A Place in this world

25th October 2025

"A Place in This World" by Richa Telang is a moving contemporary novel that explores grief, personal growth, modern family dynamics, and the search for belonging in a world forever changed by the pandemic.

The book follows the journeys of Ira, a talented fashion designer, and Sahaj, an IT professional, both grappling with the loss of their spouses to COVID. Rather than presenting a fairytale romance, Richa has managed to craft an aftermath narrative focused on reconstruction and rediscovery, where each character seeks purpose beyond tragedy and isolation. I would take a moment to appreciate the author's thoughtfulness in creating a hooking start with one protagonist finding the other through a radio show.

Richa does not romanticize grief; instead, she provides a space for shared vulnerability and humanity. Ira and Sahaj have a solid supporting cast in Vicky, Kritika, Vandana, Diwakar, Soham, and Pia, who add layers to the story, touching upon themes like single parenting, workplace dynamics, friendship, betrayal, the relationship between in-laws and daughter-in-law, and the struggle to redefine self-identity.

These intertwined stories enrich the plot, offering readers insight into the complexities of family, love, and personal reinvention during testing times. The mention of music lightens the complexities, and the reference to food throughout the book makes it all the more relatable. Reading the book took me back to COVID times for a brief period. What sets this novel apart is Richa's honesty in refusing to offer a simplistic and conventional closure. Instead, she leaves readers with practical truths, encouraging reflection and self-discovery without shying away from the messy realities of loss and healing. The storytelling is deeply empathetic, echoing real-world emotions and dilemmas faced by many in recent years. The real challenge of starting a business from scratch is noteworthy. Also, the way social media is, how it works, how creating content, getting followers, and engagement is not a cake walk, is portrayed seamlessly.



"A Place in This World" is ideal for readers seeking a heartfelt fiction that balances emotional depth with real-life struggles, offering comfort and understanding rather than escapism.

Statements that stayed with me: 1) 732 posts. 99.8k followers. 436 following! Ira read on Kritika's page. To add insult to injury, she opened her own feed. 11 posts. 108 followers. 291 following. Her last post was a selfie with Chirag, uploaded more than a year and a half ago.
And what am I doing with my life? Neither do I have a handsome pay package to be proud of nor a glamorous social media presence. I am a bloody average with whatever skills one can think of.
2) I mean, it's not that I am jealous of her; I am indeed very happy to see her doing well.... but her success, to some extent, reminds me of my failure - of my own decision gone wrong years back.
3) You see, it is LIFE that always offers us options, and whatever we evaluate is based on our current situation. Think of it this way - You have to hit the bullseye, so lock the target in your sight and mentally calculate the speed and angle of your dart accordingly. But whether it will hit the right place, a bit up or down around it, or just fall down - is known only after the dart is thrown in that direction.
4) Just like you enjoy designing clothes, I enjoy this. It's my passion. And my followers, they are my inspiration. I don't do all of this to show off but to keep myself engaged and happy.


This post is a part of Blogchatter HalfMarathon 2025