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The Monsters Still Lurk is all about life. How we live it and how in an instant everything turns upside down. Although this was my first book by Aruna Nambiar, her writing possessed a sense of familiarity; like speaking to an acquaintance or an older sibling. Set partly in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Kerala, this novel oozes warmth and charm. Aruna is witty and full of mirth, making it utterly difficult to put it down. Part of the reason why I loved the story was for its relatability and the beautiful manner in which relationships are portrayed; both good and bad.
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Set in the early 90s, Aruna speaks of the days when life was simple. Taking long walks on the beach, buying roadside food without fussing about its hygiene and wearing clothes cut from the same bolt without feeling embarrassed; this novel takes us down the memory lane on more than one instance. With the death of Rajiv Gandhi, our country saw radical changes when it came to banking and other economic reforms. This also affected the protagonist's family when his father had to report to a girl who was young enough to be his daughter. This story is narrated by Vivek, the youngest son who does well in life in spite of being an average reader as he sheds equal light on each of the family member.
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This story is part of Vivek's memory/flashback, which begins with him being a child and ends with the demise of his mother. The growth of every character is a delight to witness and is beautifully raw in its form. The story is fairly simple, something that many families have lived through but what takes the cake is the way in which she outlines the parents' attitude right to the slightest details. As I read along, I couldn't help but think of my own family. The quirks that each one of them possess and how families really work. There's no glitz and glamour. There's no presence of unnecessary drama and beyond all that, it's deeply moving.
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I couldn't help but wonder how empathetic Aruna is as a writer and I say this because of how wonderfully Vivek's character has been created. Having a kind yet practical protagonist was a huge win. There are so many things I truly enjoyed about this novel starting from the description of the cities back before they were renamed. The changes that the cities saw with the new government and how we adapted to it, the financial condition of many families that deemed them middle class but children of whom went ahead to still do commendable things; Aruna covers them all flawlessly. Most of all, I felt vulnerable while reading about the protagonist's parents'aging, all the while thinking about my own family. There's a deep sense of melancholy and beauty that this story carries and I'm going to seek out her books eagerly. I highly recommend it. This is not just a regular story about a particular family but carries bits of our own lives in those pages.
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Rating - 4.8/5.