Hills and Lakes by Satbir Chadha is a simple, reflective novel about caregiving, relationships, and how life comes full circle. This review explores the journey of Satya, a woman who spends her life caring for others until she herself needs care, highlighting themes of emotional balance, nature, and quiet transformation.
When I started reading this book, I thought I was stepping into the life of an elite high-society woman, someone who enjoys social gatherings, conversations, and a certain way of life. But as the story moved forward, it slowly opened into something much deeper and larger than that.
Some books feel loud. They try to impress with big twists and dramatic moments. Hills and Lakes by Satbir Chadha moves you in a different way. It feels calm, steady, and then suddenly turbulent, something we all experience in life. And these are the kind of stories that slowly grow on you and stay even after you have turned the last page.
Meeting Satya
The book explores care, relationships, and how life comes full circle through a relatable story of change and growth.
The novel opens with a wedding in Kerala. It is here that we first meet Satya, the central character. She belongs to an elite social circle. She enjoys good company, conversations, and the rhythm of a well-lived life. At the same time, she has a strong habit of helping people. She listens, guides, and often steps in to solve problems. People around her depend on her, and she seems comfortable in that role.
As the story moves forward, it does not follow a single straight path. Instead, it unfolds through many small stories connected to Satya. These stories show her in different situations, helping different people. Whether it is offering advice, supporting someone in trouble, or simply being present, she becomes a constant source of care for others.
There is a part of the story where she helps two sisters who are struggling in life. Their choices are not always right, but their situation explains why they have become that way. Satya does not judge them. She helps them find a way to rebuild their lives. This shows an important side of her nature. She looks beyond mistakes and sees the person behind them.
Nature is not just a setting
Another thread in the book takes us to Nainital. Here, the mood changes. The calm beauty of the hills slowly turns into something more serious. Heavy rains and landslides disturb the balance of nature. This part of the story quietly brings in an ecological concern. It reminds us that nature reacts when pushed too far. It serves as a reminder that the damage we do to nature always finds a way back to us.
The one who gives
Satya’s life continues to revolve around others. She connects easily with young people, offers relationship advice, and enjoys being part of their lives. She is warm, open, and generous with her time. For a long time, she remains the one who gives.
But life does not stay the same.
As the story progresses, her health begins to decline. The woman who once took care of everyone now finds herself in a position where she needs care, and her daughter-in-law steps in. This shift is handled very gently in the book.
The title Hills and Lakes also feels meaningful. The hills can be seen as effort, struggle, and responsibility. The lakes feel like moments of rest, reflection, and calm. Life, as the book shows, is made up of both. We climb, we pause, we give, and sometimes we receive. The hills test you, the lakes hold you. Life needs both.
Simple writing, lasting thoughts
The writing of the book is simple and easy to follow. There are no heavy words or complicated ideas. It feels like listening to someone talk about life and the people they know. Because of this, the story becomes more relatable. It does not try to teach lessons directly, but it leaves you with thoughts that stay.
What makes this book stand out is its honesty. It does not try to be perfect. Some parts feel slow, and some characters are not deeply explored. But that also makes it closer to real life. Not everything is neatly explained in life, and the book accepts that.
In the end, Hills and Lakes is a story about people, relationships, and the quiet changes that happen over time. It talks about care, not as a big idea, but as something we do every day. It reminds us that while helping others is important, life also has a way of bringing us back to ourselves.
It is a simple story, but one that many readers will understand and feel connected to.
Book:Hills and Lakes Author: Satbir Chadha Published: 15 November 2024 Publisher:Virasat ISBN: 978-93-93063-64-9
About the Author
Satbir Chadha
Satbir Chadha was born in Naini Tal to a prosperous business family. Early schooling was a scattered experience but she finished school from the St. Teresa’s Convent High School, Santa Cruz, Bombay and went to college in Sophia College Bombay. She is the author of the highly acclaimed book For God Loves Foolish People, a memoir, for which she won the Reuel International Prize for Literature in 2017. Her next novel was Betrayed, a medical thriller, both published by Vitasta, again much applauded by readers. This present novel Hills And Lakes is her take on life being a string of stories, and human life and nature being absolutely inseparable.
Her poems and short stories find place in several national and international anthologies including Vibrant Voices published by Sahitya Akademi.
She has four published solo poetry collections. Breeze was her first collection of poems, published by Authorspress. Her second collection of poems was Glass Doors, while her third was The Last Lamp, which was listed in the Commonwealth Digest of notable publications in 2022. I Want to go to Haldwani and Other Poems is her fourth collection of poems.
Jyoti is a Content Developer and a lover of books, an Engineer by education who finally found her calling in words. Taking long walks, practising yoga, listening to music, meeting a good friend over a cup of tea, baking the perfect cake – all these little things make her happy in their own way. Jyoti enjoys writing on a wide range of topics but her favourites are food, books, travel, and culture.
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2 thoughts on “‘Hills and Lakes’ by Satbir Chadha: Book Review”
Satbir Chadha
This one is wonderful, it’s like the reviewer has understood and connected with all perspectives shared in the book, pausing and reflecting.
Thank you and thank Jyoti Babel from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you, Ma’am, for the appreciation. I enjoyed the book, and it took me out of a reading slump. The themes in the book are easy to relate to, and it is written in a simple and easy-to-absorb way.
This one is wonderful, it’s like the reviewer has understood and connected with all perspectives shared in the book, pausing and reflecting.
Thank you and thank Jyoti Babel from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you, Ma’am, for the appreciation. I enjoyed the book, and it took me out of a reading slump. The themes in the book are easy to relate to, and it is written in a simple and easy-to-absorb way.