Book Review: ‘Unfolding’ by Rahul Singh

Book Title: Unfolding
Author: Rahul Singh
Publisher: HarperCollins India
Number of Pages: 280
ISBN: 9365693683
Date Published: Jan. 16, 2026
Price: INR 385 / $14.99

Book Review

“Unfolding“, the debut novel of Rahul Singh, is a tender and searching story about love in all its uneasy forms. The book with a beautiful and emotional cover picture introduces the readers to Ralph and Ojas, two men trying to hold on to each other while also chasing freedom. Their open relationship, which begins as an idea of possibility, slowly becomes a space filled with jealousy, doubt, and silent fear. Love here is not soft or settled. It stretches, it falters, it demands honesty that neither of them is fully prepared for. The novel shows how even the most modern relationships can carry very old insecurities.

Running alongside their story is the life of Zubina, a domestic worker in Ralph’s home. Her world is shaped by financial strain, marriage, motherhood, and quiet sacrifice. At first glance, her life seems far removed from Ralph and Ojas’s complicated romance. Yet her marriage to Aadil carries its own unspoken longings and disappointments. Through Zubina, the novel gently reminds us that love does not always arrive with grand declarations. Sometimes it hides in routine, in shared labour, in the small acts that go unnoticed. Her emotional journey becomes one of the most moving parts of the book.

What ties these lives together is the question of identity. Sexuality, religion, class, and gender all weigh heavily on the characters. They are not just lovers or spouses; they are people shaped by society’s expectations and judgments. The novel asks what happens when love must struggle not only against personal fear, but also against social boundaries. Ralph’s memories of his mother, Ojas’s fear of losing youth, Zubina’s reflections on her sister and daughters — all show how the past quietly shapes the present. Love becomes an act of courage in a world that constantly defines who we are allowed to be.

Written in clear and simple language, “Unfolding” carries emotional depth without becoming heavy. It moves quickly, yet slows down just enough in the second half to let the characters breathe and change. This is not a story that offers neat answers. Instead, it opens doors — to difficult conversations, to self-examination, to fragile hope. By the end, what remains is a quiet truth: love is rarely perfect, often misunderstood, and always a work in progress. And still, despite everything, it is worth choosing again and again.