I seldom read the same genre back to back. I always prefer to read a light book after a heavy one. Milk Teeth seemed to fit that bill perfectly after my last historical fiction.
Setting
Milk Teeth is set in the 1990s in a housing society in a suburb of Mumbai. It was when Mumbai was still Bombay. When life was much simpler and uncomplicated.
Storyline
Ira Kamat and Kartik Kini are childhood friends who are neighbours in Asha Niwas in Matunga. Their mothers are more like sisters than friends. Ira idolises Kartik and also has a secret crush on him. Several years later Ira is a conscientious journalist trying to highlight the incompetencies of the municipal corporation. She is forthright and believes in honesty in her work as well as her relationships. Kartik who has returned home after several years has a complicated disposition. It has multiple layers to it. He is dealing with his issues which leads to lies and deception. Their families decide for their alliance which they agree to. Alongside, is the story of Asha Niwas which is about to go for redevelopment with no consensus among the residents over it.
Viewpoint
Milk Teeth pertains to changing urban and social fabric of Bombay. It's the story of the perpetual struggle of the middle class for living space in Bombay. It's the transition from Bombay to Mumbai. Along with it, the shift in the nature of relationships from childhood to adulthood. Milk Teeth is a book worth reading. At places, nostalgia would hit you. It would remind you of all the childhood games. All in all, a well-narrated book that has its heart and soul in right place.
Star Rating - 4/5
Recommend -Yes
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