a patient and I stress a 'Mental Patient', takes the time to write his experiences as he/she lived it then, and how it played out mostly in the 'brain' where nobody could experience, we can only but conclude that all is not lost. Mental Illness is indeed not a death sentence and stigma only adds to brain damage.
June 6, 2015
Disclaimer: I was offered a free digital copy of this book by the author in return for an honest review.
This is a bit of an oddity. The book is a bit short for my taste, clocking in at 76 pages including some very large type, a few pages of praises for the book, as well as an author biography of sorts at the end (which I personally thought would have been better as a foreword).
Suneja has some interesting ideas to share, but his somewhat stilted use of the language hampers his ability to fully communicate these ideas. The first two to three chapters read to me like someone's hastily written summary of a more comprehensive book.
The story hits its stride a bit towards the middle, and ends a bit abruptly. Were I not reading this in exchange for a review (or for some other reason that necessitates completing the book, such as book club), I would probably have quit a chapter into this book. However, having completed it, I found it interesting despite the language barrier.
That said, aside from the ideas, there wasn't much here for me. I was cringing every time someone had a conversation because it sounded incredibly stilted and inorganic. The shorter, almost-clipped sentences started grating on my nerves after a few chapters as well.
To summarize: Interesting ideas obscured behind economical but not very interesting and somewhat stilted prose. On the plus side, it's a quick read at under a hundred pages.
This is a bit of an oddity. The book is a bit short for my taste, clocking in at 76 pages including some very large type, a few pages of praises for the book, as well as an author biography of sorts at the end (which I personally thought would have been better as a foreword).
Suneja has some interesting ideas to share, but his somewhat stilted use of the language hampers his ability to fully communicate these ideas. The first two to three chapters read to me like someone's hastily written summary of a more comprehensive book.
The story hits its stride a bit towards the middle, and ends a bit abruptly. Were I not reading this in exchange for a review (or for some other reason that necessitates completing the book, such as book club), I would probably have quit a chapter into this book. However, having completed it, I found it interesting despite the language barrier.
That said, aside from the ideas, there wasn't much here for me. I was cringing every time someone had a conversation because it sounded incredibly stilted and inorganic. The shorter, almost-clipped sentences started grating on my nerves after a few chapters as well.
To summarize: Interesting ideas obscured behind economical but not very interesting and somewhat stilted prose. On the plus side, it's a quick read at under a hundred pages.
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