A Voice for Our Times: Review of Sentilong Ozukum’s LOVE LIKE THIS

Vizovono Elizabeth 

Publisher: Bookipedia Publications
Pages: 298
MRP: 400

Talk about a great hook! The very first sentence of Sentilong Ozukum’s latest novel Love like This jolted me upright and instantly had my attention. I was curious to find out more. And the rest of the story did not disappoint. The cover image however, is deceiving. This is not your usual run-of-the-mill romance novel. The protagonist Senlem is a bastard born out of wedlock and raised by a single mother in a thoroughly patriarchal society that prides itself on cultural propriety. Through his journey of self-discovery and his forbidden relationship with Ari, Ozukum reveals the many layers of hypocrisy and systematic evils that plague our society.

Written in the first person from the protagonist’s point of view, it is a riveting page-turner. As stated, it begins with a great hook, followed by suspenseful build-ups as the plot progresses to its climax and ends with a befitting twist in the tale. The structure is typically standard but the author wields his craft so deftly that you become fully absorbed in the masterful storytelling. The narrative comes alive, richly peppered with his characteristic analogies that seem to just drop down ever so naturally. 

Some of the early scenes of school and college education were very reminiscent of his debut novel Campus Blues. But that is where the familiar vibes fade away. Love like This has no traces of teenage romance melodrama. It is a mature book dealing with mature themes. And the writing reflects how the author himself has evolved into a seasoned writer over the years. Afterall, with this being his sixth book and fifth novel, Ozukum is practically a veteran when it comes to Naga fiction writing, having debuted as a novelist twenty-four years ago in 2010. 

A recurring theme in most of his novels is the angst and frustration of teaching and studying under a messed-up educational system (as was evident in his last novel Teacher Man). At the same time he also conveys the importance of education as the gateway to freedom. Associated with this is the communication gap between the generations, which often plays out in the disparity between parental intentions/expectations and their children’s dreams/sense of being. All these appear in the story, with the protagonist being a school principal and his love interest a teacher. Because of devious political pressure, both of them choose to leave the school and do something more meaningful. But that is only one issue. Like peeling off the layers of an onion, the novel brings to light many more grave issues.

Love like This depicts that all is not well in our society, and that we live in the midst of filth and sin while being protected by the veneer of cultural acceptability. Racism, hypocrisy, prejudice, poverty, inequality, violence against women, patriarchal hegemony, the plight of unwed single mothers and their offspring, corrupt political and church leaders, fanatic elders, gossiping neighbours, and an unforgiving judgmental society – you name it. They are all there.

The themes are multilayered. There are questions of self identity, familial identity, and ethnic identity. Senlem’s quest for acceptance and meaning in life sets the story in motion and drives the whole plot. There is also the idea of home, and the concept of love. In the process the author lays bare the unbecoming side of the adult world that hinges on lies, deceit, threats and bribery even among the seemingly respectable. What comes across very clearly is that anything done in concealment, even with the best of intentions, is dishonest and unjust. Making a scapegoat of Sumit the Nepali electrician was very telling. It unmasked many bitter truths about our society that hit too close to home. 

In the midst of all these, the landscape also plays a major part in the story. Though there are brief journeys to Kohima and Kalimpong, the story is largely set in Mokokchung town. There is a sense of cultural memory that evokes nostalgia for what Mokokchung was, and its colonial past, compared to the contemporary landscape. “Where dense forests once cloaked the hillsides, concrete structures now climbed ever higher, as if the hills themselves were sprouting buildings instead of trees” (48). Senlem remarks: “Things were truly different when we were children. Playgrounds and open spaces were abundant… I suppose those moments are lost forever.” And Ari replies, “How much we’ve lost and how much more we stand to lose” (49). 

The author draws attention to the town’s colonial past (like the pine trees on DC Hill area planted during British times) while also embracing its diverse make-up and inclusivity. He manages to weave ancient folklores associated with it like the legends of Longkhum and of Jina and Etiben. Then there are more contemporary developments like the annual Christmas cake race and midnight celebration on New Year’s Eve, which have become part of the town’s tradition and identity. The narrative breathes of fresh air in such sections and the atmosphere becomes light and dreamy, creating the perfect foil to the grave issues that weigh upon the characters. 

The novel depicts many kinds of love. It is not just about Senlem and Ari’s love. It is also about love between parents and children, love between families and communities, love between different communities, love that grows under different circumstances and love between an individual and his homeland. As this theme becomes clearer towards the end, you realize why the book is dedicated to Mokokchung. Very aptly, the author pays an aching tribute to his hometown, bringing it to life, and presenting it in its fullness with both the good and the bad that are a part of what makes this beautiful town. 

Hence the town assumes its own character in the novel. This is the place where everything that happens to Senlem takes place. He is treated as an outsider but this is also the only place where he truly feels at home, where he can find his sense of belonging. Through Senlem’s relationship with the town, Ozukum shows how our identity is so closely linked to our homeland. This is the love he is talking about. Love like This is the author’s love tribute to his hometown Mokokchung, simultaneously celebrating its beauty and lamenting for all that ails it. 

Ultimately, for Senlem, it is about finding true meaning and purpose in life by learning to accept oneself. But for me personally, the story reveals a grim reality that seems to offer no hope of redemption. Though the protagonist declares that he was finally free in the end, I was lost with the thought that he was conceived in sin and in the process of his whirlwind journey, he beget again in sin. Life came full circle. What about love like this? Is there no way out of this vicious cycle? I was left with this disturbing question. 

Nevertheless this novel poses many pertinent questions and challenges the readers to reflect on our present reality. Reading it in Kohima, everything was so relatable it felt like the author was describing my town. Blessed with great storytelling and courageous themes explored, another plus point is that the book has been thoroughly edited, and it shows that a lot of effort and care went into the production. This deserves mention because it ensures that the growing Naga literary landscape develops at par with the best by delivering quality content with quality production. 

In an interview with Washington Square News, Kazuo Ishiguro, commenting on the future of storytelling said, “However messy this world gets and however divided we get, stories are a force for good. It’s very important that each generation comes up with the writers who can address the world as it has become. I would like to believe that by continuing to write and share stories, we’re a counterforce to that.” I believe this quote applies to our own Naga context as well. Though miniscule compared to the world at large, we live in a very divided society trapped within the politics of our own communities. Hence stories such as this by writers like Sentilong Ozukum are the necessary counterforce needed for good to prevail. He has truly become a voice for our times. They say that fiction is the lie through which we tell the truth. Well, there you go. 



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