The Archer: Book review


Book review

Title: The Archer
Author: Shruti Swamy
Genre: Fiction

The Archer is a coming of age story of a woman who finds solace in an ancient form of dance. 

The story focuses on the life of Vidya - a girl who is growing up in Bombay in the 60s. During her childhood,  Vidya’s mother disappears from her life and Vidya is left to look after her father and younger brother. To overcome her grief and loneliness, Vidya finds solace in Kathak and trains under a reputed teacher. Simultaneously we see Vidya facing prejudices against her dark skin that makes her retreat into her shell further. We follow her journey to engineering college, falling in love with another woman, her marriage to a son of an illustrious family and pursuing her artistic dreams. An unexpected occurrence changes the fate of Vidya’s life. 

The story is divided into five parts. It seamlessly moves forward in time tracing the different phases in Vidya’s life. The language is soulful, poetic, rhythmic and almost feels like the dance form of Kathak. The complexity of Vidya’s character intrigues her reader. She is seen as someone independent. Yet she chooses to follow the path  that she once vowed to never to tread on. 

The Archer is narrated in first person from Vidya’s point of view. It’s evident how Kathak plays a significant role in her life. To Vidya, Kathak provides the solace, the freedom and escape from the rather patriarchal world she lives in . An escape from the societal and traditional norms she’s forced to comply. The relationship between Vidya and her teacher forms an interesting angle. The author draws parallels to Eklavya’s relationship to Drona. She also manages to capture the vibe of Bombay in the 60s in an authentic manner. 

The Archer is an interesting read for its melancholic prose and ability to merge art and the human soul into one.

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