Women lives matter! Their presence, their contribution, their pain needs recognition. In most of the societies across the world, women are seen as objects to produce children, to serve husband, to work as maids within the four walls of the home. Have you ever asked yourself that the women around you living a better off life? Are people concerned to care for women in all walks of filed, in every phase of life?

“A lot has been done for gender equality, women liberation and women empowerment; patriarchy and misogyny still surface every now and then across the globe.”

Manoj Kumar Sharma’s new book, ‘Me No Pause, Me Play’ compels you to think on the above lines. Are you a contributor or an oppressor?

Me No Pause, Me Play is a short light women-centric novel with intense message for the world out spurting advances in all walks of life but ignoring women as they are second-class species on the planet.

The novel takes readers on an emotional dark journey to show how women cope up when they are in their midlife health crises. The lead victim Dolly is 53 years old. Her children are married, settled abroad, and her husband Rajat Khanna is a deputy manager in an MNC that works towards the betterment of women of the world.

Ironically, social stats are good, but her personal life is nothing less than a murky dungeon. Who she has to take care of her? Husband Rajat is like a stone…cares only for his work, so busy there that the world looks down at him as a selfish recluse.

If we ignore women and womanhood issues aside, some of the socially-oriented themes gallop across the novel…such as loneliness, failed love, marital rape, inspiration, personal dissatisfaction, mental and physical health of women reclusiveness, and a few more.

Manoj Kumar Sharma writes exclusively for the Indian society. He observes even basic unheard crimes with a magnifying lense. The previous novel Mirrro and even this is innovative and futuristic, this novel has a timeline of 2025. The author relays the message that no matter what the time is or how advanced human race sound but their way of looking at women may remain deep rooted in the abysmal wretched foundation of patriarchy.

Loneliness is one big theme that the book has to deal with its all prominent characters i.e. Dolly, Rajat, and Jasmona. Rajat and Jasmona choose to live aloof due to their cracked love affair when they were young. Dolly is alone because of her husband Rajat, who fails to recognize her as his equal partner.

“That night, Rajat couldn’t sleep. Firstly, he was very much upset with Dolly. What the hell was she doing in the washroom that made her fall, making herself bed-ridden and spoiling the most precious and awaited moment of his life.”

Let’s talk about the elephant in the room – menopause. Dolly faces many medical complications due to menopause…whether it was happening or impending – whatever she suffered the pain and tribulation silently. When she was taken to the hospital she was on the death bed. She was taken for an immediate operation. The gynecology reports indicated that she was in the menopause phase for over a year.

From the hospital, Jasmona bows to deal with Dolly’s medical case. She first dredges up the past of Dolly that brings Rajat’s felony upfront. She settles on to change Rajat so that Dolly could live rest of her life comfortably. She rolls out a proper chart by bewitching Rajat. Much part of the novel is about how Rajat cares for his wife.

The title is subjective; a careful look of scrutiny will give you its exact meaning that is fragmented from the word menopause. Jasmona is the master mind behind the popular chant (Me No Pause, Me Play) that grows manifold as the story heads towards the pinnacle of Dolly. Whether women are marred by nature’s cruel chorus of MC or trampled by society, they can rise like Dolly and inspire millions on the planet.