A review of Me, Mia, Multiple by Debashish Irengbam

 

 

 

I was given a copy of Debashish Irengbam's 'Me, Mia, Multiple' by a mutual friend and writer Kirtida Gautam (Author of #IAm16ICanRape, another must-read book). I had read the blurb of the book a few days ago and it had intrigued me. A suicidal man and a woman with (I suspected) Dissociative Identity Disorder (otherwise known as DID). That seemed like a fun ride and I must say, Debashish does not disappoint.

Blurb:
Killing yourself should be easy, right? Pop a few sleeping pills, lie on a railway track and let the train do the rest of the work. Neat, swift, painless. Yet dramatic. What could possibly go wrong with Jeevan Raikar's plan? Well, this: a girls' night out happening at the graveyard next door, starring a vodka-swilling blackmailer and her dead mother. And so, Jeevan - who ought to be dead by now, mind you - is stuck with bubbly Mia, raging Tanya and sensuous Alisha. Which might seem like an enviable situation to be in, but for one tiny catch. They are all the same person. Me, Mia, Multiple is a debut that cares little for convention: a romance with a twist, a twisted romance, a romantic twister. Whatever you want to call it, you'll tear through it with sheer pleasure. 

The Review:

All his life Jeevan has been fighting the mediocrity and monotony of his life. He is severely disillusioned and believes that there is no meaning to life. His viewpoint is almost nihilistic, save for the fact that he is secretly awaiting a big adventure, but that is something he does not want to admit even to himself. After his brief fling with a colleague comes to a screeching halt, Jeevan yet again tries to end his life. 

But fate had other plans and Mia steps into his life, foiling his plans. Mia, who is also Tanya as well as Alisha, is the adventure that Jeevan was not prepared for. As Mia she is sheltered, shy and a girl-next-door. As Alisha she is a sex-kitten and as Tanya, she is a person you wouldn't want to meet in a dark alley. What starts from then on is a laugh riot. The humor is genuine and never once feels forced or contrite.  

What I liked 

·       I'll start with the name of the protagonist, Jeevan Raikar. Jeevan means life in Hindi. It is ironic that a suicidal protagonist is named Jeevan. That little touch was beautiful in my opinion.

·       Even though I knew Mia's problem from the get go (the blurb reveals it clearly), I as the reader could relate to Jeevan's confusion as he met all the 'alters' one after the other. 

·       The narrator's voice is fabulous. Deliciously dark and humorous at the same time. He is a deeply flawed character and I thank Debashish for that. How many romance stories have we read where the hero is this perfect Adonis who could do no wrong? Debashish chooses a more relatable and human character and I give him full marks for that.

·       Mia. Alisha. Tanya. Three people, same body. Debashish brings out each character so well that just by the body language that Jeevan describes, I knew who was coming out. 

·       I liked the pacing, the gradual progression from dark romantic comedy to dark romance.

·       The writing is flawless. Debashish mixes show and tell perfectly, making it an interesting narrative that doesn't sag even once. Despite being in first person POV and in present tense, the prose moves without jarring. 

·       He explores suicidal behavior and a complex psychological disorder without once getting heavy handed or preachy.   

What I didn't like 

·       The sisters were almost indistinguishable from each other, as were the brothers-in-law, except for the cop guy.

·       Couldn't visualize Jeevan, except for his buck teeth. Wish there was a little more description of how Jeevan looked.

A special mention must be made about two minor characters, Ash and Kapil. I am willing to bet that the author has based them on actual people. Fabulous!

Even though I had correctly guessed the reason for Mia's condition, I am not going to dock points from Debashish for it. I guessed it only because I have had to do an extensive research on DID for a novel of my own. Had I not known what I know, I doubt I could have seen that ending coming. All in all, I would give him 4.75/5.

About the Author

Debashish is a Mumbai-based scriptwriter. So far, he has written for TV shows aired on Star TV, Sony, Channel V and MTV. He has also worked in the creative department of UTV Motion Pictures in the past. As of now, he is developing a couple of full-length feature film scripts. Me, Mia, Multiple is his first novel. His second novel, Charlie Next Door, is forthcoming from HarperCollins Publishers India in 2016.

You can buy the book here and here.


Please visit here and here to grab a copy of my book, 'I See You',