If It's Not Forever

Plot

The author starts off with memories of the blast day. Deb had survived the bomb attack that left eighty people injured and many people dead. He feels sick at home and could not help wipe away the evil memories of the day. He recites the tragic event repeatedly to Avantika, his girlfriend. Avantika loves him and also feels bad, but she tries her best to make him forget what had happened. Quoting from the book, Deb says, "It could have been me". Deb is said to work at a publishing house "that publishes trash novels". His co-worker is named as Shrey, who is addicted towards girls and cannot live without them.

He finally recovers from it. He wants to seek redemption as he stood there, on the blast day, watching the victims die. He finds a diary while re-visiting the area, and the edge of the diary is burnt beyond recognition. He takes it home and reads it. The diary has "R.D" written on it. No name, or for that matter address, is provided. But Deb wants to return the diary to Ragini, who "R.D" loved. It is later revealed that the person was Ritam Dey and that "R.D" was his initials. He and Shrey, in the upcoming days, plans a road trip to Dehradun, where Ragini lived.

Most of the novel says us about the trio (Avantika, Shrey, Deb) and a girl named Tiya, travelling in an old car. They travel and the secrets come back to life. From Dehradun to Mumbai, the novel covers most of the Indian metropolitan cities. In the beginning of the novel we get to know about the trio's daily life. Shrey is reported to work at Grapevine India, and often goes out to "meet someone from the Times". Deb knows that Shrey is actually meeting new girls. It is also highlighted in the novel that Avantika, Deb's girlfriend, hates the company of Shrey's girlfriend Tiya. Tiya is said to be stupid and crazy.

Deb reads the diary privately at night when Avantika, with whom he lives, is fast asleep. He does not reveal to her what the diary has in it. Avantika, as he fears, would cry out for the "R.D" and might have left Deb stranded. One day, Shrey says he is bored with daily life, and he wants a vacation by a road trip. Deb immediately recognizes the value of the moment and seizes the opportunity in an instance. Thus, they venture out for the trip. Meanwhile, Avantika gets busier in her work life and has to go to Mumbai. Deb now regrets his decision to move without Avantika. However, he copes with it and sticks with the decision they had made. On the first day they go to Dehradun. Deb moves out of their hotel, to visit Imperial Academy, where "R.D" studied. It was mentioned in the diary in the initial pages of love-writing. He asks out the receptionist for records of someone with initials "R.D". The receptionist refuses at first, but then when he says that he comes from the press, the receptionist hands out the details. He accepts it and finds an address. However, in vain does the effort go. There is no one at the old, and dilapidated home except the old man, who is the caretaker of the house. He has forgot everything and suffers from Alzeimer's disease.

They, thus take the address from the caretaker and reach Haridwar, where Pratik, "R.D"'s best friend lived. He eventually does get hold of Pratik and trace out his home. He is said to work in Madhya Pradesh, India. Thus they have to again go up Madhya Pradesh.

Characters

Critical review

If It's Not Forever received fairly average to good reviews. Youth24x7, on their review, said, "Looking at ‘If it’s not forever, it’s not love’ will definitely make one think that it is one of those mushy love stories but what distinguishes this book from them is the way Durjoy Datta and Nikita Singh have given a new sensitive angle to the story by presenting the protagonist as a bomb blast victim striving to achieve redemption". Online blogs state it as a book that should be read by readers who are patient enough. Justlife reviewer Heena Joshi wrote, "Love could not have better sketch ever than the one depicted in this novel. The novel obviously has the common facet of young love, relationships & sex. But what sets it apart from others is the humanity; humanity towards the loss of some unknown; empathy with that person’s life and plight; relevance to other’s dreams and a dream to fulfill that unknown’s dream, a pain for other’s plight and loving your loved ones and making them feel this coziness and warmth throughout your life so that you don’t need to repent or think, “Why couldn’t I express them when I was alive”."

Stories In Moments gives 4 stars to If It's Not Forever and writes, "It’s a captivating read. More than once I felt like jumping to the last chapter as it was getting difficult for me to wait to know about the fate of the diary. The ‘present-tense-narration’ makes the story more intriguing and mysterious. Also the real life mentions like Grapevine and company funds etc. make you feel more emotionally connected to the story. The swaps between Deb’s story and Dead Man’s story have been used wonderfully. There isn’t a single episode when story loses its grip. But what sets the mercury soaring are the final 70 pages where every page greets you with a new revelation, a new heart break, and a new hope at the same time.