A review by henrymarlene
You Beneath Your Skin by Damyanti Biswas

4.0

"You Beneath Your Skin” brings so many issues and themes to the surface that it cannot only be considered as just a thriller or crime novel. Damyanti Biswas threads together crime in a big city, crimes against women including acid burning, police corruption, abuse of power, abuse of people who are disadvantaged, drugs, child trafficking, mental health issues, family histories, abuse, murder, and even a little bit of a love story.  It sounds like too much at once, but amazingly, all these elements fit together and tell the story of Anjali, Jatin and the nexus between their families and their worlds. When it all starts to unravel, it is intense and much sadder to realise the intimate connections to Anjali and Jatin.  I am still shellshocked by the nature of the crimes described in this book against women in India, and the fear that so many women are subject to walking the streets not only at night, but in broad daylight in their own neighbourhoods.  The notes at the end of this novel describe the research undertaken to reflect the real-life atrocities, and they are not watered down. For Anjali, a major character, to be thrust in the middle of such horrific trauma brings to life the thinness of the fabric of society. As Anjali’s family history is brought to life, we also gain a glimpse into the internal struggles she was facing, the struggles of her son and her job, her relationship, her heritage. We also see the tenderness in her friendship with Maya, and also Maya’s relationship with Pawan. We see what lies beneath the surface of each of these characters, and we also catch a clear view of is hidden, and realise we cannot close our eyes to it once it is out in the open.

“Try as you might, love is a fire you may not wilfully light, nor snuff our at your will”.