Published by Leadstart, Song of the Whale by Sunil MS is a subtle slow burn novel about a man suffering from dissociative amnesia. The story is set against the cosmopolitan culture of Bangalore, the protagonist lives there. As you browse some pages, you will get the hunch that the story is not only fully fictional but it also carries tinges of philosophy. The novel explores various themes but in undertone, one evident is true love. The protagonist explores that equation by considering his friend Akash’s love bonding with Shruti. The story ricochets between many fronts i.e. illusion, past, future, and memories.
Often people suffering from any amnesia have to deal with pangs of discontinuous reality, short memory loss, and some other abruptness. This is one novel that asks its readers time, you cannot get all the clarity as soon as you start it. The story makes sense when you cross some initial chapters. Despite all, the novel offers sublime idiosyncrasies of a man that is jolting between reality and illusions, as you begin the book, this line may confound yet impress you, ‘There is a ghost in my room that steals all my dreams.”
The protagonist tussles hard with fragments of memories. He recounts his date with Jenny through mobile app and that meeting incredibly went funny and weird. The title Song of the Whale indicates mourning of lost ones, it is an inner voice and only special ones can listen to one another. A mix of many literary aspects, this is a classic read that can set you on a roller coaster ride.
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About the Author:
Sunil MS was listed in the ‘Top 10 Short Fiction Writers’ by DNA-Out of Print in 2017. His work has been previously published in DNA India newspaper, Out of Print, and Bangalore Review. Sunil MS was born in Dharwad, Karnataka, and grew up on a steady diet of books by Stephen King, Edgar Allan Poe, Haruki Murakami, Franz Kafka, and Albert Camus. His journey as a writer began with narrative poems which evolved into flash fiction, short stories, and now a novel – Song of the Whale. A street photographer since 2010, Sunil mostly spends his time walking around the streets of Bangalore and making pictures. When not on the street with his camera, one can find him in bookshops or cafes. He currently lives in Bangalore.