Title : Penance Author: Ben Antao Published: 2006 Rs. 200
Canadian in theme, Goan in values BEN Antao was born and bred in Goa, but now lives in Canada. Currently he is the President of the Canadian Authors Association, Toronto branch. He has written five novels and several short stories. Penance is his second novel to be published. This book talks about two couples - James and Alice Kennedy, a conventional couple, and Karen McNulty and Donna Thistle in a radical relationship. The respective couples believe themselves to be madly and hopelessly in love; until, one fine day, when Karen and James find themselves attracted to one another overcome by a strange force. Each tries to fight it but to no avail. Things seem under control until they meet at the AGM - meant to be a rare celebration in honour of the teaching community. Donna forces Karen to go to the gathering. James, a teacher himself, is also present. Any second thoughts Karen might have had about going to the meet vanish when she spots James, at the venue without his wife. The book continues to talk about how a magnetic force allures them to each other as they end up having an affair. Ultimately, both of them, realizing they have no future together, work towards restoring their former relationships with their respective spouses - James with Alice and Donna with Karen. The book focuses more on James and how he asks God to forgive him; it is not difficult to believe he is truly filled with sincere remorse about what he did, as he ardently prays, "You're the only one who can help", he reminds God. "Please help me. I'll give up anything if you bring Alice home. Anything". As we read about his struggle, we can easily empathize with him, now that with a cri de Coeur he confesses how much he wants his life back the way it once was. He almost seems to succeed, but the book concludes with an unpredictable climax. Ben, from a prize-winning world-acclaimed serious writer, is turning out to be a leading romantic novel-writer. He crafts his stories with great mastery blending successfully the perfect amount of description with emotional detail. And his novels ever more absorb us in this part of the world because, a Goan by birth - and at heart -, he addresses problems in a unique way, against the backdrop of beliefs and conflicts of our Goan society, as it struggles in search of some meaning of life. Penance is an amazing read and un-put-down-able until the very end. Here's a novel for our times! (ENDS) ====================================================================== The above review appeared in the Goan Observer weekly of July 15-21, 2006, Panjim, Goa, India. Goanet A&E http://www.goanet.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=News&file=article&sid=216 _______________________________________________ Goanet mailing list [email protected] http://lists.goanet.org/listinfo.cgi/goanet-goanet.org
