Kagajer Bou by Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay [Hardcover]

In this novel, the protagonist Upal has attempted everything to survive—from bus conductorship to train robbery—but he fails at every turn. Upal harbors an insatiable hunger—like pain, like cancer—that drives him to save some money to satiate it—money that flows effortlessly like a waterfall, like a handbill, or like moonlight. Yet, every attempt he makes is thwarted by his old conscience and his blind aunt.

Eventually, money comes to Upal from an unexpected source. His friend Subinoy, infatuated with his sister-in-law Preeti, enlists Upal to engage in an illicit affair with his own wife, Khona. Although Upal fails at nearly every endeavor, he manages to complete this task. But can he keep it? He gets entangled in a web of increasingly complex events.

In this novel, Shirishendu Mukhopadhyay does not merely present memorable characters and a noteworthy message; he unveils the underlying reality of this artificial, hollow, and fragile civilization through a myriad of intricate and subtle occurrences. In terms of narrative progression, this book is as captivating as a breathless thriller, while simultaneously incorporating a profound message and thought that resonate with timeless literature.