In a literary world saturated with love stories that pivot around sunshine arcs, redemption, and neatly tied conclusions, Vinita Rk’s I Call It LOVE boldly steps into darker, murkier waters. It is a haunting narrative that turns the romance genre on its head—not merely by deviating from convention, but by challenging the reader to empathize with, or at least understand, the unthinkable: love through the lens of obsession, control, and ultimately, crime.
An unflinching portrayal of obsession, loss, and the unsettling truth of unresolved endings.
Set in Pune, India, the novel follows the tragic disappearance of Jose Hannigan, the only daughter of an Indo-American couple. What sets I Call It LOVE apart is not just its subject matter, but the perspective from which the story unfolds. The narrative is driven by the diary of an anonymous stalker—Jose’s stalker—who later becomes her kidnapper and murderer. The killer is never caught. Justice is never served. There is no closure, just like in many real-life criminal cases. This daring narrative choice refuses to comfort the reader with resolution, which is perhaps the book’s greatest strength—and most painful truth.
David Hannigan, Jose’s father, is a bankruptcy lawyer in Mumbai. His work, logic-driven and grounded in legality, is a sharp contrast to the chaos that envelops his personal life. The Hannigan family is not dysfunctional; they are loving and invested in their daughter’s life. This is what makes their tragedy so devastatingly poignant. When Jose goes missing, there is no warning, no premonition—only a long, tormenting silence that stretches for years, leaving the family to age with grief. David dies without answers. Chaya, Jose’s mother, unable to cope, takes her own life. These are not just casualties of a crime but of a system, of helplessness, and of hope that slowly corrodes.
The novel’s brilliance lies in its chilling realism. The stalker’s diary—discovered with Jose’s remains years later—is not theatrical or filled with dramatized villainy. It is disturbingly mundane, written in a tone that is almost casual. This makes it even more horrifying. The stalker does not see himself as evil. He sees his actions as love. Twisted, yes, but honest in his mind. This is where the book asks uncomfortable questions: How often do we mistake obsession for affection? How many signs of danger are lost in translation because society romanticizes persistent pursuit as a form of devotion?
Vinita Rk does not give her antagonist a name. This anonymity adds to the sense of unease, turning the stalker into a symbolic figure—anyone, anywhere. It reflects how invisible these criminals often are in real life, how they can hide in plain sight while wrecking lives.
Despite the grim theme, the prose is beautifully restrained. Rk avoids sensationalism and writes with quiet intensity. Her descriptions of Pune are vivid yet never overpower the central narrative. The city’s cafés, libraries, and housing societies act as a backdrop that ironically highlight the normalcy of Jose’s life before it all unravels.
The limited number of characters in the story allows readers to delve deeper into each psyche. Jose, though mostly seen through the stalker’s eyes, is not objectified. Her diary entries, conversations, and the recollections of her family offer glimpses of a young woman who was kind, smart, and driven. That she becomes a victim of such horrific obsession feels like a brutal betrayal—not just by her stalker, but by the world around her that failed to protect her.
The decision to keep the case unsolved, to let the killer walk free, may anger readers used to narrative justice. But that is precisely the point. Life isn’t always about justice. In real life, families of missing persons carry the weight of not knowing. The media moves on. The police close files. People forget. I Call It LOVE makes sure we don’t.
What also stands out is the sheer audacity of the book’s title. I Call It LOVE is not romantic; it is accusatory. The “I” in the title could be the stalker, defending his actions. It could be society, complicit in romanticizing possessive behavior. Or it could be a cruel twist on the age-old sentiment that love justifies all. Either way, the title lingers in your mind long after you’ve closed the book.
Vinita Rk, a seasoned writer with nearly two decades of storytelling behind her, has crafted a work that is as emotionally devastating as it is thematically powerful. Known also for her book Letters to My Daughter, Rk’s versatility is evident—she can move from tender reflections on motherhood to this unflinching look at love’s darkest corners. Her recognition as one of India’s top 10 influential authors in 2024 is well-earned.
In conclusion, I Call It LOVE is not a book you enjoy—it is a book you survive. It is a journey into obsession, grief, and the gaping holes left by unanswered questions. It forces you to reflect, to mourn, and perhaps, to fear. But most importantly, it makes you think. And in literature, that is the truest form of love.
Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)
Recommended for readers who are unafraid to step into the shadows of the human psyche and face truths that most stories choose to avoid.
