Book Review: Unanswered by Kunal Narayan Uniyal

Unanswered: When all is answered

Poet: Kunal Narayan Uniyal
Genre: Poetry collection
Publishers: Samaya Sakshaya

‘Unanswered’ is a lilting journey of the poet. This book is not just a poetry collection, but it offers profound insight into the life experiences of the poet. You might or you might not be able to figure out the underlying meaning/ answers associated with every new poem or anecdote because unlike other poetry collections, the poet has not used broad strokes to portray any emotion or feeling. But does this count as a negative? No. This book demands solitude and ardour for getting a glimpse of what is hidden behind the veil of woven words.

To begin with, the very first poem in the book is ‘You and I’, in which the poet is requesting Lord Krishna to meet him in a state that is not only humane but simple. The poem has been written in a liberal and religious tone. Next up, is an anecdote on the life of a Yogi and the poem following it acts as the cherry on the cake. The poet has maintained sufficient balance between the inclusion of poems and short excerpts. Some of the poems that really have the potential to affect the readers are Mysteries, Not what I wanted and Walk Alone.

Coming to the technical aspect of the book, the font is legible but the size is larger than it should have been. I especially liked the indentation/alignment of the content section which is few and far between. The placing of the header at the end of every page, along with the page number, is appealing. The cover of the book could have been made better. The title is not apt. If the book talks about answering all the buried questions, then the title misleads the readers. Also the punchline- ‘When all is answered’, is contrary to the title. Other than this, I do not like the fact that this book lacks a blurb. Even if it is a poetry book, it should have been accompanied by a blurb at the back because blurbs are essential in reinforcing the decision of buying or not buying the book.

The use of vocabulary and language is splendid. Although I also felt that for not-so-avid-readers, the language will be comparatively difficult to comprehend. The poet’s selection of words to describe the emotional turmoil is remarkable. All the poems have been written in free verse and that adds a personal touch to them. For those who are aware of our mythological history, the book is relatable. Even for the new readers, there is something new to know about, in every poem.

Overall, a subtle read and profound work of literature!

Best wishes to the poet/author!