Book Review: The Blue Umbrella

There is beauty in simplicity. And you cannot agree more when you finish reading ‘The Blue Umbrella’ from Ruskin Bond. If I have to describe this book in one word then it would be ‘beautiful’. Ruskin Bond has done an amazing job at penning down a simple yet beautifully touching story.

‘The Blue Umbrella’ narrates the story of Binya, a young girl from a remote hilly village who lives an ordinary life. One day, she comes across some picnickers in the forest and saw an alluring blue umbrella. She instantly falls in love with the umbrella and when the picnickers offered to buy her lucky charm, she happily gives it to them in exchange for the blue umbrella.

Binya carries the blue umbrella with her everywhere. Soon this blue umbrella becomes the talk of the village. Some feel happy for her while some are envious. The village shopkeeper also becomes obsessed with the blue umbrella and wants to own it at any cost. The blue umbrella brings various adventures in Binya’s life and teaches her the ultimate lessons of kindness, sacrifice and letting go.

The book is short and it can easily be read in half an hour. Ruskin Bond has weaved magic with his words in this simple, sweet story. The story is simple and so are the characters. But the art of storytelling is exceptional. Various human emotions like jealousy, innocence, kindness, possessiveness are brilliantly portrayed in just a few pages.

This feel- good story fills your heart with emotions and makes you fall in love with Ruskin Bond.  At the outset, the story seems like the one that has to be read, enjoyed and forgotten but at it progresses, it beautifully transforms from children’s story to a subtle, mature tale with a deep, underlying message. It’s a perfect, quick, light read and a highly recommended one.

© 2018 Shaloo Walia All rights reserved

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22 comments

  1. Very good book and shows real life of an Indian in the form of binya and also shows mentallity of Indian crowd by how people react to the shopkeeper

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