A Day Just for Me
Kavya Sahni
2016
Notion Press
pp. 126
Written by fifteen year old, Kavya Sahni, A Day Just for Me is the story of a young girl and her relationship with her Aunt. The story revolves around personal and relationship issues of Elizabeth Grayson, who struggles with the loss of her parents, growing up with relatives she does not really connect with, changes schools and eventually deals with schizophrenia.
The book is an easy read. The language is simple and the story is straight forward and fast paced. While the plot has potential, Sahni stops short of making it a full novel. The details, particularly towards the end are sketchy. There is too much happening too quickly and the story ends rather abruptly. In some ways, it does not really end since many questions are left unanswered.
It is encouraging to see young Indian school students, experimenting with not just reading but also writing.
Every Book Has a Story
The book was gifted by a relative. Read in a day. The book has left me wondering if there is a dearth of Indian literature accessible to school students. Why should our writers have to base their stories in alien cultures and characters that have no resemblance to India?