Until It Rains Again

Farhana Tahshin

Until It Rains Again is a riveting coming-of-age novel fringing on the bildungsroman sub-genre. This bittersweet story is set in Mumbai- the city of dreams. The protagonist of the novel is 17-year-old Alaina Kaur. She is a girl who seems to have everything. Coming from a well-to-do family, she has a lifestyle symptomatic of a culture of privileges. She is the leader of the Literary Club of her school and has an almost perfect boyfriend who keeps showering her with love and attention. On the surface, her life seems good, but in reality, it is anything but that.

"…..we are all broken a little inside, in different ways, and one day or the other, we must deal with the flaws of the rude world, in different ways."

On the threshold of adulthood, Alaina is weathering emotional storms like any teenager of her age. She longs for an emotionally intimate relationship with her parents but doesn't get it. Her friendship with her bestie is falling apart, she is drifting away from her boyfriend, and the entry of a new girl into the school only pushes her into an emotional quagmire.

Her life raft which saves her from drowning in an emotional abyss is the warm and supportive relationship she shares with her brother Sparsh. In him, Alaina finds an ally who helps her put things in perspective. In him, she finds the courage to seek the love and happiness she desires. Of course, Sparsh is also fighting his demons and one incident brings about significant changes in the lives of the siblings.

A novel makes for an interesting read when its characters are well-etched. The author manages to bring her characters alive with her prose. She devotes a lot of space to describing their features, and flaws.

Alaina's best friend Alisha is the 'IT' girl of the school whose "life revolved around gossip and drama". Sasha, Alaina's other best friend, on the other hand, is "concise, convenient, and classy" and a proud member of the LGBT+ community. The characters are well developed and three-dimensional, with their trajectories.

The author describes the surroundings wonderfully and conjures some vivid and memorable scenes. Through her characters, Bhuyan successfully encapsulates the confusion of teenage years, the influence of peer groups, and the pressure of fitting into these peer groups.

"I lost myself multiple times in trying to be someone else. I lost my identity multiple times in trying to find it in others."

The novel gives voice to issues like homosexuality, blatant homophobia in society, and mental health. Society may have progressed but it still finds it difficult to let go of its homophobia. Even today, members of the LGBT+ community find it hard to fit into society. Until It Rains Again chronicles the road to self-discovery and self-acceptance.

The 21 chapters of this novel are an emotional rollercoaster ride for the reader. Ruchikaa Bhuyan has used well-crafted prose to tell a story of love, identity, and sexuality. In her debut novel, Bhuyan comes across as an artist who is confident and in love with her art. The pangs of love, the strife to break prejudices, and the journey from self-shame to celebrating one's unique identity- all make Until It Rains Again a splendid read.

Book: Until It Rains Again; Author: Ruchikaa Bhuyan; Publisher: Blue Rose Publishers; Price: Rs 399; Pages: 413