I have to confess that on receiving the review copy of Ramona Sen’s debut novel – Crème Brulee – from Rupa publications, there was some trepidation in me. The last time I had picked up an ostensibly ‘feel good’ book by an Indian author, which also coincidentally had a dessert in its title, it had left me with a bland taste in the mouth, to say the very least.
But I am so glad to have dug into this crème brulee. There is no other way to say it: the book does what every good dessert ought to do – leave you richly satisfied! Set in present day Kolkata, the book follows Aabir Mookherjee’s life as it hurtles towards giving love a second chance. As the owner of E&B restaurant, Oxford returned Mookherjee is akward, genteel and has very specific tastes. His life often revolves around avoiding people more than engaging with them, which makes the story even more charming as he finds love in quite an unexpected place.
Sharp, distinct characters criss-cross with each other through the book, which not just entertains, but also reflects the ease with which, various viewpoints come together, in the melting pot of this society. Sometimes they barely pass by each other, at other times they become completely entwined with each other. An unspoken but ubiquitous character in Crème Brulee is food itself. Sen writes about food with great love and flair, and it would not be a stretch to say that my appetite was significantly higher during the time that it took for me to read the book. It is fitting, given that the book is primarily about two food entrepreneurs.
But it is not just any food, it is very specific, very well cooked food that is being referred to here. The kind of food, desserts, in particular, without which, the book would be incomplete. By bringing in detailed elements of food, interactions among various social classes, the lifestyle and the occupations, Crème Brulee goes beyond being a story about an individual’s personal life and becomes a take on society as such. It is to the book’s credit that it is able to bring in so many facets with clarity while maintaining a light touch as well as a concise length.
There are a few places where it meanders and the scenes could either have been slightly modified or shorter, even come across as more realistic, but that would really be nit-picking. All in all, Crème Brulee is a worthwhile read, which can be read at a stretch over the course of a weekend. Just make sure to have your stock of desserts in place before you dig in. It will leave you in a mood for food!
But I am so glad to have dug into this crème brulee. There is no other way to say it: the book does what every good dessert ought to do – leave you richly satisfied! Set in present day Kolkata, the book follows Aabir Mookherjee’s life as it hurtles towards giving love a second chance. As the owner of E&B restaurant, Oxford returned Mookherjee is akward, genteel and has very specific tastes. His life often revolves around avoiding people more than engaging with them, which makes the story even more charming as he finds love in quite an unexpected place.
Sharp, distinct characters criss-cross with each other through the book, which not just entertains, but also reflects the ease with which, various viewpoints come together, in the melting pot of this society. Sometimes they barely pass by each other, at other times they become completely entwined with each other. An unspoken but ubiquitous character in Crème Brulee is food itself. Sen writes about food with great love and flair, and it would not be a stretch to say that my appetite was significantly higher during the time that it took for me to read the book. It is fitting, given that the book is primarily about two food entrepreneurs.
But it is not just any food, it is very specific, very well cooked food that is being referred to here. The kind of food, desserts, in particular, without which, the book would be incomplete. By bringing in detailed elements of food, interactions among various social classes, the lifestyle and the occupations, Crème Brulee goes beyond being a story about an individual’s personal life and becomes a take on society as such. It is to the book’s credit that it is able to bring in so many facets with clarity while maintaining a light touch as well as a concise length.
There are a few places where it meanders and the scenes could either have been slightly modified or shorter, even come across as more realistic, but that would really be nit-picking. All in all, Crème Brulee is a worthwhile read, which can be read at a stretch over the course of a weekend. Just make sure to have your stock of desserts in place before you dig in. It will leave you in a mood for food!
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