Book Review: ‘Those Delicious Letters’ by The Bong Mom, Sandeepa Mukherjee Datta

When did you last receive a handwritten letter?

I just finished reading ‘Those Delicious Letters’ by The Bong Mom, Sandeepa Mukherjee Datta. Gosh, so much to say about this book, idk where to start. Ok, first of all, I am in love with the author’s storytelling. The whole vibe and the presentation were pretty awesome. I loved it.

Shubha, the protagonist of the story, fighting with various middle-age problems, who just celebrated her 40th birthday, is a wife to her busy husband, Sameer, mother to two daughters.
Her unembellished life takes a turn when she starts receiving letters from an unknown lady, claiming to be her grandmother, living in Kolkata, whom she doesn’t even know or recognize.

As the book title says, ‘Those Delicious Letters’, these letters always come with a traditional Bengali recipe. Written with love, immersed in the stories from the past, and those old memories, the letters soon become part of Shubha’s life.

Dealing with her uneventful, monotonous life and her workaholic husband, whom she thinks is not interested in her anymore and started to avoid her. She thinks their relationship has become dull and lost its charm. Meantime, the letters from this mysterious lady intrigue her so much that she started to try cooking her recipes.

As the story progresses, finally Shubha decides to find out about the mysterious sender. However, soon in the decoding process, she discovers and untangles her own life.

The author has beautifully described and elucidated numerous Bengali traditions, culture, and food. I am not a Bengali, yet, felt every bit of it. As they say, you could belong to whatever religion or group or be living in whichever part of the world, love, and emotions remain the same. For appreciating such endearment and warmth, one only needs a heart.

So, to know,
Who is the mysterious lady sender?
What secret did Shubha come across at the end of the story?
Read this delicious yet engaging tale that also includes a taste of mystery.
Go, grab your copy now.

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️