A rollercoaster read

A heartwarming coming-of-age story of a feisty young girl’s struggle against her fate.

Miracles by Ranjit Lal.

Picture this — a 16-year-old girl, her enthusiastic little sister and their hip mom riding around on Smelly Beast the Bullet, a monster motorbike! That’s the Bhave household.

The 16-year-old is Trisha and this book is about how she adjusts to a new school, explores her talent for singing and — of course, like in every other high school story — falls in love with Akshay Khurana.

Coping with changes

The family had moved to Delhi so Mrs. Bhave could get treated for a fatal illness. And Trisha’s happy-go-lucky world comes crashing down. She doesn’t know what or how to do things, but with her mother’s instructions, she struggles to make the transition from a carefree teenager to a responsible adult, all the while hoping that some miracle will set things right.

This is a story that will strike a chord with the readers. The central theme is taking responsibility for ourselves and being there and looking out for our family and those close to us. The fairytale beginning of Akshay’s and Trisha’s love, the slow ebb of Mrs. Bhave’s strength, Trisha’s transformation from a naïve teenager to an accountable adult are all narrated in simple yet moving language. Trisha’s sister Shivi brings in the much-needed humour to lighten the mood every now and then.

Intense and deep If there’s one thing a reader will take away from this book, it is that life goes on, no matter what happens. Put one foot in front of the other and keep moving. I don’t know if miracles really happen, but as long as we have hope, we will always find the strength to wake up to a new dawn.

MIRACLES

Author: Ranjit Lal

Publisher: Inked (Penguin India)

Genre: Fiction

Price: INR 299