20

This book captures the feeling of being young so perfectly. The insecurity, the wonder, the intensity of meeting someone who understands you after being alone for a long time. I don't think a summary of the story will tell you anything about it, so I won't try. But it is very thoughtfully crafted. It's a slim book, but I savored every moment of reading it.

Young author Vatsal Surti writes about the interconnections of humans. His initial novella “To Desire” he wrote at the age of seventeen. Now with ‘20’ we note that he wrote this novel at the age of 20! Vatsal writes in a fashion that is flowing and effortless and invites the reader to simply soar along with him as he relates the relationship a boy and a girl, nameless. The emotions Vatsal plumbs are life and its extended forms, death, night as a symbol and day as the opposite, and the interconnectedness between humans and nature and feeling and passion and desire and love. Visit his website and watch the brief video and it is apparent that he blends the life and love of humans with the mysteries of nature – all one, all beautiful. Vatsal’s prose remains poetic in this novel – “Sometimes I was so filled with loneliness,” she told him, lowering her eyes as if to think. “You were with me and then you disappeared. And all this time I thought: if that’s what love is, I hope I never experience it again. I try to please everyone, and then I distance myself. I always wonder where I am. Nothing seems real sometimes. The world doesn’t make any sense. My teenage years were so difficult. I search for meaning in mundane events to discover something real. I seek identity in empty relationships. All my life I tried to find a place in this world...” Vatsal invites us to soar with this brief novel. He offers a synopsis to allow entry into his space – ‘A troubled young model, an introspective writer, 20 is about loneliness, love, hopes and dreams. One night as she is driving back home from a show, she almost runs over someone. She holds her breath, and through the fog they see each other for the first time. Love begins to form in the space between them, in precognitions and thoughts, lights and intimacies. Seasons change. They come to know more things about themselves and each other. Life wraps them in its embrace like a haze, in a vacant space bigger than their eyes can see.’ A love story, yes, but it is more than a romance: this is a palpable experience that enters our psyches for a while and leaves marks of beauty and memory. Vatsal Surti is a remarkably talented young writer, on who bears observing and following. Grady Harp, December 16 I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.

20 by Vatsal Surti is a minimalist approach to writing that works well on some levels, and causes some difficulty on others. A young woman comes close to hitting a young man in her car on her way home. From there, a fluid relationship begins to form between the two. This is certainly stark writing, as we never can determine the characters' names, just that they are, and that they relate to each other on some level. While there is some progress to the story, as it is somewhat written in a linear fashion, much of it is loosely arranged, with an overriding sense of deep contemplation on the young woman's part. She is taking everything in, but not letting us into her character too much. Each chapter feels like a little vignette, with a poetic feel giving the book a lyrical quality. An interesting read by a promising young author.

This is an honest review, also posted at [...] Have you ever watched one of those indie films full of beautiful artistic music, and engaging cinematography? When it was over, did you find yourself wondering “what exactly did I watch?” Did you love it anyways? This pretty much sums up my experience of the novel, 20. Surti took his time weaving his story, spinning it with introspection, poetry, and ethos; the result is haunting and enchanting but at times confusing to readers who enjoy straightforward and linear storytelling. Surti basically writes using train of thought. It’s like being inside someone elses head; the perception isn’t your own so it’s disorienting, but also beautiful if done correctly. The plot follows a model of 20 years as she experiences true, heart-wrenching love with (who would have guessed!) an introspective writer, and then loss, depression, and grief. Throughout the novel, the girl struggles to find her meaning in the world and to understand her relationships with her friends, lover, and her estranged father. The character doesn’t understand her world or feel like she belongs there and as a result she feels trapped by invisible expectations and societal implications. Essentially, this is about a young woman seeking freedom and meaning in her life. Of course, the road to this liberty is far from easy. The slightly ethereal quality of the characters and the thoughtful, fluid, and descriptive prose make this book feel more like a long piece of poetry than a novel. Its thought-provoking nature makes it better suited to read in short bursts rather than a long sit-down. It is in short, beautiful and different, just like the young model. But here are the critiques. I found several issues with tenses. One might say that this is just part of the author’s unique style, but to me it makes it sounds muddy and unsure. This brings me to grammar. The novel feels foreign. The author uses words that don’t fit the sentence and uses the singular form of a noun when he should be using the plural. Foreign isn’t bad, of course, but when the main character is a white, city girl, it can make her feel like she doesn’t belong in the story. Then again, maybe that’s the whole point. I give the 20 a solid 4 stars for originality, emotion, and artistic value. I can honestly say that I enjoyed the novel and I hope to read more by Surti soon.