Book Review: Dissected by Naveen Kakkar

Dissected by Naveen Kakkar is a light fiction read based around first-year medical college students. You won’t say that the book is poignant with its theme or plot; however, it takes us into the lives of some crazy medicos. Often doctors are conjectured as serious human beings. So, the question is, did they also remain serious during their college tenure? For many, it may be yes, but not for students like, Palak, Deepa, Tazzo, Rohan, Joy, Lego, Podgy, Ramola and many others. They are a different set and probably least bothered about the responsibilities they have to don after graduating from the Dale Medical College. Get ready for the unusual fun ride!

The book is rich with humour and perfectly blends with the captivating writing style of Naveen. In this fun read, we get introduced to a batch of students and we see how they try to acclimatize in a medical college during their first year. The story is staged against a place called Damsar and in that time, probably 1980’s, when the Internet or communication technologies were nowhere to be seen. Thus, that time collective fun and company of one to another mattered most.

This work is full of reminiscences of college days, the kind of events unfurl are common to everyone, thus the book sounds quite relatable. In every college campus, you will have a famous book shop, a Dhaba on the road, a far-off located bar for bragging, and of course a canteen in the college where you may not get the mainstream dishes but a variety of Parathas never go off the menu board.

Incidents about medical studies are pure bliss to read, especially of anatomy and physiology and biochemistry. Here we see the satire and humour at full bloom, these excerpts on anatomy and physiology justify the writer’s dig:

As the students settled down on the uncomfortable wobbly stools around the dissection table the smell of formalin grew stronger leaving many teary-eyed all over again. A few of them dared to look down at the body in close proximity and shuddered at the sight. Some acted as if it was their daily business to be surrounded by twelve dead men. “Deep inside they are scared,” Tazo could sense the unease behind their confident faces.

In physiology, we will teach you about the functioning of this marvelous creation of God, the human boy. No sooner did Professor Banerjee’s voice end, Riya’s figure flashed in front of Tazo again. Go away, let me focus on studies,” was the last thought in Tazo’s mind.

Like, mentioned above the novel abounds with such mesmerizing and bone-tingling comical incidents.

Right from the introduction day to final exam declaration there is a lot of stuff that will leave you chuckling. It is a must read for the current college-going generation and for those who have advanced ahead in life.