Voices of the Silent Creek

by Vikkas Arun Pareek

The book is about atrocities women face in our society, I have chosen the contentious subject though everyone speaks and writes about it, it is still an issue which haunts millions in our society and one which is pushed so readily under the carpet. The book is set in rural India.

Below is the blurb of the book -

"Shanti is married in a prominent family but her life will never be the same for a life thrusted on her for honour of the family. She accepts her life but will she let the same fate unfold for her younger sister?

Bhano discovers the horrors of her sister's life. Will she be able bring justice to her sister's life and her sacrifices?

Arti finds herself strangled with choices. Will she risk her life and her family's life to help Bhano get justice or leave her helpless?

The story of set in rural India takes us through unimaginable yet common atrocities which a woman faces in today's society. Will they fail to survive? Will they emerge stronger battling the troubles? "

210 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2015

About the author

Vikkas works for an Indian IT company and is based in London. Voices of the Silent Creek his is debut fiction Novel.

Reviews

[Bookish Indulgenges with b00k r3vi3ws · Rating 3 out of 5]

While crimes against women are an all-time high (at least in my conscious lifetime) a lot of writers are taking up the cause and telling stories in a way that is meant to touch the people. Some tell real life stories and some tell real life stories in form of fiction, but the aim is same – to reach out to the mass. Does this one speak to the reader? Let’s find out.

The plot of the story is set in rural India. The story begins with Shanti – when a proposal comes for her that could elevate her family’s standard in the society, she is promptly married off. Every bride begins a new chapter in her life and Shanti was no different. However the dreams of a naïve girl and reality of Shanti’s life were two extremes. Soon Shanti’s sister Bhano gets entangled in the mess as well. Then there is the case of Arti, a girl who is in love. These three women and their lives take us on a roller coaster of a journey that, well, is not easily forgotten.
The strength of the story lies in the characters. Shanti, Bhano and Arti are three strong characters who pull through the book. Their life and their struggles are so real that it was difficult to just put down the book without knowing how it all ends. Their stories felt entirely plausible and it was impossible to not feel for them knowing that this was somebody’s reality somewhere – the brutality they faced clubbed with the insensitivity that people around them and the society had towards their situation is something that I wish I could say was shocking. But thanks to the recent stories that have come up in the media they weren’t as shocking; we know that they are our reality – a face of our society that nobody acknowledges as a problem.

The idea behind the plot was really promising. From the way I see it, the author had great intentions and his plot had quite a bit of promise as well. This book could have been so much more if only the author had followed through in the execution part of it. The narrative needed a bit of tightening and the book could certainly do with another round at the editor’s table. The too simple language failed to create the response in a reader that the book (and such issues) should have commanded.

[Deshana Shah · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Review✨
Book
~ Voices Of The Silent Creek by @authorvikkasarunpareek
5🌟

I am so in love with this book❤️
I cried so much while reading it😭
The writing style the words everything was so good and on point.
Books like these are very hard to read. Anytime i read a book like this i have to keep it down after a chapter as it gets very hard to further keep on reading... But this book, I just couldn't put it down it was so good. The words didn't feel like a burden but hit hard🤌🏻
It really is a very inspirational book and one every other indian should read🥺
The book gave me a lot of hope✨
These types of things still haven't vanished and stopped in India... We never know it could be happening next door or even in your own house😞
It is very hard to raise voice against it but i think this book would help💖
Ik how hard it is to acknowledge such things but writing a book about it is a really courageous thing to do and i really idolize the author for this✨
The book really touched my heart and inspired me to raise voice against the wrongs i see around me, And when i say this it is true... I have been through some of it too so yess this book helped me a lot🫶🏻
Thank you soo much for sending me this book🥹💗
I would have never came across this book if it hadn't been for you🥹🫶🏻

[Roy D'silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

Life in the Indian villages was not pretty and writing a book about it is not a easy task. Like all countries, the bad and the worst of lives – especially those of women – are somehow hidden under the paens that Bollywood sings to life in rural India. Therefore, Voices of the Silent Creek by Vikkas Arun Pareek is a very important book not just for Indians but everyone who’s ever bothered about women.

Voices of the Silent Creek tells the story of a young girl Shanti, living in the village with her parents and her younger sister, Bhano. Their life takes a turn when the village sarpanch asks for Shanti’s hand in marriage to his younger son. While the family rejoices for their good fortune, little do they know what lies in store for Shanti.

In an era when everyone else is writing about college romances and urban love stories, Vikkas’s effort to take the deal to a rural area is laudable.

That, and the fact that he decides to take a stark highlight to the dark happenings in rural India deserves a hat tip. Vikkas’ book is an unputdownable read that tells the story that we all know – but are too embarrassed to speak about.

What grips the reader’s attention is the stark truth that Vikkas decides to portray through his book – something that even mainstream cinema has rarely decided to and never succeeded in.

Vikkas’ intense writing style is one that propels the book to another level. The characters instantly settle themselves in the reader’s mind, the scenarios are those that every Indian has heard before – but in hushed tones, and the aftermath is something that one is now seeing – almost after seven decades of such what’s called freedom.

The author succeeds in creating heart wrenching scenarios that tug at the reader’s heartstrings – even in the pacy style that the author uses to get the point across.

Quite frankly, there is nothing that the book lacks. Whether it is a script or a story line or even the perfection while carving out the characters. Voices of the Silent Creek is the book you should buy this week.

[Kavipriya Moorthy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel falls under “general fiction” and “Women fiction” genre. His writing reminded Sudha Murthy’s style and even the story for that matter. A disturbing read, about the issues and nuisance that women faced and are still facing at the rural villages based in India. It swirls around three women and how they get related at one point, what happens to each of them?

The story is about Shanti, the heart-wrenching issues that she faces hit the readers hard. While her younger sister sports braveness. In a village where a Woman is looked upon as sex objects and are used only for branching the family further, giving no importance to her career, passion, life or feelings. What happens to them is the story.

First Impression – Good title and cover. Not attractive enough to pick if I cross on a store. The blurb could have been much better.

Overall Impression – A good read to know the other side of the life. As a modern young woman, I have heard a few stories about the issues the villages sport but the story tore the inhibitions and threw light on what it is, a brave attempt and a convincing book on the issues.

What did I love about the book? – Simplicity and the brutal awakening.

Rating: 3/5

Wow Factors: 1) Depth of emotions 2) Raw facts 3) Lucid 4) Proper connect and flow throughout without any loopholes

Frown Factors: 1) The start talks a lot about the girl having issues with her monthly periods. I hope the author was confused with Puberty and this, so the initial start was clumsy 2) Grammatical errors 3) Story seems stuffed in the middle

[Sankalpita (bookGeeks India) · Rating 4 out of 5]

India today is a land of paradoxes. Indians call themselves modern yet it is we Indians who often resort to the most backward practises and traditions. While the urban India thrives on women empowerment...

Read the full review here - http://www.bookgeeks.in/entries/gener...

[Rajesh Hajare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book Review of Voices of the Silent Creek (4.35/5)

Hello readers! I am here to share one more book review. Yeah!

I am going to share my book review of Voices of the Silent Creek by Vikkas Arun Pareek ji. Before coming to the review, I would like to thank to the author Vikkas Arun Pareek sir for approaching me to review his debut book and for his patience for this review. Now let me come to the review and detail analysis of Voices of the Silent Creek…

TITLE AND COVER:

Voices of the Silent Creek is a catchy title, suits to the content. Title indicates that book wants to convey something unspoken yet! Title itself says so much about theme and dark picture of society. The book cover is also attractive, A woman’s sketch sitting under a tree and around trees in jungle has sad emotions. We can observe many faces in background on cover.

About the Book:

Shanti is married in a prominent family but her life will never be the same for a life thrusted on her for honor of the family. She accepts her life but will she let the same fate unfold for her younger sister?

Bhano discovers the horrors of her sister’s life. Will she be able bring justice to her sister’s life and her sacrifices?

Arti finds herself strangled with choices. Will she risk her life and her family’s life to help Bhano get justice or leave her helpless?

The story set in rural India takes us through unimaginable yet common atrocities which a woman faces in today’s society. Will they fail to survive? Will they emerge stronger battling the troubles?

About the Author:

Vikkas Arun Pareeek is working for a major Indian IT company and is based in London. Voices of the Silent Creek is his first self published book. He has a passion of writing and is venturing into a vast and respected arena of expressing and writing books. You can reach out to him on vapbooksfeedback@gmail.com and Twitter @vapmail16.

SETTING

*Theme:- The theme of Voices of the Silent Creek is based upon social issues and women’s assault, disbelief and betrayal in different relations. In short, we can categorize this novel as a tragedy in women’s life.
*Locations:- The story of Voices of the Silent Creek runs around Bardolia village and we can see references to Melbourne (Australia) in few incidents.
*Language:- Author Vikkas Arun Pareek uses simple language in novel. A Voices of the Silent Creek is the debut work of author, but he uses literary and grammatical elements elegantly. Though author is based in London (UK), he didn’t forget Indianness; We can see several Hindi and other Indian words and proverbs in the book. Italic font is used properly. Words in capital letters indicate strong emotions. Appendixes attached at the end of book are plus point of book. I liked few linguistic experiments made by author; I mean use of riddle “uoorr eilps rar foft h noose.” means “your lips are soft as rose petals.” and English translations of abusive language.
Background:- Background of Voices of the Silent Creek’s plot is based upon contrast between rich and poor, victim and accused and suffering, fighting against tolerance, rural and urban life, disbelief and so far…
*Author’s Writing Style:- Author Vikkas Arun Pareek ji uses descriptive style of writing to narrate the story of Voices of the Silent Creek. One can see proper words selection by the author. He uses abusive words but no one will call those words unnecessary in such incidents, so the use of abusive language is noteworthy.

CHARACTERS:

FEMALE CHARACTERS

1.Shanti:- Author sketches Shanti as a central character in book. He introduces her as a Princess of the farm who is very simple girl and becomes a victim of relations betrayal.
2.Bhano:- Bhano is the name of Shanti’s sister. Author portrays her character as an aware, a courageous and a brave girl.
3.Arti Khandelwal:- Author portrays Arti’s character as another protagonist. She is from educated and modern family, she is very clever and helpful.
4.Mano:- She is Shanti’s sister-in-law (Jethani) and parshuram’s wife. She is another victim of domestic assault, she is sympathetic for Shanti who becomes mad later.
5.Mamta:- She is Mohanlal’s to be wife.
6.Sarita:- She is a twelve years old girl.
7.Laxmi:- She is a wife of Manohar.
8.Arya:- She is a daughter of Arti and Amol.
9.Shabnam

MALE CHARACTERS:

1.Bheem Singh:- He is the father-in-law of Shanti and also a Sarpanch of village. Author portrays his character as a villain in story; who shows to be a good and respected human being but he is very cruel person like evil.
2.Parshuram:- He is the elder son of Bheem Singh. He is an another villain in the book.
3.Mohanlal:- He is the husband of Shanti.
4.Krishna:- Krishna is younger brother-in-law (Devar) of Shanti and a boyfriend of Bhano.
5.Amol:- He is a teacher and boyfriend of Arti.
6.Ramgopal:- He is a father of Shanti and Bhano.
7.Manohar:- He is a brother of Shanti and Bhano.
8.Sujay Mathur:- He is the father of Amol and father-in-law of Arti.
9.Ravi:- He is a minor character in the book and is Arti’s friend.
10.Surya:- He is a biological son of Shanti.
11.Arya:- He is a son of Bhano and Krishna who born in a prison.

PLOTS:

GENERAL PLOT:

The story of Voices of the Silent Creek is described into 20 chapters. I felt first 6 chapters quite boring as they are described in slow pace but those are not less important. Whole book is a page turner from 7th chapter as it is written in fast pace. Readers may take some time to relate the story while reading introductory chapters.

Voices of the Silent Creek is mainly Shanti’s story. It shows glimpses of physical and sexual problems in women’s life. The theme is based upon Shanti’s tragic married life, sufferings and tolerance. Author shows how people helping victims have to suffer from another tragedy in their own life through the character of Arti and Amol. Author sarcastically comments on problems people have to face because of alphabetical order according to name; in that case I feel myself lucky as my name Rajesh starts with middle alphabet ‘R’. Voices of the Silent Creek is the story of Shanti’s younger sister Bhano’s married life and betrayal by her boyfriend Krishna in love and live in relationship. Arti’s efforts for justice instead of grieving are remarkable. Her character inspires readers to fight against harmony without any kind of fear and worry of defeat or loss.

Though the plot of Voices of the Silent Creek is tragic. Author surprises readers with few romantic scenes between Arti and Amol and Shanti with her husband Mohanlal. He describes few intimate and assault scenes in book openly, though those scenes look obscene, I would show them green light because obscenity was required in those scenes.

SOCIAL PLOT:

The main plot of Voices of the Silent Creek is based upon social theme. It comments on social issues related to women’s life. Author sarcastically comments on tendency of parents and society about women’s infertility. Society’s narrow mind tendency on women’s freedom can be seen in a sentence, “young people should not be given much freedom, they will later dance on our heads.” Shanti’s sad married life is an instance of how parent’s disbelief on children can make their life hell! Author writes how Shanti and Bhano’s father-in-law Bheem Singh and brother-in-law Parshuram assaults them physically and sexually. This horrible picture of married women’s life is portrayed beautifully. Though the story in novel is fictitious, we often see same pictures of women assault and molestation by their own family in northern states on TV serials like Saavdhaan India, so the story seems realistic. Author raised few social issues and shows dark picture of society. He writes about forced immoral relationship between Shanti and Parshuram. He shows few glimpses of few other social issues like superstitions (black magic) and he tells the result of drinking alcohol indirectly. He also gives massage to not take alcohol while writing about Shanti’s father “Her father spent time between their home, police station and hospital. He never quit drinking.”

Author Vikkas Arun Pareek comments on social like girl feticides, but at the same time he urges to save girl children when Amol says “I want to able play with my daughter.” I appreciate author’s massage to save girl child but Amol’s dislike for a boy to Arti in his sentence “I will divorce if you deliver a son” can never be appreciated. I know that author’s intention is not against boys or he doesn’t mean that but I think authors should think before writing a single sentence that negative massage shall not go from their writing.

Author criticizes on inactive and insensitive people in his quote “She cried for help but no one came. There were those who were not able to move due to shock, there were those who did not have courage to move and then there were those, who were silently enjoying the show.” He also comments on police’s inactive reaction on Bhano’s complaint against Sarpanch Bheem Singh and his son Parshuram. He writes about the fact, how Non-Government Organization (NGOs) works better than police as usual.

QUOTES FROM THE BOOK:

1.“She knew that she would lose, but still, she fought.”
2.“It doesn’t matter if you win or lose, but you will be satisfied that you tried your best, in order to save the people you love and Jhansi ki Rani loved her people very much.”
3.“Reading is a good habit.”
4.“You know, I have always wondered that children with rich background are not very good in studies whereas the children with less privileged back ground are very hard working and good in studies. Look at all the board results and all the competitive exams. You look like you are from a very privileged background, why do you think this is the case?”

APPENDIXE:

We see Hindi and other regional words in so many books, but this book is quite different. No! Hindi words are used in Voices of the Silent Creek too, but A Note on (10) Names and Relations and Glossary for 23 words make this book different. Explanation and meaning of Chapattis, Dupatta, Pani Puri etc. shows author’s research and study. Definitions of these words are defined thoroughly. I won’t mention a note on names and relations in this review but I would like to mention few words from Glossary:-

1. Chapattis = Chapati (alternately Chapatti, Chappati or Chappathi) is an unleavened flatbread (also known as roti) from Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan. It is a common staple in South Asia as well as amongst South Asian expatriates throughout the world.

2. Dupatta = A length of material worn arranged in two folds over the chest and thrown back around the shoulders, typically with a salwar kameez, by women from South Asia.
3.Ji = JῙ is an honorific used as a suffix in Hindustani and many other languages of the Indian subcontinent.
4.Laado (Laadoo/Laddoo) = An Indian sweet made from a mixture of flour, sugar, and shortening, which is shaped into a ball.
5.Pallu = Aanchal is the Hindi word for a piece of cloth worn by females on the upper part of body. It can be a dupatta (something like a scarf) or the loose end of a sari or some similar kind of dress. Pallu is mostly used for the part of sari only, rather than a dupatta.
6.Pani Puri = Pani Puri is a street snack from the Magadha region of India. It consists of a round, hollow puri, fried crisp and filled with a mixture of flavored water (“pani”), tamarind chutney, chilli, chaat masala, potato, onion and chickpeas.
7.Sarpanch = A sarpanch is an elected head of village-level statutory institution of local self-government called the panchayat.

DRAWBACKS:

1.Few italic fonts are used at unnecessary places.
2.Print Mistakes and Typing Errors:- Though there are not too many print mistakes, I found two; ‘then’ and ‘checks’ are printed instead of ‘than’ and ‘cheeks’ on page no. 29 and 169 respectively. (i.e ‘fairer then than her’ and Arti said her face covered with her hands and tears rolling down her checks cheeks.) Third typing error is about wrong use of apostrophe mark on page no. 108, mistress’s instead of mistress’ and punctuation marks are missing is some paragraphs.
3.Currency symbol US Dollar ($) and Pound (£) are printed next to the figure (i.e 9.99$ and 6.99£) instead of $9.99 and £6.99 as book price on back cover.
And now please do not count my grammatical mistakes in this blog post, you will be tired but my mistakes will not be counted! I am working on my language.

REVIEWER’S NOTES:

“Author Vikkas Arun Pareek deserves round of applauds to write fearlessly about women’s assaults in rich families in villages. He tackled an uneasy and sensitive subject in Voices of the Silent Creek elegantly. Author tried to give voices to the women living in silent creeks around rural India as book title suggests. Though story is fictitious it seems realistic.

I would like to recommend this book to my fellow readers, I am sure that one won’t despair after reading this book. So don’t only read but hear Voices of the Silent Creek where women suffer.” - RDH Sir

BOOK RATING:

I would give 4.35 out of 5 stars to the book Voices of the Silent Creek by Vikkas Arun Pareek.

BOOK IN BRIEF:

*Title: Voices of the Silent Creek
*Author: Vikkas Arun Pareek
*Edited by: Nivedita N
*Publishers: Nivasini Publishers, Hyderabad, India
*Front Cover Sketch: Hemant Kumar
*Cover Design: Chandrasekhar Singh
*Copyright: ©2015, Vikkas Arun Pareek
*First Printing: Bhavish Graphics, Chennai
*Editing and Publishing solutions by: The Blue Stencil
*ISBN-13: 978 81 927944 7 1
*Price: Rs. 199/- | $9.99 | £6.99
*Pages: 210 (excluding cover)
*Genre: Fiction
*Rating: 4.35/5 | Good
*Reviewer: Rajesh D. Hajare (RDH)

NOTES:

1.This is my personal analysis of Voices of the Silent Creek by Vikkas Arun Pareek and your feedback may be vary.
2.The book Voices of the Creek was sent to me by Santhosh through Amazon.in on the request of author Vikkas Arun Pareek ji for the purpose of an honest review.
3.Reviewer of this book is the Gondia District President at Akhil Bhartiya Marathi Sahitya Parishad, Pune

Read this review on my blog

[Geetika · Rating 5 out of 5]

💬Voices of the Silent Creek 💬

To an outsider, a visit to the village can be picture-perfect with farms, bullock carts, ponds and creeks. But the reality for the residents can be far from it. The creek near the main protagonist Shanti’s house in this book is a dreamy, idyllic and romantic hideout for her sister Bhano and her 👩‍❤️‍👨sweetheart Krishna and a place to bask in the sun while escaping the nightmares of reality and silent reflection 😔 for Shanti and her sister in law Bhano where it seems that the silence glues them together in their 🫂shared miseries.🥹

In the editor's words, Voices of the Silent Creek is primarily the story of women trapped into vicious social customs such as child marriage and preference for 👦male heirs, who become victims of domestic violence👊, verbal and physical abuse, rape, and several other such atrocities that we do not like to speak of. This book is for the strong-hearted. In fact, you might need breaks to digest the 😢distressing scenes. ⚠️A trigger warning does apply. Even reading about them is unbearable, one can't even imagine how it would feel to bear these atrocities for instance where a woman is beaten and paraded naked in the streets. This is a work of fiction but if you read📰 or watch the 📺news you know it's not far from reality, unfortunately.
Through his words, the author has given 📢voice to the silent screams😱 of such oppressed women whose individual voices would often, like 🌊waves in the ocean, just hit the shores and die.

A 👧girl child in India experiences childhood, adolescence and adulthood in a very different way in an urban and a rural setting be it in terms of 🏫🎒education, 🩸menstruation practices and beliefs, ❤️love and dating, choice of career and 💍👰life partner, etc. One also can't help but feel that poverty is the mother of many crimes, perhaps only the rich can afford morals. It is a common saying that an unmarried daughter is a 👸princess in her father's house, no matter the absence or presence of material comforts but what if even the home 🏡 is not a safe haven?

In this story, in a twist of destiny, the 🏙️urban protagonist Arti's life is tragically entwined with Shanti’s and Bhanos's in the village.This makes it clear that if a woman is not safe in any part or corner of the country🇮🇳 or 🌎 world, no woman is ultimately safe. This is perhaps the most 🎯hard-hitting and heart-sinking😟 realization for the reader.

A glossary and note on names and relations is appended at the end of the book.

Readers interested in fiction, women's rights, women's issues, women empowerment and human rights should check☑️ out this book.

🗣️Speak up ! Chuppi tod !!!🙋✊

[Shyamal Roy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Women and India, a perpetual war

Let’s start with some excerpts from the book.

“As tradition demanded that women keep their head covered in the presence of the elder members of the family—her mother did the same and so did her neighbors, Shanti was used to it too.”

“The young bride could not remember if she had slept at all or not—probably not, she decided. She got up early before everyone else as a general practice to carry out the daily activities. In her father’s house, the women in the house got ready and performed the household chores long before the men in the family woke up.”

The following is so heartwarming, and an example of the minute level at which female freedoms are controlled.

“Shanti had danced in the rain a number of times earlier. She had been with her mother, her sister, her friends, but this was different. She was married now, and married women were not supposed to dance in the rain in her part of the world. Mano pulled Shanti right in the middle of the chowk beside the temple, and there was no option now for her to run anywhere. The first few raindrops fell on her head, and then on her shoulders, and then on her feet. She pulled her feet inside her ghaghara and tried to keep her body from getting wet, but it was of no use, for within a minute, she was completely drenched. Even Mano was dancing in the rain. Shanti had never seen her like this before. She laughed and joined her.”

Indian society acting as if it is for men to discipline or spoil women.

“I used to tell your father, Amol beta, to keep the women of the house under control,” said Bheem Singh. “Look at your wife now. She does not even have any respect for elders.”

This book made me boil with rage in so many places. But it is an entertaining read, and a book that gives ample representation to important women’s issues.

[Sheandherkindle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is profoundly tragic, evoking the same feelings I experienced while reading A Thousand Splendid Suns 💔.

The story revolves around two sisters, Shanti and Bhano, who are vastly different yet bound by their lives in a village. Trouble begins when Shanti is married to the son of the village sarpanch. Her nightmare starts the very next morning after she arrives at her sasural, but that is just the beginning of the atrocities she will face. Bhano, being too young at the time, struggles to comprehend the horrors unfolding in her sister's .Time passes and shanti doesn't want her sister to face the same horrors she had faced , Will she succeed in shielding Bhano from this fate?

Meanwhile, we meet Arti, who lives in a town and crosses paths with Shanti and Bhano. She wants to help Shanti but has her own limitations. Will she risk her family and her own safety to assist them?

This book will give you goosebumps and your blood will be boiling with anger in many instances. I was shocked when shanti's own father didn't do anything to support her and when the whole village was mute spectator or even accomplice in the abuse happening to Bhano in broad daylight in front of all the villagers and even police. Arti sacrifices a great deal in her quest for justice.

While some instances felt overly dramatic, like scenes from a Hindi movie but i was deeply moved by this book. Once I started reading, I couldn’t put it down. The events depicted may seem unimaginable, but they reflect a reality that exists in many parts of India, where the hollow egos of some individuals hold supreme power. It’s disheartening to read news stories that seem unbelievable, yet they happen.

[Booksandsurpass · Rating 4 out of 5]

After being deeply engrossed in Letters to My Mother, I eagerly awaited its sequel. While waiting, I came across Voices of the Silent Creek, and I must say—it did not disappoint.

Vikkas Arun Pareek fearlessly delves into a subject that, despite being widely discussed, continues to haunt millions of women and remains conveniently ignored. Set in rural India, this book exposes the disturbing realities of oppression, injustice, and the relentless struggles women endure in the name of tradition and family honor.

The story follows three women, each trapped in a web of societal expectations and personal battles:
🔹 Shanti, forced into a life dictated by family honor, resigns to her fate—but will she allow her younger sister to suffer the same destiny?
🔹 Bhano, who uncovers the horrifying truth of her sister’s suffering. Will she muster the strength to seek justice?
🔹 Arti, caught in a moral dilemma. Will she risk her life and her family’s safety to help Bhano, or will she be forced into silence?

This is not an easy read—it is heartbreaking, unsettling, and at times, infuriating. Yet, it is necessary. Voices of the Silent Creek brings forth the brutal realities that many women in rural India still face today, making it a story that lingers long after the last page.

Books like this are rare—they challenge, disturb, and demand attention. If you are looking for a powerful, thought-provoking read that sheds light on the silenced voices of our society, this book is one you should not miss.

[The Book Times · Rating 5 out of 5]

Please look out for the trigger warnings (rape, domestic abuse, murder) before picking up this book.
After finishing this book, I was numb. Bhano, Mano, Shanti and Arti are portrayed as strong women, despite their situation that they are put in. This book shows a stark difference between an Urban and Rural household, which is also true. It also touched upon sensitive topics like marital rape. 'Silent Creek' is a metaphor for death. You'll understand the significance of the title towards the end of the book.
If I was in place of Arti, would I lose everything to help out the girls? Absolutely. And I'm sure if she is asked to go in the past, she'll not change a single thing.
To conclude, I would say that the author sheds light to the plight of the women in all his writings. I feel like every Indian, irrespective of the gender, must read this book. No woman has to go through what these women had to go through. This was a very emotional and touching read. If you're going to read this one, you're for sure going to shed some tears.

[Deeksha · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book, Voices of the Silent Creek, when I attended an author’s meet celebrating one year of this book by Vikas Arun Pareek in Delhi. I postponed reading it for almost two years. The cover didn’t quite convince me, and the large font and text layout gave it a slightly childish impression.

But when I finally decided to read it - to get it over with - I was genuinely surprised.

The story has depth. It sheds light on the harsh realities faced by women in rural villages, and reading those parts was truly heartbreaking. The emotional weight of the narrative stays with you. The writing is immersive enough to make you care deeply about the characters; you find yourself hoping for their safety.

There were a few grammatical errors scattered throughout the book, which were hard to ignore as a reader.

Overall, there is immense potential in the story and its themes, and with tighter editing and refinement, it could be even more impactful.

[Lovely · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story portrays the struggles and injustices faced by women in a village, showcasing their resilience and how they navigate through difficult situations. While some incidents felt familiar, it’s a reminder that women’s issues often echo across different stories.

The fast-paced narrative shifts quickly between chapters, which made it feel rushed at times. I wish the book had been longer, with more detailed descriptions of certain scenes. Despite that, I loved the story and its powerful message.

[Geeta Nair · Rating 3 out of 5]

Storyline: Set in rural Rajasthan, the book brings to light the atrocities perpetrated on the women-folk by a male-dominated society. Here a woman is considered as nothing but a ‘machine’ meant to satisfy a man’s hunger and bear his heirs. She has no voice, no emotions and no mind of her own. She is just a puppet in the hands of the men at home. Here Shanti, Mano and Bhano represent the true face of women in many villages in India especially the North, where muscle-power rules the roost, the rich and influential perpetrate atrocities on the poor and hapless folk and where illiteracy is rampant.

The author has woven a strong plot with finesse. He has delved deep into the psyche of the oppressed female and has put across her revulsion, her resistance and finally her state of numbness beautifully. One can actually visualise her plight. Then there is the male-species who are spineless. They don’t have the guts to stand-up for their women-folk and instead force them to concede to the unjust demands of the tall and mighty. They finally try to find solace in the bottle. This lot too is captured well in the book.

In short, the storyline is interesting and relatable. In fact the author has put across some raw facts which are sure to revolt the sensitive. There are some twists and turns that are in sync with the plot. There is also a minor plot of an urban couple that is integrated into the major plot towards the second half. This plot brings to light the sharp contrast between the urban and rural India portrayed in the book. Here I say ‘portrayed’ else it will be misguiding readers especially those from other parts of the world. The situation in all parts of India is not the same. The lot of rural women in my part of India is at par with that of women in urban areas.

Characterization: The characters of Shanti, Mano, Bhano and Bhim Singh are well developed with all their strengths and weaknesses. The depth of emotions they invoke is worth mentioning. It’s easy for the reader to delve into their mind and understand their actions and reactions. This makes it also easy to empathize with them and their sorrows.

Language: Simple and easy to understand very much like the ordinary village folk who take forth the story.

A simple and easy read, one capable of bringing a frown to your brow and tears to your eyes. Go for it if you’d like to find out how lucky you are or how helpless the ordinary illiterate village folk especially the women-folk, are. The book will give you an insight into their trials and tribulations and leave you shaken.

[Vivek Dwivedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vikkas Arun Prateek's 'Voice of the Silent Creek' deserves a review, a recommendation and an applause. I'm going to give it all three for one rarely comes across a book that combines empathy with new-world bravery. Rarer still is an Indian book and author that bring about the naked truth of Indian society, both rural and urban, with such poignancy and courage. We always stumble across an incident which we digest with great difficulty but we seldom discuss it or if we do, we do it with third person's perspective thinking and believing that it wouldn't occur to us. Vikkas helps us here in a way, coming up with a book that describes gruesome truth with horrifying details and thus letting everyone know that such incidents do take place around us and that they need our empathy and if possible, some actions too.

The book tells us two stories which I believe are running parallel. Arti and Shanti both belong to India but whereas Arti looks to defy all the odds with her personality and education, Shanti falls victim to the same. I wouldn't like to go through all the hardships and painful treachery that Shanti has to go through for they send a chill to your spine and you feel almost embarrassed having been a part of such society. May be Khap Panchayats and Devdasi Incidents from two different parts of our country come across your mind and you would be able to correlate their aftermaths with Shanti's plight but I believe it still wouldn't amount to the same. 'Voice of the Silent Creek' is a difficult read but if you stick to it, rewards could be handsome.

However, again like the most of new-age Indian books, it falls seriously short of technical accomplishments. Its title 'Voice of the Silent Creek' albeit is a marvelous one and suitably depicts the book story on cover page and that too is fantastically designed. But inside the book, all is not right. Paragraphs are left-aligned and while that could be a specific demand of a book's plot and thus can be used likewise but I don't see that here and thus all of them must have been 'justified'. Grammar is again weak and this book could have been an absolute eye-opener if those weak-links were absent. These mistakes leave a bad-taste in a reader's mouth. Proofreading is an essential part of book-publishing but I strongly believe it's getting less and less importance with each passing day. Still it comes across as an important work and a very timely one which for once deviates from all too familiar rom-com territory of Indian book-writing and stops at something substantial.

[Rahul Khatri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Silently Violent Debut !!!

First of all congratulations to author on such an amazing debut & applause for Hemant Kumar for an awe-inspire sketch on front cover . 'Voices of the Silent Creek ' is a well written bitter truth of position of Women in rural India . Plot is set in countryside of Rajasthan & revolves around Shanti , daughter of a poor farmer who was married to the son of a Sarpanch where she was brutally assaulted . Shanti's husband was in love with some other , so usually never reside with her . With time passed , Bhano , Shanti's sister , also came across the futility of patriarchy . Beside it another story that runs in parallel is that of Arti who was in love with her professor . And events turned into a manner that both the stories collide and let the reader glued to very end .
Author has beautifully bolted the characters in the plot . Shanti , main protagonist for most part of the story , is portrayed as the princess of her family but marriage change her life forever . Bhano is embedded as a lady of strong will who stood for what she belived in . Bheem Singh , Shanti's father-in-law is described as a typical uneducated filth for whom getting the heir is important forgetting the basic moral values . Parshuram , Bheem Singh's elder son , is true blood of his father and is shown physically assaulting women .Mano Bhabi , Parshuram's Wife , who lost 3 babies has mood swings which sometimes made her shanti's hope and other time becomes reason of another scar . Krishna , Bheem Singh's youngest son , is against all gruesome incidents but also a coward for not having guts to go against his family .
Arti is portrayed as an intelligent girl belonging to a well placed family from Delhi and fell in love with Amol , son a kind businessman .

With this story author has tried to highlight the social evils existing in many villages in India where Women are beaten and people commit barbaric acts just for the fake prestige of family . Author had also depicted how Police officials behave in biased manner as per the financial status .
But I found some incidents hard to digest like : If Bhanu's story was aired on Tv , but still the culprits got bail . After , what happend to Arti and her family , Bheem singh was also out on bail .
So ' Voices of the Silent Creek ' is a fun read pulling social evils in the reader's mind .

[Himanshika Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Synopsis –
Shanti is married in a prominent family but her life will never be the same for a life thrusted on her for honor of the family. She accepts her life but will she let the same fate unfold for her younger sister?
Bhano discovers the horrors of her sister’s life. Will she be able to bring justice to her sister’s life and her sacrifices?
Arti finds herself strangled with choices. Will she risk her life and her family’s life to help Bhano get justice or leave her helpless?
The story set in rural India takes us through unimaginable yet common atrocities which a woman faces in today’s society. Will they fail to survive? Will they emerge stronger battling the troubles?
About the story –
This story revolves around Shanti, who faces many tortures in her in – law’s house. Her father – in – law, who happens to be a Sarpanch of the village, uses his powers and abuse the women of his house, physically and mentally while their husbands remain mum.
And then comes Bhano, sister of Shanti, in limelight and faces same kind of treatment but decides to fight against the evil.
Arti helps Bhano in whatever way she can and because of that, her family comes at stake.
Will they be able to teach those morons a lesson? Read and find out.
My verdict –
I don’t have words to describe my state of mind while reading this book. This book kept me hooked till the end. I finished this book in one go without evening budging from my place. Author has done a brilliant job. This is a kind of story, which remains in your head for a long time. Author has narrated the dark and horrible side of our country. Kudos for that!
No matter how much we preach for women empowerment, there are still some places where women are being treated as furniture but human. I would not be bragging if I say that this story is disturbing and has the power of shaking your soul.
Although, there are some drawbacks in editing and the way the story has been presented is not amazing as well. It could have been better. But then emotions overpower all these things. Thanks to the author for this book.

[Divya Ramnath Bandodkar · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Voices of Silent Creek' is one of those stories which leaves you in awe. The book teaches you a lot many things. You will feel love, anger as well as hatred raging inside you. This book will provide food for your thought and you will certainly wonder whether such a thing really exists in India. This book shows mirror to those rural parts of India which don't even exist for most of us. Author has successfully stolen all of my attention and a small place in my heart for his book.

Narrated in third person, the story of Shanti will surely touch your hearts. Escapes of Shanti and Bhano's life are well narrated. There are very few books which give you the feel that the characters and the incidents are for real. I must say this book fits well in that category. Every incident is perfectly timed. The flow of story has been consistent throughout the book. Not even for a fraction of a second will the reader feel lost.

Characters- Shanti, Bhano and Arti have been portrayed to be very strong. We need women like them in today's world. I feel very proud of each of them. They are different from each other but each of them have qualities that will make you feel that we should be like them. As far as the male characters are concerned, you will feel utmost hatred.

This book must not lie in those unattended bookshelves. It needs to be out in the world so that every person reads Shanti's story and no Shanti ever suffers again. A must read. I wouldn't mind reading it n number of times.

Excellent work!

I rate:
Cover: 3.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Story: 4/5

I rate 'Voices of Silent Creek' with 4/5 stars.

[Komal Priyani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quote for this book :- The World suffers a lot "Not Because of the violence of Bad People But Because of the silence of Good People"

My Views :-
Women are considered as the goddess in the Indian society from the ancient time however it is also true that they are not treated as goddess. Nothing has changed over the years They are still ill-treated and are used just as objects to fulfil the wishes of men. As soon as the news of there existence breaks they(girls) are bounded by the societies huge list of "do's & don'ts"...They are expected to live like puppets just because they possess a pair of "X chromosomes .
In this globalising era, we feel the scenario has changed over the years or may be we are so engrossed in our comfy lives that we are neglecting the brutalities & actualities of our "modern society" . This book uncovers the miseries of three strong women(Shanti,Bhano & Aarti) who fought courageously for each others protection,basic rights of survival & self- respect.
Voice of The silent creek unveils the opaque & woeful side of our hi-tech impotent society.
Full review at :-
Review :- Voices of The Silent Creek Written By Vikkas Arun Pareek & Published By Nivasini Publishers. | Express-o- Nation
https://priyanikomal.wordpress.com/20...

[Ammu Nair · Rating 5 out of 5]

REVIEW:

I would be lying if I say I have not cried reading this book. This book has so much women atrocities that you will ashamed been born a girl. The author has put facts and emotions in the right places, which really make you think “Aisa hota hoga kya?” & I really don’t want it to be happening in real; even though I know what he portrayed will only be a part of it.

The wow factor of its book is story, the women atrocities makes you wonder. While I was reading this book, I was like before accepting the situation I would have killed myself, but then it also made me wonder would it really have changed anything.  I was also like hen Krishna knew what is the situation a house, why couldn’t he have moved out earlier with Bhano. The women in the story Mano, Shanti, Bhano were really strong women. I really had Goosebumps and at the end when the story ended I cried hugging my teddy and prayed let it never happen to any women.

There were no negatives in the book or I didn’t find any as i was so engrossed in the book.

One liner – Only for those who have strong heart can read this. It really shakes you to the core.

PS: Thank you Tusti & Sandeep or giving me this book for review.

RATING: 5 OUT OF 5

[Sandeep Sharma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Voice of the silent creek – a great title with a perfect cover depicts a story of Indian women struggle in our society. The author with great intensions pours the evil practices through the voices of three women namely Shanti, Bhano and Aarti. The circumstances that these women face are something that could leave you with empathy for a lifetime. This may too happen that you feel short of courage to read further. The author weaves a good storyline around various characters and tries to unwrap different elements at different stages of your reading experience.
The overall idea of the story is great but I thought that it could have been written better. The way, the story unfolds in front of the reader, could have been a little better. Another thing that needed attention was editing and alignment. This book is the perfect example of how a good story and a perfect plot will fall flat if you don’t give attention over the editing part. My overall experience with the book wasn’t a good one but I would still recommend this book because of the author’s great attempt to show the ugliest face of our society in which we proudly lives.

[Isha · Rating 4 out of 5]

“We have an abundance of rape and violence against women in this country and on this Earth, though it’s almost never treated as a civil rights or human rights issue, or a crisis, or even a pattern. Violence doesn’t have a race, a class, a religion, or a nationality, but it does have a gender.” ― Rebecca Solnit, Men Explain Things to Me

Distressing and heart wrenching. Emotions that the debut book, Voices of the Silent Creek by Vikkas Arun Pareek leaves the reader with. Raising uncomfortable questions that are often shoved underneath the carpet to maintain the semblance of well-being in the private space and to uphold the honour of the family, Voices of the Silent Creek gives voice to the silent voices of women across the country and in the process, brings to the fore a very pertinent issue that plagues the Indian society today i.e. the rampant culture of violence against women in the domestic space.

For the complete review, please visit: http://rainingreviews.com/2015/11/21/...

[Dhwani Swadia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read full review here: https://thereandtheir.wordpress.com/2...

Really really liked this book.

It really makes you wonder how certain rituals are accepted without question, even at the cost of one’s own ruin.

How a father turns his back on a beloved daughter, just because the society would not accept a married daughter living with her parents.

The story line is crisp, the writing is polished, and the book is fast paced.

The only issue I found was in the start of the book, where the protagonist Shanti faces some issue with her periods….I really did not understand what was the issue. This was one part of the book, that i found to be extremely vague.

[Srilakshmi Indrasenan · Rating 4 out of 5]

In India, you can never fail to impress audience if you write a book on women related issues. This book is yet another example of that. I am telling this as a compliment to the author as writing women related issue by a man is quite tedious, and Vikkas has done justice to the genre.

I personally loved and could correlate to the story as I have an elder sister who is meek and introvert. The story, although majorly set in Rural India, touches heart of readers irrespective of their city or lifestyle.

There is a little too much drama, but the book is overall a good and deep read.

Read full review here: https://iamstri.wordpress.com/2015/12...

[Jasleen Kaur · Rating 3 out of 5]

The novel can hold you only at the end and in the start. The middle portion is bleak and plain. The story is refreshing and written in a nice way but the incidents are not that convincing. They seem heard. But yeah, feministic novels do have such incidents which sound heard, so it wouldn’t be fair to judge the story completely on that basis. The best part is the characters which do wonders in making the chapters seeming so real. All in all, a nice and light read.

You can read the complete review here -
thesubtlebraiding.blogspot.in/2016/02...

[Varun Kumar · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vikkas novel 'Voices of the silent Creek' is intriguing and thought-provoking. Once the characters have been well developed , the story picks up its pace steadily and gradually. There is slight violence and the sensitivity of the author to write on such a disturbing topic is worthy of praise. Hopefully, someday, Vikkas's novel would play a major role in helping raise the voices of the victims who have gone through such a traumatic incident. Well written and highly recommended.

[Nidhi Author · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book teaches us to fight against wrong.The book is a good one time read.A person turns stronger when they loose too much from their life. The writing style was simple and the book contained many twists within the pages. Read full review at :
https://iwritenidhi.wordpress.com/201...

[Madhuri Varma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very bold and sincere attempt to make the voices of the silent creek heard. Strongly recommended! (4.5/5)
Full review- http://wp.me/p2vbKI-8o

[Chittajit Mitra · Rating 3 out of 5]

http://itsgoingtobeobvious.blogspot.i...

[Sourabh Nirmal · Rating 5 out of 5]

A difficult and often ignored subject, calls for a deep introspection of the the entire society.