I bought this book named Tea Country because it's set in the Himalayan hills of Northern West Bengal. Having visited Kalimpong in 2022, I was intrigued by Dooars.
When I got it in my hands, the cover with a picture of tea garden in the afterglow felt very heartwarming.
As the blurb described about its connection with animal human conflict being an animal lover, I felt more cativated.
So, the story follows Trisha. She is a young American biologist who travels to Dooars to research human-animal conflicts, especially involving elephants.
In newspapers every now and then we get to read how humans are getting affected by these gentle gaints but lso due to humans these beautiful majestic ones are finding harm.
Trisha’s journey is transformed when she meets few people there. Joy, a charming doctor; Indira, who runs schools for tea estate children; Lalit, a stoic businessman; Leila, coping with miscarriages; Bhanu, a revered family patriarch; and Brojen, the house help with a tragic past involving a leopard attack but still has a lot of respect for nature.
The novel explores the deep connections between humans and nature, illustrating the harsh realities of their conflicts.
As Trisha and Joy grow closer, Joy helps with her research, facing challenges like elephant electrocutions, forest fires, and poaching. So, I see, author has taken quite sometime to think thoroughly and include a range of well researched topics intertwined all together into this fiction.
The family's internal dynamics unravel as Bhanu falls into a coma, revealing hidden truths and personal struggles.
Lekha Sharma's rich descriptions of the landscape and her well-developed characters make the novel a truly a special read. The book’s medium pace and thoughtful plot didnot fail to showcase the intricate ties between human emotions and nature. I mean we all are a part of this mother nature and we have to respect it and thrive in it.
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The author’s background and personal experiences in Kalimpong and its nearby areas add authenticity to the story. It felt that makes it a heartfelt and inspiring read.
Thus, Tea Country beautifully blends adventure, sprinkles of love, a tad bit of nostalgia, and the presence of tragedy, leaving readers with a profound understanding of the complexities of life in the tea estates of Dooars. Without any doubt, just grab this book.