The Sorcery of the Senses

Reading The Sorcery of the Senses by Tanima Das was extremely challenging for me. I wanted to race through the fantasy world and untangle the mysterious threads as fast as I could. Yet, at the same time, I wanted to savour every word, enjoy the adventure and cherish the experience. I am a huge fan of Tanima’s writings and was eagerly waiting to read her first novel. I was overjoyed when she gifted me an autographed book. Now, who doesn’t love getting signed copies!!

Coming to the review, I think Fans of The Chronicles of Narnia might enjoy this book a lot.

The story is narrated in a dual timeline. Dhruv is the main protagonist of the story set in the present. But he is equally important in the other timeline too, the one set in a fantasy world. The guardians of the fantasy world, the Senses, are facing challenging times. They have to protect the universe from the evil senses. Dhruv holds the key to saving the universe. He has to connect the dots and complete the mission he has failed twice.

The senses reach out to Dhruv and we travel with Dhruv into the timeless past and unravel the mysteries of his past births, his strengths, and the life he led.

The story starts on a not-so-interesting note. I couldn’t care much for Dhruv’s taxi ride, but the moment the gateway opened, I was stunned to find myself in an enchanted world. Ghriz’s world.
Tanima plays with interesting concepts here–the creation of the universe, the sixth sense, and the battle between good and evil. Love, friendship, familial ties, and loyalty to one’s tribe are a few of the themes central to the story.

I liked the parallel world she created. The in-depth and vivid scene setting, unique names, strong female protagonists, and interesting storyline made my experience more exciting. Ghriz, Mong, Nakesia, Khraex, Ghrexad, Biyu, are a few of the names I really loved. They are unique and well-thought.

There’s a marked difference in the tone and delivery of the two storylines. She has adapted the tone and vocabulary to suit the respective timelines.

The main characters–Ghriz and Mong are well-curated. There are a lot of minor characters, with few of them etched better than others. Meher’s role could have been explored further. I didn’t enjoy Dhruv’s current story as much as his past ones. Despite being an important character, he did not leave a mark. The narration in the present tense was not as effective and impactful as it should have been.

The prologue, though interesting, doesn’t add much value to the story. The conclusion is slightly hurried, and the ending is flat and slightly dampening. As I reached the end, I wondered where the other ‘senses’ were. Only three appeared here. Will the rest mark their appearance in a sequel?

The narration is different from her usual style, more restrained than how she normally writes. But it does not affect the outcome negatively.

The Sorcery Of The Senses is a fantastic fantasy ride, a ride not to be missed!

Wordsopedia Rating 4/5

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About the author

Tanima Das Mitra is an author from India. She works as a software developer while giving her hand to fiction. Her stories have won major contests, including the prestigious Write India contest hosted by the Time of India. Her stories have also been published in various reputed magazines and anthologies all over the world.

Tanima lives with her husband and son in Kolkata. The Sorcery of the Senses is her first novel.

Get in touch with the author on Twitter.