The Re:Reader has been conceived to engage in the way a book reading might, without physically being present. It was created with the intent to engage with an increasing number of people who interact mostly on their mobile phones, in a style that is relevant and contemporary.

This experience may act as a catalyst to read the book, and for those who have read it to add an experiential layer to it. Eventually it is about the joy and the quality of an alternate experience of Arundhati Roy’s ‘The Ministry of Utmost Happiness’, a way to fall in love and be willingly led, click-by-click, into its world.

Re:Reader has snippets of text from the XII chapters of the book. Animations show the text in a new light; music brings the period to life, and with portions read by Arundhati Roy, it makes for a dreamy, heady ride. But none of these bits of ‘media’ are presented as ‘content’ for independent consumption. They are there to tempt, to intrigue, to transport the viewer to the Utmost world, not to reveal or substantially replace it. A perfect fit for the author’s voice.

Each user will have a different engagement pattern which makes each persons experience of the book, its mood and its narration, unique.

Though the Re:Reader is mapped in a linear fashion to ease navigation, the user is free, and expected to, enjoy it over separate visits, skipping according to her fancy. It may become a companion to her reading, allowing the pleasure of reflection. It can allow the reader to own the story, make their own connections and savour the writing.

The treatment leans on typography (the closet friend of a novel), animating its mood, to cry or rejoice with its characters. Small, interesting, quirky animations and sounds work as support, never try to overpower the beauty of the written words. It’s the text that’s supreme: its power and beauty is trapped in black type on white paper. Thus we stay away from still or moving pictures to create this experience.

It keeps the author’s relation with her book totally honest and fair, as befits twenty years of labour, angst, joy, sorrow and achievement.

This is a long burning fuel, which can touch readers long after the book readings, and much beyond their geographical spread.

This experience can be easily translated into many languages and promoted in the cities and countries where the author cannot be physically present for a reading. This allows us to spread the book and its experience to more potential readers. Finally

This kind of web presence for a novel is the first of its kind ever done by an author. It goes beyond a movie trailer. Like the author’s voice, it’s  a new, surprising, silent and powerful way to showcase her new work. That is the most powerful achievement of the Re:Reader.