‘Story Of a Suicide’ is a Gripping SOS Manual for Young Adults

There are novels. There are SOS explainers on mental health. And then there’s Story of a Suicide.

Sriram Ayer, the author has written an informative, racy quickie of a character sketch. (Photo: Sriram Ayer)

The Story of a Suicide is a digital novel, written by Sriram Ayer (Founder, Nalanda Way), a social entrepreneur who primarily works to rehabilitate exploited children and young adults through art.

The novel is set (mostly) in a university campus. And in many places, it does read like it was written by a young adult. But I mean this in a good way, because it’s not actually a novel, but an SOS-How-To disguised as one.

The novel explores homosexuality, suppressed sexuality, rape, molestation, pedophilia, sexuality, feminism, language barriers and other challenges that young adults might face. And it brings the reader up close and sometimes uncomfortably personal, with all of these issues.

How Do I?

Help a friend with suicidal thoughts?
Express my sexual orientation to my parents / family?
Cope with ragging?
Cope with / survive rape?
Know I am in depression?
Cope with a break-up?

The novel is split into 31 chapters. And in each, questions like the ones above are listed as clickable side notes. It has a section where readers are invited to submit their stories. The rationale being that the act of sharing is in itself empowering. (Some of) These stories will later be curated and shared on social media, with the permission of the contributor. The Facebook page has also shared a helpline, on which one may share, speak and ask questions.

There is also the audio book version of the novel, which I wouldn’t recommend.

The Format and the Formative Impact

(The curtain raiser video to the novel, that went viral)

The novel can’t really be categorised as text. It’s a smoothie of video, text, music and some beautiful images by Ghana. In the accompanying blog, the author, Sriram Ayer says it took him and his team over three years to finish it. Whether you agree with everything that happens in the novel or not, it does make for a rich experience that stimulates you visually and aurally, in addition to the imagery that the text conjures.

I can’t see a young adult not liking the novel. It’s quite short, as novels go. It’s free, digital and adaptive to any device. The narrative is fast-paced and there’s always something going on, because it’s in a multi-story format. If you’re paying attention, it’ll give you something to think about. And there’s enough in there to titillate even if you’re barely paying attention.

Nailing the TG

Love, sex, angst, hacking, revenge, wiki-facts, tweets and expletives; all of these hooks to pull young adults into thinking about themselves. (Photo: Sriram Ayer)

Yes, the pace is a bit hurried. Everyone speaks in pithy dialogue or dream imagery. Occasionally it gets to you, but the imagery is quite vivid and in places, downright psychedelic, which makes for an interesting read. But here’s my bone of contention (no pun intended). It describes rape. There’s also a kind of lusty encounter sans any emotional connect that ends in guilt, consensual gay sex that ends in rape and masturbation that is cut short. Abuse is accentuated. Tenderness, both in terms of physical contact and as a mental thing, is sparse.

But, this book is for young adults (and adults) preoccupied with their sexuality (which is most young adults) or bogged down by their preconceived notions of it (which is most people). Whether you like it or not, it is un-put-down-able. And in this context, this is what matters.

You can read Story of a Suicide Here. And join in on the activity and conversation Here.