Book Review ~ Missing Varrun by Amar Agarwala

Missing Varrun by Amar Agarwala

~ Book Review ~

“….. a love story that connects the picturesque town of Ceuta in the south if Spain , to the dusty by – lanes of Kolkata in India.”

Back cover of Amar Agarwal’s novel Missing Varun

Missing Varrun

Amar Agarwala’s debut novel Missing Varrun is a full life story of a Calcutta based charted accountant Vedant (1966 – 2049) spanning well into the future. It is also a love story that crosses all barriers of time and culture. Vedant, a brilliant chartered accountant of Calcutta falls in love with Amaya, a Spanish girl of Sindhi origin, fifteen years younger than he. She comes to India to complete her basic education, and as a neighbour he gives her private tuition in English and mathematics, and it’s how love begins to sprout between them.

They eventually marry and were soon blessed with two children Varrun and Vaideeka. It so happens that while the father stays back in India, mom and children heads back to Spain, leaving Vedant to miss his children and hiswife. So it would be curious how they have their reunions, and how often, how they manage to nourish and cherish mutual love and affection.

Life goes on as Amaya continues with her school assignment and spending her time looking after her kid and watching her kids grow in Ceuta, Spain. Ceuta, a small Spanish town nestling on the northern tip of Africa, boasted an area of 22 square kilometer and a population of less than 100 000. It bordered Morocco and separated from main land Spain by the Straits of Gibraltar, with the Mediterranean and Atlantic on either side of the straits. While Vedant spent his time working on ledgers, trial balance and balance sheets in Kolkata.

The story starts with the farewell of Amaya, who decides to get back to India after a premature retirement to start a fresh life with Vedant. They get back to Kolkata and life goes on with regular flash backs as Vedant travels back his time to retrace his love story with Amaya.

Amar Agarwala

Missing Varrun also treats the reader with exotic scenery of southern Spain – the towns of Granada, Cadiz and Trujillo and the majestic snow-clad peaks of Sierra Nevada. Back home we accompany Vedant and Amaya on two honeymoons in the lap of the Himalaya, with its swift flowing rivers, holy lakes and enchanting monasteries.

As the events flows on the story takes a dramatic change, with a plane crash killing Amaya. Life suddenly comes to a standstill for Vedant’s family. Vedant’s son Varrun, a leading neurologist, sacrifices his carrier to stand by his aging father.

As the health condition of Vedant detoriates the story frequently travels back in time not only bringing back sweet memories but also bringing into light the lesser known characters in the novel, who otherwise would have remained in the darkness. Finally the story comes to a close with the death of Vedant.

About the Author: Amar Agarwala is a practicing Chartered Accountant and a Company Secretary. He also posses a degeree in Law and also a MBA. Presently Agarwala has more than more than 25 years of teaching experience in various fields and is pursuing a doctorate degree.

He is 44 and is married with two children. His wife lives with the two children in Spain. Agarwalla lives and works in Kolkata. Missing Varrun is Amar Agarwala’s debut novel.

 

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